ETICS 2

E-Infrastructures are one of the key enablers for large-scale scientific research and the development of Information Society in Europe. Scientific software and the middleware components providing grid services act as the framework for many scientific developments. Different and incompatible implementations of the services, disconnected and short-lived software repositories, lack of clear procedures for software build, test, validation and maintenance hinder the widespread adoption of grid technologies by many diverse communities.

The definition and widespread adoption of common software lifecycle management procedures, manageable validation testbeds, distributed and federated repositories of code and software packages and widely agreed quality assurance processes and tools are goals closely aligned with an overall policy of creating a structural and sustainable eInfrastructure in Europe. The ETICS 2 project aims at supporting the widespread adoption of grid technologies by promoting and expanding the use of grid-based software engineering technologies by existing and new communities. The major objectives of the project are to provide an integrated combination of new key technologies (test management and workflow tools, release management tools, resource virtualization) and actively involve existing and new grid infrastructures through collaborations with key organizations and scientific research projects.

In addition, ETICS 2 will build upon international collaborations in Europe and internationally through its direct links with parallel initiatives and infrastructures in the US and will directly support the emerging National Grid Initiatives (NGIs) creating a flexible, stable and reliable environment that can eventually be transitioned in the future, sustainable European Grid Initiative and used to establish official "quality labels" for grid software and create trust between users and providers.