Accounting4NFDI aims to develop a federated, standards-based accounting framework that enables transparent, FAIR-compliant tracking of resource usage across the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI). As research increasingly relies on distributed digital infrastructures (e.g., storage, compute, AAI, data and license services), understanding and documenting usage is critical for cost estimation, planning, and sustainability. The project builds on existing expertise and tools from national and European initiatives (e.g., de.NBI Cloud, bwCloud, EOSC, FURMS, openCost, AUDITOR), analyzing standards and protocols for resource accounting. It will develop concepts, pilots, and metadata models for various resource types, integrating with NFDI AAI and aligning with international efforts. A structured incubator process will guide prototype development and community involvement.
