New tool launched to help researchers choose cloud providers
The Cloud Computing for Research Competency Centre has launched a new tool to help researchers find the best cloud provider for their needs.
Moving to the cloud has several benefits for researchers, however it’s a complex task and easy to get overwhelmed with information when choosing the right provider to host data. The team at the Cloud Computing for Research Competency Centre noticed a need for a tool to help researchers easily identify and compare their options.
Researchers interested in storing and managing their data in the cloud can now access the Select Your Cloud Instance tool online, which has been designed and built by the team at the competency centre. It allows you to specify requirements for storage, computing power, and provides up-to-date details on options and costs for a variety of cloud providers including different options from Amazon AWA, Microsoft Azure and Google GCP.
Ansar Rafique, Senior Research Software Engineer from the competency centre said “We developed the tool to save researchers time and effort since they do not have to visit multiple providers to compare their options. Researchers each have unique application requirements, and the tool will help each person or team navigate the options and find the right provision for them in an easy-to use setting.”
Paul Demanze Senior Research Software Engineer from the Cloud Computing for Research Competency Centre said “The tool allows researchers to make informed decisions without being bogged down by irrelevant options or excessive details. We obtain data automatically and directly from cloud providers and combine them into a single place to streamline the decision-making process and potentially reduce costs, as researchers can find the best value option.”
Researchers can use the tool independently without SSO via a web browser when searching for a new cloud provider or contact the competency centre for additional support on cloud computing.
The Cloud Computing for Research Competency Centre is a free service available to everyone at the University, offering tailored advice, technical support, tools, and end-to end support to simplify cloud computing for your research. Introduced as a part of Oxford’s digital transformation, the centre also runs a range of training including upcoming events on Microsoft Azure as a research tool on 5 December 2024 and 101 AWS Workshop on 12 December 2024.
