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The National Science Foundation describes cyberinfrastructure as:
. . . computing systems, data, information resources, networking, digitally enabled-sensors, instruments, virtual organizations, and observatories, along with an interoperable suite of software services and tools. This technology is complemented by the interdisciplinary teams of professionals that are responsible for its development, deployment and its use in transformative approaches to scientific and engineering discovery and learning. The vision also includes attention to the educational and workforce initiatives necessary for both the creation and effective use of cyberinfrastructure.
It includes the information technology resources used by researchers, clinicians, engineers, and artists in the creation of new knowledge. Cyberinfrastructure includes the instruments, sensors, high performance computational systems, massive storage systems, data resources, and visualization facilities, tied together by high speed networks and made to work together by advanced software to accomplish goals that would not be possible by any single information technology system. It also includes the people, processes, training, security, policies, and capabilities to sustain the systems and networks over time.
In support of the University's goal to be one of the top three public research universities in the world, a strategic alliance to support research cyberinfrastructure was developed in fall 2007 with the vision of facilitating access to high-end, high quality, efficient, and effective research computing systems and services provided in secure environments, which enhance interdisciplinary research and allow researchers to explore radically new concepts, approaches, and tools. Initial sponsors of the alliance included the University's Office of Information Technology (OIT), the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), the University Libraries, and research computing units from several colleges.