On 21 March, CERN received the “Top End User” special award from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) for its “forward-looking approach to leveraging cloud native technologies to address future scientific and operational challenges”. Prior recipients of the “Top End User” CNCF award have included Mercedes-Benz, Spotify and Apple.  

Cloud native technologies are software solutions that exploit the basic features of cloud computing – e.g., scalability, flexibility, data resiliency – and allow system engineers to manage complex computing environments effectively and with minimal effort. CERN has been a member of the CNCF community since 2020 and is considered an “end user” because it develops cloud native technologies internally but does not sell cloud services externally.

CERN contributes to community-driven cloud computing ecosystems, such as the CNCF, but also runs its own private cloud, which is configured and integrated into the CERN network and authentication services. The Organization’s cloud ecosystem is heterogeneous and complex, as Taylor Dolezal, head of ecosystem at CNCF confirmed: “CERN's innovative use of cloud native technologies is a shining example of how open source and collaboration can drive cutting-edge research.”

For more details see the CNCF announcement and the IT README.