The tremendous scientific advances in experimental particle, astroparticle, and hadron and nuclear physics in recent decades have been characterized by a growing importance of data analysis methods and resources. As the precision of measurement instruments increases, larger amounts of data are generated, requiring more extensive computing power and storage space. In addition, user friendly access to computing and data storage resources is of increasing importance.

Today, an excellent computing and mass storage infrastructure is a mandatory prerequisite for excellent research.

Considerable efforts will be required in the coming years to continue to ensure the excellence of German basic research in the areas mentioned.

With this purpose in mind, 14 groups of universities and research centres have joined forces to form the „Federated Digital Infrastructures for Research on Universe and Matter“ (FIDIUM) collaboration, which was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). FIDIUM is the successor to the ErUM-Data IDT projects also funded by the BMBF.