D4Science - deploying virtual research environments

The D4Science (DIstributed colLaboratories Infrastructure on Grid-ENabled Technology for Science) project aims to continue the path that the GÉANT (a multi-gigabit pan-European data communications network), EGEE (Enabling Grids for E-science in Europe), and DILIGENT (A Digital Library Infrastructure on Grid Enabled Technology) projects have initiated towards establishing networking, Grid-based, and data-centric e-Infrastructures. These e-Infrastructures are expected to accelerate multidisciplinary research by overcoming several crucial barriers that stand in the way, primarily those related to heterogeneity, sustainability and scalability. In order to achieve this objective a D4Science production quality e-Infrastructure has been created, and will be progressively enriched and consolidated. It will provide facilities for creating Virtual Research Environments based on shared computational, data and service resources offered by many different providers like EGEE and large international organizations.