CS3MESH4EOSC · Project

Federated Cloud Storage Mesh Connecting Research Institutions Across Europe

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Imagine every university and research lab in Europe has its own cloud storage — like separate Google Drives that can't talk to each other. Researchers who collaborate across borders end up emailing huge files or juggling multiple accounts. This project built a kind of universal adapter that connects all these separate cloud systems into one seamless mesh, so scientists can share data and run applications across institutions as easily as sharing a folder with a colleague down the hall. It works with existing infrastructure, so nobody has to rip out what they already have.

By the numbers

consortium partners operating the mesh

countries represented in the federation

industry partners including SMEs

40%

industry ratio in consortium

total project deliverables produced

hundreds of thousands

existing users of CS3 cloud services in research and education

The business problem

What needed solving

Research institutions and education providers across Europe each run their own cloud storage and sync services, but these systems are isolated from each other. Researchers collaborating across borders face fragmented data access, incompatible authentication systems, and no way to run shared applications across institutional boundaries. This wastes time, duplicates infrastructure spending, and slows down cross-border scientific collaboration that depends on seamless data sharing.

The solution

What was built

The project built a federated mesh platform connecting separate cloud sync-and-share services using the Open Cloud Mesh protocol and EduGAIN federated identity. Key deliverables include a fully implemented and validated platform with federated identity and group management, quality assurance monitoring, and demonstrated cross-federation application workflows — all tested with real user groups across 15 partner institutions.

Audience

Who needs this

Cloud service providers wanting to enter the research and education marketNational Research & Education Networks (NRENs) looking to offer federated servicesUniversities and research institutions needing cross-border data sharingEdTech companies building collaborative research platformsData management companies serving FAIR-compliance needs

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Cloud & IT Infrastructure

any

Target: Cloud service providers and managed service companies serving research and education

If you are a cloud service provider looking to expand into the research and education market — this project developed a standardized federation protocol (Open Cloud Mesh) and vendor-neutral APIs that let you plug your services into a pan-European mesh of 15 partner institutions across 11 countries. Instead of selling to one university at a time, you can offer interoperable services to hundreds of thousands of existing users across the entire federation.

Research Data Management

mid-size

Target: Companies building data management platforms or FAIR-compliant data tools

If you are a data management company struggling to help clients comply with FAIR data principles across fragmented storage systems — this project built and validated a federated identity and group management system plus quality assurance monitoring across distributed cloud services. The platform was fully validated across all workflows with 15 consortium partners, proving it works at scale for real research collaboration.

Higher Education Technology

enterprise

Target: EdTech companies and National Research & Education Networks (NRENs)

If you are an education technology provider or NREN looking to offer connected cloud services to your member institutions — this project demonstrated application functionality across federated shares and built integration with EduGAIN authentication. The system was designed with a built-in sustainability model using on-premise service delivery, meaning your existing infrastructure investments are preserved rather than replaced.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt or integrate with this federated mesh?

The project is built on open-source technology with vendor-neutral APIs and standardized protocols (Open Cloud Mesh, EduGAIN). This means integration costs are primarily engineering time, not licensing fees. The system is designed to work with existing on-premise infrastructure, so you don't need to replace what you have.

Can this scale beyond the original consortium?

The mesh was validated with 15 partners across 11 countries and is designed for pan-European scale. The Open Cloud Mesh protocol is standardized specifically for federation, meaning any compatible service can join the mesh. The project targets hundreds of thousands of existing users in research and education.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

The project follows an explicit open-source strategy for delivering services and promotes vendor-neutral APIs and protocols. As an RIA (Research and Innovation Action), results are typically available under open licenses. Specific licensing terms should be confirmed with the coordinator at CERN.

How mature is this technology — is it ready for production use?

The project completed full validation of all application use-cases and workflows by month 36. They demonstrated functionality across federated shares by month 18 and implemented full quality assurance and monitoring by month 24. This puts it well beyond prototype into piloted territory.

How does this integrate with existing cloud infrastructure?

The entire design philosophy is integration with what already exists. It uses the Open Cloud Mesh standardized protocol to connect separate sync-and-share services and EduGAIN for federated identity. The platform is built to be a lightweight federation layer on top of existing services, not a replacement.

Is there ongoing support and maintenance?

The project connects to the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) ecosystem with a built-in sustainability model. The community organizes around yearly CS3 conferences (cs3.cern.ch) and CERN coordinates the effort. Based on available project data, long-term support is tied to EOSC infrastructure commitments.

Are there compliance or regulatory advantages?

The platform enables data sharing according to FAIR principles, which is increasingly required by EU funding bodies and national research policies. Federated identity management through EduGAIN addresses authentication and access control requirements. This can help organizations meet open science mandates.

Consortium

Who built it

The CS3MESH4EOSC consortium is led by CERN — one of the most recognized research organizations in the world — which adds significant credibility. With 15 partners across 11 countries (AU, BE, CH, CZ, DE, DK, ES, IT, NL, PL, UK), the project has genuine pan-European reach. The 40% industry ratio with 6 SMEs shows meaningful private sector involvement, not just an academic exercise. The mix of 4 research organizations, 3 universities, 6 industry players, and 2 other entities provides a balanced team that can bridge the gap between research infrastructure and commercial deployment. For a business considering adoption, the CERN coordination and broad geographic spread signal this is infrastructure-grade technology, not a small pilot.

ORGANISATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA RECHERCHE NUCLEAIRECoordinator · CH
CESNET ZAJMOVE SDRUZENI PRAVNICKYCH OSOBparticipant · CZ
AILLERON SAparticipant · PL
UNIVERSITAET MUENSTERparticipant · DE
CUBBIT SRLparticipant · IT
TRUST-IT SERVICES SRLparticipant · IT
FUNDACION ESADEparticipant · ES
INSTYTUT CHEMII BIOORGANICZNEJ POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUKparticipant · PL
SURF BVparticipant · NL
COMMPLA SRLthirdparty · IT
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
TRUST-IT SERVICES LIMITEDthirdparty · UK
SWITCHparticipant · CH
JRC -JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE- EUROPEAN COMMISSIONparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

The coordinator is CERN (Organisation Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire) in Switzerland. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See ORGANISATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA RECHERCHE NUCLEAIRE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how federated cloud storage can work for your organization? SciTransfer can arrange a briefing with the CS3MESH4EOSC team and help you assess integration options. Contact us for a free one-page brief.

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