Virtual Machines from the Statewide Service bwCloud-OS
Virtual machines (VMs) are virtual computers on which operating systems and applications can run just as they would on physical hardware. Researchers and students can use them, for example, to host web applications, perform complex calculations, or test applications—regardless of the operating system installed or the hardware of their PC.
The statewide service bwCloud-OS offers an OpenStack-based “Infrastructure-as-a-Service” platform for research, teaching, and administration in Baden-Württemberg. Virtual machines with CPU, RAM, storage, and network resources are ready for use in minutes—dynamically scalable and efficient to operate. Various hardware and software configurations are available to get you started quickly without complex processes.
The Statewide Service bwCloud-OS
- Flexible IT infrastructure
- Network across Baden-Württemberg
- Unified access
- Infrastructure locations: University of Freiburg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (provider of the state service), University of Mannheim, University of Ulm
Virtual Machines for Research and Teaching
Whether for courses with hands-on IT exercises, research projects with flexible computing needs, or student projects: The bwCloud-OS creates a digital space where ideas can be implemented quickly, securely, and in a resource-efficient manner. Thanks to its networked infrastructure, the bwCloud-OS supports not only individual projects but also cross-university collaborations.
Virtual machines are suitable, for example, for courses, development and testing environments, web applications, or research projects with specific software requirements.
For more information on how to use the platform, visit the bwCloud-OS website and the accompanying wiki.
The bwCloud-OS has been in production since September 1, 2026, with the latest infrastructure and financing model designed to ensure long-term governance and the sustained operation of the infrastructure, and is currently in the production ramp-up phase. The service will be fully operational as of December 1, 2026.
Information on Using the bwCloud-OS
Resource Request for bwCloud-OS
Resource Requests for Employees
- Check and AllocateResource Requirements
- Review your existing projects, VMs and select an appropriate quota package (called a quota flavor). The quota flavor is assigned to you by your organization and represents a usage cap.
- Within this usage cap, you can configure VMs of various sizes (flavors). Usage is only counted in booking units (BEH) as the basis for billing once you have created these VMs via the dashboard.
- For most employees, the quota flavors ranging from tiny_1 to Medium_1 are sufficient. If you have questions about estimating resources for projects with special requirements, 3L Support (bwSupport Portal) is available to assist you.
- To determine the number of booking units required for your specific configuration (flavor), you can use the BEH calculator available on the bwCloud-OS website.
- Your “application email” should include the following information:
- Applicant’s Uni-ID or email address
- Specification of resource requirements in quota flavors
- Purpose: e.g., research or course
- Validity period: Start date, end date
- Obtain Resource Approval
- Inform your cost center or budget manager of the quota you require and request the appropriate approval.
- The cost center or budget manager approves the resources
- The supervisor contacts the cost center or budget manager of the faculty, institute, or affiliated institution to determine the cost center or PSP, includes it in the “request email,” ensures that all information is complete, and forwards it to bwCloud-OS Local Support. bwcloud-os.sd.supportuni-mannheim.de
- The cost center manager ensures that the resource approval email contains the following information:
- Applicant’s Uni-ID or email address
- Resource requirements specified in quota flavors
- Purpose: e.g., research project
- Cost center number, PSP number, or budget manager
- Validity period: Start date – End date
- Cost center number or PSP number or a string of characters to which the invoice can later be assigned.
- Recording of Resource Approval
- The bwCloud-OS Local Support team records the approval in the UNIT information systems.
- Wait for confirmation
- The bwCloud-OS Local Support team creates a ticket in the IT support ticketing system.
- Once approval is granted, you will receive a confirmation and can then register via the bwCloud-OS dashboard or through the self-service application.
Resource Requests for Students
- Check and Classify Resource Requirements
- Review your resource requirements and select an appropriate quota package (called a quota flavor). The quota flavor is assigned to you by your institution and represents a usage cap. Within this usage limit, you can configure VMs of various sizes (flavors). Usage is only counted in booking units (BEH) as the basis for billing once you have created these VMs via the dashboard.
- In most cases involving students, the tiny_1 quota flavors are sufficient. If you have questions about whether these are sufficient for your project, please contact bwSupport.
- Request Resource Approval
- Inform your instructor or program manager of the quota size you need and request the appropriate approval. The instructor may have already arranged this in advance for all participants in the course.
- The cost center or budget manager approves the resources
- The instructor or program manager contacts the program’s cost center or budget manager to determine the cost center or PSP.
- The cost center manager adds the cost center to the original request email used for resource billing and forwards it to bwCloud-OS Local Support (). The person responsible for the cost center may have already done this for all participants in the course.
- Recording Resource Approval
- The bwCloud-OS Local Support team records the approval(s) in the IT information systems.
- Wait for confirmation
- bwCloud-OS Local Support creates a ticket in the IT support ticketing system. Once approval is granted, you will receive a confirmation and can then register via the bwCloud-OS dashboard.
- Check and AllocateResource Requirements
Price List
View the bwCloud-OS Price List (Access for Employees Only)
Special Cases
For projects with resource requirements that are not covered by the allocated quota packages, as well as for group projects, separate resource provisioning procedures apply via the new self-service application. The URL for the self-service application will be included in the approval email.
Schedule
You can request the provisioning of resources in the bwCloud-OS immediately.
If you no longer need your resources
If you no longer need your resources in bwCloud-OS, you do not need to take any further action. Based on the specified time period—the start and end of the semester or the start and end of the research project—all projects, virtual machines, volumes, and other resources will be automatically deleted.
Resource allocation can also be explicitly revoked. The resources in bwCloud-OS will then be released, so that no further costs are incurred.
To do this, the cost center manager sends an email to Local Support.If you have any questions
- Questions about resource allocation (quotas)? Please contact the newly established local bwCloud-OS support team: bwcloudos.sd-supportuni-mannheim.de
- Technical questions about bwCloud-OS? Please contact bwCloud-OS Support as usual.
- If you have questions about determining the booking units for your configuration, please contact the bwCloud-OS Coordination Office: koordinierungsstellebwcloud-os.de.
Contact
For technical questions, please contact the Support:
- Phone: +49 621 181-2000
- Mail:bwcloudos.sd-supportuni-mannheim.de.
For administrative inquiries, please contact the Coordination Office: