Development of the bwCloud-OS state service
For the state service bwCloud-OS as “IaaS” (Infrastructure as a Service) for the provision of virtual servers (VMs) based on a scalable infrastructure for research and teaching, “bwCloud 3” is the current project (2023–2027) for the further improvement and expansion of this service, which has been well used for years. From the initial idea to a small prototype to today's powerful system, three iteration stages have been completed so far.
The state service bwCloud-OS is currently being modernized as part of the state project “bwCloud 3.” The project began on September 1, 2023, and will end on August 31, 2027.
The main components of the “bwCloud 3” project are the procurement of new, up-to-date, and energy-efficient hardware, the transition of the bwCloud-OS state service to independent, i.e., self-financed operation, and the addition of new functionalities, e.g., in the areas of VDI connection, GPU usage, introduction of SaaS (Software as a Service) components, and much more.
We are working on providing significantly higher computing power while simultaneously reducing consumption. This is “green IT” in its ideal form: less hardware, less energy, and yet more output in the form of more virtual machines, more performance, and more stability – progress in digitalization in action – made in Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Following the pilot phase of bwCloud OS implemented in the “bwCloud 1” project, the “bwCloud SCOPE” project was launched in January 2017.
This project aimed to transform the prototype infrastructure into a fully-fledged state service: standardizing processes, establishing operating models, expanding technical infrastructure, and thus providing a reliable service platform for higher education institutions.
The state service originated from the “bwCloud 1” project, known as “bwCloud: Cross-location server virtualization.” The initiative was launched in 2015 with the aim of establishing a cloud infrastructure for research and teaching in Baden-Württemberg, distributed across several university and data center locations.
Virtualization solutions were introduced, self-service portals developed, and initial usage scenarios tested and implemented at the operating locations in Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, and Ulm.
