Research infrastructures may be "single-sited" (single resource at a single location), "distributed" (a network of distributed resources, including infrastructures based on Grid-type architectures), or "virtual" (the service being provided electronically).
Raziskovalne infrastrukture so lahko "na enem mestu" (en vir v enem kraju), "razpršene" (mreža razpršenih virov, vključno z infrastrukturami, ki temeljijo na arhitekturah tipa GRID) ali "virtualne" (elektronska storitev).