Prototype Australian Dataspace Testbed Service

The Challenge

Data often needs to be shared between researchers, government decision-makers and industry professionals to enable research, and help inform policy, management and planning. However, exchanging data can be challenging due to concerns about data security, privacy and sovereignty.

Dataspaces offer a promising solution to address these challenges. Dataspaces are collaborative networks where trusted partners uphold high standards for data sharing to foster secure collaboration and unlock the potential of data in driving insights.

While dataspaces have great potential for facilitating data sharing, access and discoverability, they are complex systems requiring careful setup and management. Furthermore, different applications may require different dataspace configurations. Organisations need a way to test and explore these dataspaces before committing to full-scale implementation. A sandboxed test environment, where different dataspace prototypes can be tested, refined and demonstrated for different use cases, is needed to bridge this gap.

The Response

To address this challenge, the ARDC is collaborating with the RMIT AWS Cloud Supercomputing (RACE) Hub to develop a prototype Australian dataspace testbed service. Leveraging the International Data Spaces Association’s (IDSA) reference testbed, this project aims to develop a scalable and easy-to-use testing platform for dataspace development, designed for the Australian research landscape.

The dataspace testbed service will provide the research infrastructure community with the ability to test dataspace architectures and configuration before full-scale implementation, evaluate the benefits of dataspaces for specific use cases, and assess available dataspace technologies.

The service aims to integrate with key national research infrastructure, including the Australian Access Federation (AAF), ARDC Research Data Australia, and ARDC Research Vocabularies Australia. It will also ensure the testbed package can be implemented across multiple cloud platforms, including the Amazon Web Service and the ARDC Nectar Research Cloud.

Alongside these efforts, the project will develop comprehensive user guides and training support to help users configure, deploy and operate the testbed services.

Who Will Benefit

This project will help data supply chain architects, solutions architects and infrastructure developers in government, industry and research that implement dataspaces.

The Partners

• RMIT AWS Cloud Supercomputing (RACE) Hub
• ARDC

Target Outcomes

This project will lower the barrier for adoption of dataspaces by providing a practical testing environment for solutions architects in government, industry and research to explore prototype dataspaces before full-scale implementation. It will enable Australian dataspace operators to assess available dataspace technologies to determine whether they are fit for purpose. The testbed service will also allow potential users, including researchers, to see real-world applications of dataspaces and assess their value for specific needs in different sectors.

Key Resources

Learn more about dataspaces in an Australian context.