1. A method, implemented in a computer system, comprising: identifying, by a processor of the computer system, data to be used by an application to be executed by one or more compute nodes of a plurality of compute nodes, wherein the computer system is configured to be coupled to the plurality of compute nodes, the data comprises a first subset of data, the first subset of data is stored in a first storage element of a remote computer system, the first subset of data is stored in a first form, the remote computer system is remote from the computer system by virtue of the computer system being further configured to be coupled to the remote computer system by a network, and the plurality of compute nodes does not comprise the remote computer system; generating, by the processor, a workflow at the computer system, wherein the workflow is configured to configure each of the one or more compute nodes to communicate with the remote computer system via the network, and the workflow is configured to cause the one or more compute nodes to determine whether the first form is compatible with the application, in response to a determination that the first form is compatible with the application, mount the first subset of data on at least one of the plurality of compute nodes, such that the first subset of data is accessible by the application via the network, without retrieval of the first subset of data from the first storage element, and update the first subset of data by executing the application on the first subset of data, and in response to a determination that the first form is not compatible with the application, retrieve the first subset of data from the first storage element, via the network, store the first subset of data in temporary storage at one or more of the compute nodes, as a stored first subset of data, process the stored first subset of data to generate a processed first subset of data, wherein the processed first subset of data is generated by converting the stored first subset of data from the first form into a second form, and the second form is compatible with the application, produce a result by executing the application, using the processed first subset of data, and update the first subset of data, using the result; and transmitting the workflow to the one or more compute nodes, wherein the transmitting causes the one or more compute nodes to execute the application using at least a corresponding portion of the processed first subset of data.