GÉANT Cloud Frameworks
Since 2016, GÉANT’s flagship cloud frameworks have fostered digital transformation across Europe, by enabling easy, convenient, and compliant consumption of commercial cloud services for Research and Education (R&E) institutions. These frameworks - the 2016 IaaS, 2020 IaaS+ (aka OCRE), and the upcoming OCRE 2024 Framework - are developed by the GÉANT community, for the GÉANT community. Together with your country’s NREN Cloud Manager, they allow institutions to procure cloud services fast, efficiently and cost-effectively.
Reduced Cost and Complexity
The frameworks reduce the cost and complexity of cloud service procurement
- No institutional tendering is required
- Significant discounts are available thanks to pan-European aggregation and the economies of scale
- Advantageous terms and conditions on offer
The frameworks are in compliance with all relevant EU Regulations (Procurement, VAT, GDPR etc.). Call-off Contracts with supplier are under local laws and local in-country platform support and call-off is provided as standard.
Improved Service
Cloud service access is enhanced through supplier peering at points of presence on the GÉANT pan-European network with significant data ingress/egress waivers in place to reduce costs and improve pricing stability.
All platforms support SAML2/OIDC protocol with eduGAIN to improve user accessibility, reduce onboarding costs and complexity and provide assurances for identity and privacy management.
The frameworks include not only Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) but also Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).
GÉANT 2020 Cloud Framework by OCRE
OCRE (Open Clouds for Research Environments) was an EC funded project to provide research and education users easier access to cloud services across Europe. It supported 40 European countries with a framework of 473 commercial cloud contracts to ease access and provide volume discounts to research and education institutions.
Working in conjunction with members of the GÉANT project, this framework offered substantial benefits to the R&E community.
Please note: starting from 1 December 2024 it's not possible anymore to contract new Call of Contracts or to sign contract extensions with OCRE 2020 suppliers
The new GÉANT cloud framework – OCRE 2024 – is expected to become available on 3 February 2025 and will be in place for a period of five years. Read more
Do not hesitate to reach out to your local NREN representative or GÉANT for more details on the transition between OCRE 2020 and OCRE 2024 and the next steps.
GÉANT OCRE 2020 Platforms
The following platforms took part in the OCRE 2020 Framework, which lasted from 1 December 2020 until 30 November 2024.
Multi-National Providers (OCRE 2020)
The following providers offered services under the OCRE 2020 Framework in two or more countries, either directly or via their reseller partners.
National Providers (OCRE 2020)
The following providers offered services under the OCRE 2020 Framework in a single territory/country.
