GCube system
| Company type | Open source software platform |
|---|---|
| Industry | Science software, Cloud computing, E-Science |
| Founder | D4Science |
| Products | Data Infrastructure platform, Virtual Research Environments, Web services, Software libraries |
| Owner | D4Science |
| Website | www |
gCube is an open source software platform created by D4Science to establish and manage a Data Infrastructure that facilitates the collaborative development of Virtual Research Environments and supports open science practices. It serves as the foundational element of the D4Science Data Infrastructure.
This platform comprises a variety of web services that provide capabilities for knowledge creation and dissemination, complemented by software libraries designed for service development, integration, and enhancement. Access to these services is enabled through specialized portlet-based user interfaces.
Constructed as a system of systems, gCube services employ standards and mediators to communicate with other services and offer APIs for client interaction. For instance, the DataMiner service utilizes the Web Processing Service protocol to facilitate client-driven process execution. Its Identity and Access Management framework incorporates Keycloak and federates additional IDMs, adhering to open protocols such as OAuth2, User-Managed Access (UMA), and OpenID Connect (OIDC).
The Catalogue component aggregates data from external repositories using DCAT, OAI-PMH, and Catalogue Service for the Web, making information accessible via DCAT, OAI-PMH, and a proprietary RESTful interface (gCat REST API).
gCube’s software delivery is streamlined through a Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery pipeline powered by Jenkins, providing a scalable, maintainable, and cost-effective solution.
History
The development of gCube took place within the framework of the D4Science initiative, receiving support from several European Union projects.