WLCG Operations: Evolution and Challenges on the Way to HL-LHC

The WLCG[1] infrastructure is quickly evolving thanks to technology evolution in all areas of LHC computing: storage, network, alternative processor architectures, new authentication & authorization mechanisms, etc. This evolution also has to address challenges like the seamless integration of HPC and cloud resources, the significant rise of energy costs, licensing issues and support changes. WLCG Operations Coordination serves to organize parts of this evolution in close collaboration with the stakeholders: LHC experiments, sites, EGI[2] and OSG[3] infrastructure providers and middleware projects. This contribution describes how WLCG Operations Coordination helps ensure the smooth functioning of the WLCG infrastructure during Run 3 addressing the challenges described above and its preparation for the High-Luminosity LHC phase.