Validating the EOSC Pilot Nodes Network in EOSC Beyond

We have recently published the document that will guide the next phase of building a federated network of pilot EOSC Nodes in EOSC Beyond. Deliverable D16.1, "Plans for the testing and validation of the EOSC Beyond Pilot Nodes," is now available on Zenodo, presenting a comprehensive framework for ensuring that the network of Pilot Nodes meets both technical standards and real-world research needs.

This deliverable establishes the methodology for validating ten diverse Pilot Nodes (ranging from social sciences to structural biology, climate science to distributed computing) as they integrate into a unified EOSC ecosystem. The framework is built on three core components:

The validation process will operate at multiple levels. At the Node level, each Pilot Node must demonstrate capabilities in service registration, metadata provision, authentication integration, and interoperability standards. At the integration level, testing will verify that core services effectively mediate between heterogeneous systems, enabling unified access while respecting individual Node governance and technical architectures.

Crucially, the Scientific User Stories provide validation from the researcher's perspective, confirming that the integrated infrastructure supports actual workflows, such as data discovery across multiple repositories, cross-domain data access, and seamless authentication across services.

"This testing and validation framework marks an important step in shaping a more mature EOSC Pilot Nodes network. By combining technical integration checks with validation of real research use cases, we can better show both interoperability in practice and value for scientific communities. The experience gained through this work will help guide the further development of the network and provide a useful reference for future node onboarding." – Katarzyna Lechowska-Winiarz, CYFRONET

The successful validation of these Pilot Nodes will establish a foundation for broader EOSC deployment, offering a replicable model for onboarding additional nodes and documenting best practices to guide the next phase of expansion.

To explore the full testing and validation framework, download D16.1 on Zenodo:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19004563

Join our upcoming webinar to learn more about the Pilot Node concept and see practical examples from the nodes themselves. The webinar takes place on 12 May 2026.