nanoHUB services for FAIR simulations and data: ResultsDB and Sim2Ls

Abstract

nanoHUB is an open cyber platform for online simulation, data, and education that seeks to make scientific software and associated data widely available and useful. This paper describes recent developments in our simulation infrastructure to address modern data needs. nanoHUB's Sim2Ls (pronounced sim tools) make simulation, modeling, and data workflows discoverable and accessible to all users for cloud computing using standard APIs. In addition, published tools are findable (with digital object identifiers), reusable (via documented requirements and services), and reproducible via containerization. In addition, all Sim2L runs are automatically cached, and their results indexed into a global and queryable database (ResultsDB). We believe this infrastructure significantly lowers the barriers towards making simulation/data workflows and their data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). This frictionless access to simulations and data enables researchers, instructors, and students to focus on the application of these products to advance their fields.