Information Technology

Planned German National Data Infrastructure

A major goal of NFDI4Cat is to build and establish local and cross-cutting data infrastructures, as shown in the figure below. This includes a distributed repository infrastructure and other local and cross-cutting services needed by the NFDI4Cat community to create a national environment for catalysis-related research data. To ensure future viability, the infrastructure will be built on existing standards and principles and synchronized with other consortia and other communities. Open-source solutions that rely on modern technologies, especially knowledge graphs, are preferred.

Overarching data infrastructure

A distributed repository infrastructure is to be built that serves as an overarching data infrastructure. A layered architecture is planned that includes a distributed storage layer, a repository layer, and a presentation layer. The distributed storage layer will enable local storage at different locations. The repository layer will provide a new central repository as well as existing and new repositories at sites with special requirements. The presentation layer will provide a general access point to the metadata and data openly available in the various repositories. It will also provide other overarching services that have been identified as useful to the NFDI4Cat community.

Local Data Infrastructures

In addition to the overarching data infrastructure, local data infrastructures that support the entire lifecycle of research data – collecting/creating, processing, analyzing, archiving, accessing, and reusing – will be supported. To this end, several labs working in different catalysis disciplines will establish pilots. Other groups will benefit from these pilots, both through the experience gained by reusing some of the local services established.