Cloud Computing: towards a smart cloud computing continuum

a) Research and Innovation Actions (RIA)

Proposals will address at least one of the following areas:

1. Advanced cloud technologies and testbeds combining aspects of network, computing and data/information resources (i.e. next generation networks, novel datacenter architectures, fog/edge computing and sensor networks, large-scale analytics and simulation, public, hybrid, multi-cloud computing, etc.) to provide complete solutions encompassing network, computing and data services. The key aspect of these advanced cloud technologies is to seamlessly combine computation resources all along the data path and support the complete service lifecycle (i.e. from the end-user request/context to creation of workflows, monitoring of execution platforms, application deployment and adaptation while optimising the execution).
2. Advanced Cloud Data Privacy and Security techniques taking into account issues such as integrating data protection principles, unifying security policies across cloud services and applications, defining personal data semantics, managing data locality, migration and latency.
3. Novel programming models and semantically interoperable services to support dynamic environments that respond intelligently to changes in application behaviour or data variability; automatic deployment and continuous dynamic composition of semantically annotated services; adaptability of services to different resources & usage contexts; automatic reasoning, scheduling and deployment of workflows on top of the resulting infrastructure.

The proposals should demonstrate the applicability and viability of the proposed solution across multiple application domains.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 3 and 5 million would allow this area to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

b) Coordination and Support Actions (CSA)

Proposals in this action will address the following:

• Coordinate stakeholders in Cloud Computing and act as support to R&D programmes/activities by disseminating project results and organising scientific and policy events, developing research and innovation roadmaps, and addressing pre-standardisation initiatives.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 400.000 to 600.000 would allow this area to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Cloud computing is changing from a pure elastic provisioning of virtual resources (or platforms) to a transparent and adaptive hosting environment that fully realizes the “everything as a service” provisioning concept, from centralised cloud to the edge, and from network and computing infrastructure up to the application layers.

The challenge is to develop comprehensive cloud solutions and testbeds combining various execution platforms for ubiquitous and seamless execution computing environments as a foundation for a complete computing continuum. This requires novel solutions for federating infrastructures, programming applications and services, and composing dynamic workflows, which are capable of reacting in real-time to unpredictable data sizes, availability, locations, and rates. This will provide application developers with greater control over network, computing and data infrastructures and services, and the end-user will benefit from seamless access to continuous service environments. Such solutions should also address security, semantic interoperability, heterogeneous data integration, organisation and linking, data protection, performance, resilience and energy-efficiency requirements to respond to the future digitisation needs of industry and the public sector. Addressing these challenges will also be part of and contribute to the technological ambitions of the Next Generation Internet (NGI).

a) Research and Innovation Actions (RIA)

• Contribute to the development of an ecosystem and testbeds that will respond to the future digitisation needs of industry and the public sector;
• Assist the development of new cloud-based services and infrastructures in Europe and foster an industrial capability in the cloud computing sector;
• Create new opportunities to encourage European-based providers, in particular SMEs, to develop and offer cloud-based services based on the most advanced technologies;
• Leverage research and innovation projects to support the development and deployment of innovative cloud-based services and next generation applications, for the public and private sectors (including standardisation and applications for AI, Big-Data and other sector-specific applications).

b) Coordination and Support Actions (CSA)

• Creation of a sustainable European forum of stakeholders representing the Cloud Computing research, industry and users.