Cubbit, a geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, and GARR, the Italian education and research network, announced the launch of the pilot phase of the first federated geo-distributed storage network for universities and research institutions in Italy.The network is open, and enrollments are already underway: universities and institutions interested in joining can contact GARR and Cubbit. In terms of both architecture and operating model, the project enabled by the two organizations represents the first fully operational geo-distributed system in Europe in this field.

The initiative has been developed to meet the needs of the scientific community through a model that is more resilient, independent, and built around full data sovereignty. Operated by GARR on fully on-premises infrastructure distributed across Italy, the new storage network launches with an initial capacity of 1 petabyte and is designed to guarantee data protection, continuity of digital services, and technological autonomy. Universities and research institutions will be able to join the network by contributing their own storage resources, such as hardware, thereby taking an active role in a federated system that leverages already existing assets while ensuring maximum control.

By combining Cubbit’s natively distributed object storage technology with GARR’s high-speed network, the solution provides the scientific community with a storage system capable of keeping data continuously available and delivering high performance, even in the event of failures or outages affecting one or more sites. The need for this infrastructure stems from the constant growth in the volume of data produced and used by the research community – data that is often of very high scientific, strategic, and social value. Such data must remain available over time, be shared securely across heterogeneous research groups, and be managed in line with increasingly stringent regional requirements, including those linked to provisions issued by Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN).

With an infrastructure spanning around 24,000kms of fibre, more than 1,000 connected sites, and a community of around 3 million users, GARR plays a central role in Italy’s education and research system. Alongside high-performance connectivity, GARR develops and manages key digital services for the transfer and storage of large volumes of data, as well as for the real-time monitoring of networks and services.

As part of this project, GARR is integrating DS3 Composer – Cubbit’s software-defined object storage – across its distributed Italian data centres. The aim is to overcome technological lock-in and ensure full local data control, operational continuity, and independence from third-party infrastructure. With Cubbit’s technology, data is encrypted, fragmented, and distributed across multiple geographic locations: never exposed in full and always accessible even if one or more sites fail, while retaining full control over where data is physically located. Use cases include immutable backup repositories, disaster recovery, and the long-term storage of partially processed datasets for analysis and predictive reporting.

Compatibility with the S3 standard allows the system to be integrated into the workflows and services already used by universities and research institutions, without disrupting existing tools and processes. Through a single intuitive interface, the platform makes it possible to activate multiple flexible service and protection tiers according to the value and type of data involved. It also enables individual institutions to manage storage spaces, access rights, projects, and configurations autonomously and at a granular level. This simplifies day-to-day operations and reduces the burden on internal teams, freeing up time and resources for research activities.

Even while sharing the same infrastructure, each institution retains exclusive access to its own data, which remains protected and segregated. At the same time, the system allows selective access to be authorised for specific projects or datasets, including in collaboration with research groups outside the GARR network. In the first phase of the project, the system has been implemented across GARR data centres in the Italian cities of Bologna, Rome, and Bari, with interested universities and research institutions able to join the network and contribute their own storage resources. In the second phase, the solution will be extended to all eight GARR data centres across Italy, further strengthening the infrastructure’s resilience.

“For GARR, providing the research and education community with reliable, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure is a strategic priority. The adoption of distributed, geo-replicated object storage solutions is a fundamental step in responding to the exponential growth of scientific data and new requirements for resilience, security, and regulatory compliance. Working with Cubbit allows us to retain full control over data while advancing a distributed, on-premises model consistent with GARR’s principles of digital autonomy and support for research,” said Massimo Carboni, CTO, GARR.

“We are proud to work with GARR, an organization of major strategic importance for Italy and its scientific community. This is a strategic collaboration to give the research and higher education community full control over its own data – ensuring autonomy, sovereignty, and resilience for one of Italy’s most strategically important ecosystems. This project shows that it is now possible to create a next-gen storage network operated entirely within national borders, combining high performance, local data control, and freedom from lock-in. It is a unique model in Europe, created through the combination of natively geo-distributed technology and a national high-speed network, designed to respond to the practical needs of Italian research,” said Alessandro Cillario, co-CEO and co-founder, Cubbit.

GARR and Cubbit will present the joint solution at GARR Conference 2026, taking place from 19 to 21 May 2026 at the Main Hall of the Fibonacci Campus in Pisa, Italy.

Read also :