Introduction to Science Gateways and Science Gateway Frameworks - Science Gateways for Distributed Computing Infrastructures - page 2

Chapter 1
Introduction to Science Gateways
and Science Gateway Frameworks

P é ter Kacsuk

Abstract This chapter gives a short introduction to the basic architecture and
functionalities of science gateways, as well as their development methods. It then
brie

y describes the EU FP7 SCI-BUS project that is developing a core science
gateway framework called as WS-PGRADE/gUSE. A large number of various user
communities have developed application-oriented science gateways by adapting
and customizing the WS-PGRADE/gUSE gateway framework. The chapter also
explains the vision of SCI-BUS on a collaboration-based SG instance development
methodology. Finally, it gives a guide on how to read the rest of the topic.

1.1 Science Gateway Frameworks and Instances

More and more scientific communities use distributed computing infrastructures
(DCI) including grids and clouds. Unfortunately, directly using these infrastructures
is not easy; it requires a lot of expertise and skill, and a good understanding of the
working mechanisms of these infrastructures. Typical scientists like chemists,
biologists, etc., do not have this required skill, and hence they require a high-level,
scienti c user interface that hides all the details of the underlying

infrastructure and exposes only the science-speci

c domain-speci

c parts of the applications to be

executed in the various DCIs.
Science gateways are the typical environments that realize these needs. They are
typically provided as a web interface that can be accessed from everywhere in the
world. They have the advantage that scientists do not have to install anything on
their personal desktop machines or mobile devices and no matter where they travel