ARDC Nectar Research Cloud
Boost your research with fast, interactive, self-service cloud computing on the ARDC Nectar Research Cloud.
- Access powerful computational resources, software and data on demand – wherever you are.
- Collaborate and share your work and computational resources with national and international partners.
- Host your research platforms, tools and data.
- Get ongoing support, training and learning resources tailored to researchers.
Better, Faster Research with Nectar
Nectar gives you access to powerful computational resources like large memory machines and GPUs, software, and data.
- No need for additional hardware
- Direct access via an intuitive dashboard, whether you’re at home, at work or on the go
- Customisable setup for research needs
On Nectar, you can collaborate with your team across different institutions – in or outside Australia – sharing computational resources, software, and data with them.
Nectar has also been used by national organisations, such as Intersect Australia and QCIF Ltd., to train researchers across the country on cloud computing.
On Nectar, you can host your research platforms, tools, and data for continued access. As long as you’re maintaining them, using Nectar ensures they remain online, including during funding gaps.
The Nectar team has been developing and operating research computing for more than 10 years. Our centralised, continued support and expert knowledge will help you succeed in your research.
We also offer training and a large collection of tutorials and resources to build your cloud skills, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced.
Trusted by Thousands
The ARDC Nectar Research Cloud caters to all fields of research. Nectar has supported:
From the Nectar Community
Monitoring Gold Coast beach use with AI
Professor Rod Connolly
Powering eReefs, a Great Barrier Reef research and preservation platform
Sharon Tickell
COVID-19 modelling and epidemiological analysis
Professor James McCaw
The ARDC Nectar Research Cloud has provided national cloud computing resources since 2012 at no cost to Australian researchers.
Nectar’s Story
Known then as the National eResearch Collaboration Tools and Resources, the Nectar project was established in 2009 through the Australian Government’s Super Science initiative, financed by the Education Investment Fund. In 2013, it began being funded through the Australian Government Department of Education’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). In 2018, Nectar became part of the ARDC.
Nectar is operated and maintained by the ARDC in partnership with 10 institutions, or ‘nodes’, across Australia and New Zealand:
- AARNet
- Adelaide University
- Intersect Australia Ltd.
- Monash University
- Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
- Swinburne University of Technology
- The University of Melbourne
- The University of Queensland
- University of Auckland
- University of Tasmania.
With our partners, we continue to develop Nectar, including by investing in GPUs and other leading-edge infrastructure, enhancing cybersecurity, and launching new services. We’re committed to improving Nectar to provide Australian researchers with a competitive edge through cloud computing services designed for research.
Use theARDC Nectar
Research Cloud Today.
Start using Nectar with your Australian institutional login.
Start for freeStart using the ARDC Nectar Research Cloud with your Australian institutional login. New Zealand users with a University of Auckland login can also access Nectar. Login to Nectar is enabled by the Australian Access Federation (AAF) and Tuakiri.
If you don’t already have an AAF or Tuakiri login, you may still be able to use Nectar.
Want to use more computational power longer? Apply for a project allocation through the Nectar dashboard. Once your application is approved, you’ll enjoy access to Nectar and more resources for up to 12 months with the possibility of renewals.
For a quick, preliminary indication of your eligibility, use the Nectar eligibility assessment tool.
More ARDC Cloud Computing Services
Using the versatile infrastructure underpinning Nectar, ARDC provides a range of specialised cloud research computing services to save time, boost productivity, and power groundbreaking research.
Not sure which service meets your needs? Compare our cloud computng services or chat with our support team, who have helped thousands of researchers on their cloud computing journeys.
