New software packages in the DAIR Cloud significantly reduce deployment time

[Ottawa, ON]

CANARIE, a vital component of Canada’s digital infrastructure supporting research, education and innovation, today announced the introduction of a catalogue of open-source software packages that give tech entrepreneurs some of the most common applications they need to begin developing cloud-based products in minutes. Cloud computing enables businesses to use virtual computing, network and data storage resources on an as-needed basis, with the flexibility to scale these resources based on their needs at any given time.

• More than 900 businesses across a range of industries have already taken advantage of CANARIE’s DAIR Cloud, which is free to use by Canadian startups and small businesses that have fewer than 500 employees.
• Access to DAIR is simple: qualifying businesses who intend to use DAIR for development and testing need only submit a short application.

Once access to the DAIR Cloud is granted, users select the applications that fit their needs, such as an Apache web server, Oracle MySQL Community Edition databases, and/or the WordPress content management system.  The software packages are then automatically deployed, either as a bundle or individually.  This automation reduces the technical effort and time startups need to start building and testing their products on DAIR, allowing them to refine their product architecture and get to market more quickly and efficiently.  These software packages augment DAIR’s existing virtual resources that include computing, storage, graphical processing units (GPUs), and operating systems.  CANARIE is thankful for its collaboration with Cybera to power the DAIR Cloud.

 “We’re pleased to be able to offer these easy-to-use software applications that make it easier and faster for Canada’s tech startups to start to develop, test, and prototype their products,” said Mark Wolff, CANARIE’s Chief Technology Officer. “We will continue to evolve the DAIR Cloud program to ensure that startups have access to the technology they need to get a head start in the marketplace.”

DAIR’s new application catalogue was built using the Murano service of OpenStack. CANARIE plans to expand this catalogue to include the applications that are most useful to the startup community.  Startups are welcome to request specific OpenStack packages for addition to this catalogue by contacting the DAIR team.

For more information, please contact:

Ela Ienzi
Director, Communications
CANARIE
(613) 943-5432
[email protected]

About CANARIE

CANARIE strengthens Canadian leadership in science and technology by delivering digital infrastructure to support world-class research that directly benefits all Canadians.

Twelve provincial and territorial network partners, together with CANARIE, collectively form Canada’s National Research and Education Network (NREN). Canadians at universities, colleges, research institutes, hospitals, and government laboratories rely on this ultra high-speed network to collaborate in data-intensive, cutting-edge research and innovation within Canada and with colleagues in over 100 countries.

Beyond the network, CANARIE funds and promotes reusable research software tools to accelerate scientific discovery. CANARIE also supports Research Data Canada as it leads national research data management initiatives, and through the Canadian Access Federation, provides identity management services that enable secure, ubiquitous connectivity and content access to the academic community. To boost commercialization in Canada’s technology sector, CANARIE offers cloud resources to startups through its DAIR service, and links a powerful community of public and private sector partners in the Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks (CENGN).

Established in 1993, CANARIE is a non-profit corporation, with the majority of its funding provided by the Government of Canada.

For more information, please visit: www.canarie.ca.