19.11.2020
The contract was signed for Atos by Dr. Martin Matzke, Director Big Data and Security for Atos Central Europe, and Thomas Theissen, Director MCS for Atos in Germany, as well as for the DKRZ by its director Prof. Thomas Ludwig. Atos was further represented by Thomas Weselowski, Director Extreme Computing, Big Data and Security, and - connected via video conference - by Agnès Boudot, Senior Vice President HPC & Quantum, and Philippe Miltin, Senior Vice President Global Head of Sales Big Data Security.
The new, fourth high-performance computer for Earth system research (HLRE-4) is based on the Atos BullSequana XH2000 technology and increases the computing power of the DKRZ by a factor of five compared to the current system “Mistral”, which Atos installed in 2015/2016.
In January 2021, reconstruction work of the data center infrastructure will start in preparation for the setup of HLRE-4. The launch of HLRE-4 is planned in two phases: The first configuration level will start its operation in August 2021, the final phase of the new computing system will be completed in January 2022.
Athough it will take some time until the new system is installed; a name for the new supercomputer system has been already found: Based on an online vote, "Levante" prevailed over the other eight suggestions with over a quarter of the more than 300 votes cast. The name is also being used for a warm wind of strength 3 to 5, which often follows the French wind Mistral.
A further procurement for the upgrade of hierarchical storage management system (HSM) and the tape archive of the HLRE-4 system had taken place simultaneously. The start of the new HSM system is planned for March 2021.
Further information and press release: here
Back row (from left to the right): Ulf Garternicht, department head of Systems at DKRZ, Thomas Theissen, Director MCS for Atos in Germany, Prof. Thomas Ludwig, director of DKRZ, Dr. Martin Matzke, Director Big Data und Security für Atos Central Europe, Dr. Hendryk Bockelmann, department head Applications at DKRZ, Hannes Thiemann, department head Datamanagement. Front row (from left to the right): Cornelia Schoska, department head Adminstration at DKRZ, Thomas Weselowski, Director Extreme Computing, Big Data and Security, Dr. Joachim Biercamp, until August 2020 department head Applications at DKRZ, Jana Meyer, Public relations at DKRZ. Virtually in the background via video conference: Agnès Boudot, Senior Vice President HPC & Quantum bei Atos, and Philippe Miltin, Senior Vice President Global Head of Sales Big Data Security bei Atos. (Photo: Böttinger/DKRZ).