Eviden is to build a new data center in Germany to host Europe’s first exascale supercomputer system.
The Atos-owned company this week announced it has been awarded a contract by Jülich Supercomputing Centre (Germany) to build a modular data center to host the EuroHPC-funded Jupiter supercomputer.
Jupiter will be Europe's first exascale supercomputer and located in Forschungszentrum Jülich facilities in Germany. It will be based on Eviden's BullSequana XH3000 hardware but also include GPUs from Nvidia as well as SiPearl’s Rhea processor.
To host the system, Eviden will bring together around 50 pre-built and interchangeable modules – including 20 IT containers, 15 power feed containers, and 10 logistic containers (lobby, workshop, warehouse, etc.) – totaling more than 2,300 sqm (24,755 sq ft) to form a complete turnkey data center.
Manufactured in Eviden’s factory in Angers (France), Jupiter's racks will be integrated into the containers along with cooling, power, networking, and cabling directly on the factory floor, before client delivery.
The company said this re-fabricated design will reduce costs 'significantly' and cut delivery time by 50 percent to under a year.
Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Lippert, director of the Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich said of Jupiter: “Its modular computer architecture enables a particularly high level of energy efficiency. However, its enormous computing power comes with demands on the energy supply that no scientific data center in Germany has been able to meet so far. I am pleased that the modular data center will now allow for such a supply infrastructure to be created very quickly, which will also offer the possibility of using the thermal energy generated during cooling to heat the Jülich campus.”
Each IT module will feature two containers integrating 20 racks of direct liquid-cooled BullSequana XH3000 system. The system is being developed in partnership with German firm Par-Tec.
Emmanuel Le Roux, SVP, global head of HPC, AI, and Quantum at Eviden, added: “This new contract which is to the benefit of Europe’s scientific and economic sovereignty as well as to its competitiveness brings us great pride. We are extremely honored to be part of Europe’s exascale journey by leading the Jupiter manufacturing consortium and now by delivering the data center to host the system. These two key strategic contracts demonstrate Eviden’s position as a trusted partner as well as its commitment to a unique and innovative technological performance with reduced energy consumption.”
The modular facility is being financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). BMBF and the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW) will provide equal funding for the technical equipment installed in the data center.
The EuroHPC JU is planning a second exascale supercomputer that will be hosted in France by the end of 2025. Other exascale systems are in development or operation in the UK, US, and China.
