Cloud computing is here. You can start using it today. NeCTAR has announced the availability of its Research Cloud and users can log in with their local institutional credentials, provided their institution is part of the Australian Access Federation.

Go here for the dashboard and here for guides and support. Information on other research clouds currently in negotiation - at ANU, Monash and in Queensland - is also available.

The site explains why a national research cloud is a good thing.

"The national research cloud empowers researchers with new self-service abilities to publish research data, share knowledge and rapidly deploy and access software applications without the burden of operating their own computer servers. Researchers can easily put their great ideas, tools, research applications and data online, instantly. The cloud supports the increasingly collaborative nature of Australian research. It is an Australian secure platform to respond rapidly to new developments, access computer power from a single server to thousands of servers and share computational results with national and international collaboration partners."