JETSTREAM - A SCIENCE CLOUD SUPPORTING US RESEARCH IN ALL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

Jetstream is a first-of-a-kind system for the National Science Foundation (NSF) - a distributed production cloud resource. Jetstream is funded by the NSF and offers on-demand interactive computing services in support of US scientific research generally – available at no cost to researchers through a straightforward request process. Jetstream offers unique capability within the NSF-supported US national cyberinfrastructure, delivering interactive virtual machines (VMs) via a user-friendly interface. Jetstream offers four primary kinds of services:1) "self-serve" cloud services, enabling researchers or students to select a pre-existing VM image or to create a new virtual environment for personalized research computing; 2) persistent interactive research computing services via Science Gateways; 3) data movement, storage, and dissemination; and, 4) Virtual desktop services to tablet devices, increasing CI access for users at resource-limited institutions. One of the key distinguishing characteristics of Jetstream is that it is a managed science cloud – a cloud managed for the support of science research. As a multi-region deployment that operates as a single integrated system, Jetstream is proving effective in supporting modes and disciplines of research traditionally underrepresented on larger NSF-supported clusters and supercomputers. Already, researchers in biology, network science, economics, earth science, and computer science have used Jetstream to perform research – much of it research in the “long tail of science.” This poster will focus on the characteristics of Jetstream and how it can help scientists in many disciplines accelerate their research and discovery. The Jetstream team is particularly interested in accelerating adoption of Jetstream as a tool supporting research in engineering, social sciences, and life sciences – for research and education. This poster will be staffed by project leaders and technical staff who will be happy to discuss how Jetstream can aid you in your research and teaching activities, and help you start making use of Jetstream. We will also discuss why it is strategically and fiscally valuable for the NSF to invest in the purchase and implementation of a cloud system rather than using the equivalent amount of funds to purchase time on a commercial cloud facility.