CyberInfrastructure describes the new research environments that support advanced data acquisition, data storage, data management, data integration, data mining, data visualization and other computing and information processing services over the Internet. In scientific usage, cyberinfrastructure is a technological solution to the problem of efficiently connecting data, computers, and people with the goal of enabling derivation of novel scientific theories and knowledge. (2IMS)
The NSF has taken an interest is this since: (2IMT)
"every discipline of science and engineering is being revolutionized by the widespread use of comprehensive cyberinfrastructure (CI). Computing power, data volumes, and network capacities are all on exponential growth paths, collaborations are growing dramatically, and all forms of CI---and multiple communities spanning multiple agencies and international domains---often must be brought to bear to address a single complex grand challenge problem, such as climate change. All of these developments are part of a revolutionary new approach to scientific discovery in which advanced computational facilities (e.g., data systems, computing hardware, high speed networks) and instruments (e.g., telescopes, sensor networks, sequencers) are coupled to the development of quantifiable models, algorithms, software and other tools and services to provide unique insights into complex problems in science and engineering." (2IMU)
For complete text please see the NSF link http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10015/nsf10015.jsp?org=OCI as well as (2IMV)