The Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis (VEDA) Platform: A Modular, Open Platform Lowering the Barrier to entry to Cloud Computing

Brian Freitag, Manil Maskey, Aimee Barciauskas, Jonas Solvsteen, James Colliander, James Munroe

Abstract: Increasing data volumes and migration of data to the cloud introduces challenges related to scalability and complexity to users of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth science data. The Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis (VEDA) platform is an open-source modular cyberinfrastructure that leverages community standards and builds upon existing open-source capabilities for data services and geospatial data visualization. Four major components make up the VEDA platform – a cloud-optimized data store, backend data services, a web-based visualization and data-driven storytelling dashboard, and an analysis hub. The modular design of the VEDA platform enables the tailored use of the platform components or the platform in whole as has been demonstrated by other applications leveraging VEDA within NASA and the U.S. government.