JISC

Committees: JISC Support of Research committee

Programmes: e-Infrastructure programme

The e-Infrastructure Advisory Board is being established to provide strategic advice and guidance for the following:

• JISC e-Infrastructure programme
• National Grid Service (NGS)

The JISC e-Infrastructure programme is a HEFCE Capital funded initiative (£10.05m). It builds on the work arising from the JSR (JISC Support of Research Committee), the e-Science Core programme, and the OST (Office of Science and Technology) e-Infrastructure roadmap. It has also been informed by European and International developments within the Grid and Research communities. The programme runs from April 2007 to March 2009 inclusive. 

The National Grid Service (NGS) is managed and operated by the Grid Operations Support Centre (GOSC). It is the UK's core production computational and data grid service. The NGS is funded by JISC (3 clusters), CCLRC (1 data cluster), and EPSRC (CSAR and HPCx). Under the JISC e-Infrastructure Programme, the NGS is funded to a total of £2m toward its operational work.

The Advisory Board will have cross-representation with the e-Science Steering Committee (SAT) with which it shares a similar mandate.

A Grid Services & Tools Liaison Group will also be established in order to work closely with the Management Teams in both the e-Infrastructure and NGS on collaborative and identified issues where there are joint funded activities and to regularly inform the Advisory Board of progress. 

The relationship among all the groups outlined above is intended to be mutually supportive and informative. 

Terms of reference

The Advisory Board will be responsible for overseeing the monitoring, approval and direction of these two organisational areas of activity. Outcomes and recommendations from the Board will directly inform the JSR (JISC Support of Research committee) which has final and ultimate approval of funding decisions in relation to both the e-Infrastructure programme and the NGS.

The Advisory Board will:

• Provide strategic advice and guidance to JSR on the development of a UK infrastructure
• Provide strategic advice and guidance to the NGS Executive on the direction of the National Grid Service and its operations
• The Advisory Board will be responsible for overseeing the monitoring, approval and direction of these two organisational areas of activity
• Identify synergies with developments and organisations both outside and within the JISC and wider Research community
• Develop input on specific areas of activity
• Make funding recommendations to the JISC Support of Research Committee
• Provide advice on programme activity to ensure a consistent and coherent approach
• Recommend additional work that could enhance the objectives of the e-Infrastructure Programme and the NGS
• Offer advice on dissemination, sustainability strategies and evaluation