For more than 60 years, the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) has stood for reliable IT infrastructures and services for the digitalisation of science, research and teaching. More than 300 IT specialists and researchers develop and maintain innovative technologies and tools in Garching, and not least to run the computing centre sustainably.
Founded in 1962 as an Institute of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BAdW), the LRZ develops and installs the prerequisites for computer-aided state-of-the-art research as well as flexible and agile working in science. In addition to computers, servers and the Munich Scientific Network (MWN), it provides cloud services, online access to high-performance computing as well as software and tools for processing, analysing and storing research data and information. The LRZ helps its users around the clock with technical questions; it also runs an extensive course and training programme and advises institutes on how to set up IT technology or optimise existing technology.
The LRZ is one of the high-performance computing centres of the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing (GCS) and is valued worldwide for its experience and research. In the area of future computing, it explores the benefits of innovative IT components for users, while the Centre for Virtual Reality and Visualisation develops tools which create fascinating images from research results. And the Quantum Integration Centre (QIC) explores future technologies and combines them with supercomputers. We always bear one thing in mind when it comes to all these tasks: Running IT efficiently and sustainably.
All LRZ services in one click
Computers, networks, servers, and cloud services – here you will find descriptions of LRZ services at a glance, as well as instructions for using technology and services.
Gaining expertise and knowledge faster
“It is unworthy of excellent men to lose hours in the labour of calculation”, said our namesake, the polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, explaining his commitment to calculating machines. We support science and research in our capacity as a service provider and digitalisation partner. Our vision is to provide researchers with reliable, technical computer resources and tools so that they can gain insights more quickly and sustainably: In this way, we are playing our part in solving current social challenges.
Providing services securely and efficiently
Our services are reliable, secure and trustworthy; our processes are efficient and transparent for customers. This s the verdict of our external auditors, who have been auditing the LRZ in accordance with the standards of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and providing us with certification for effective IT service management (ISO/IEC 20000) and comprehensive information security (ISO/IEC 27001). Security, and in particular the confidentiality, integrity and availability of sensitive data is a top priority for us at the LRZ. We also guarantee now and in the future that our services and IT support will run reliably according to defined processes.
Driving sustainability and environmental protection
The energy-efficient operation of our computing centre has always been something close to our hearts. Since 2024, we have been working on the introduction of an environmental management system – or EMAS for short – in accordance with ISO 14001 as a means of introducing policies on the careful use of natural resources by all our teams and departments and to anchor our sustainability efforts more firmly. This will see employees reviewing their working methods to reduce energy consumption of the use of consumables; teams and departments checking processes for the potential to save raw materials, water or energy or reduce waste generation.
Exploring and operating technologies
Supercomputers, systems for artificial intelligence, quantum computers: We are constantly exploring the most innovative hardware and software as well as the needs of our users so that researchers in all disciplines can pursue projects with appropriate resources at their disposal. We draw on our experience to build necessary IT infrastructures, develop and optimise reliable IT services for science, research and teaching. Our aim is to provide users with secure and energy-efficient technology, which they can scale or flexibly tailor to suit their own needs. We also support and train scientists and researchers in the use of innovative technologies: In this way, we are playing our part in ensuring that research efficiently produces usable results.
Collaborations and a range of perspectives
We cannot assume to know everything: The LRZ is a learning, open, transparent organisation that relies on partnership and cooperation. We rely on the diversity of our working groups and departments, as well as on the knowledge of the scientific Advisory Board and the Council of Experts to assess challenges from a wide range of perspectives and find the best, practical solutions to them. We are working with researchers and technology providers to constantly develop information technologies and supercomputing. We work with universities and research institutes to improve IT services and system security.
As an Institute of the Bavarian Academy of Science and Humanities (BAdW) and in its capacity as a digitalisation partner for universities and research institutes, the LRZ is very well connected to science and potential users: Therefore, the pivotal point in the organisation of the LRZ is the Advisory Board, which is currently made up of 30 professors and is appointed by the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities and Bavarian universities. The Board of Directors consists of four members who are elected from this committee, who, in turn, determine how the LRZ is managed.
The LRZ’s leadership team is supported by four staff units that take care of service management, IT security and data protection. Below these are the five departments responsible for the activities, services and technical resources at the LRZ. As an interdisciplinary cross-sectional unit, the research team is based at the LRZ, which is divided into the seven subject areas of Environment Computing, Research Data Management, Visualisation, IT Management and Security, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, Trusted Research Environments, Future Computing and Energy Efficiency as well as Research and Information Management.
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read onDr Dieter Kranzlmüller
Chair of the Board of Directors and Head of the LRZ
Dr Dieter KranzlmüllerChair of the Board of Directors and Head of the LRZDieter Kranzlmüller has chaired the LRZ Board of Directors since 2017 and is therefore also the Head of the computing centre. The computer scientist is responsible for the research area and represents the computing centre externally. After completing his studies and doctorate at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, the scientist, who enjoys cycling and golf, started his career at IT companies before making the decision to go into research. After working in Dresden, Reading and Lyon as well as at CERN in Geneva, he was appointed the Professorial Chair of Computer Science at the Ludwig Maximilian University. Kranzlmüller’s research specialisms include new technologies, xcxcxcxc and sdsdsdsdsds.
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read onDr Hans Joachim Bungartz
TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology and Director of the LRZ
Dr Hans Joachim BungartzTUM School of Computation, Information and Technology and Director of the LRZHans Joachim Bungartz studied mathematics, computer science and economics and completed his doctorate and habilitation at the TUM. After holding professorships in Augsburg and Stuttgart, he returned to TUM in 2004 as the Professorial Chair of Scientific Computing. From 2013 to 2022, he was Dean of Computer Science, and since 2022, he has been the founding Dean of the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology – home of mathematics, computer science and electrical and computer engineering. He has also been responsible for doctoral programmes across the TUM in his capacity as the Graduate Dean since 2013. H.-J. Bungartz was the Chair of the Commission for IT Infrastructure at the German Research Foundation (2006–2013), Chair of the German National Research and Education Network (2011–2020) and a member of the Steering Committee of the Council for Doctoral Education of the European University Association (2016–2022). He has been a member of the LRZ Board of Directors since 2008.
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read onDr Martin Schulz
TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology and Director of the LRZ
Dr Martin SchulzTUM School of Computation, Information and Technology and Director of the LRZMartin Schulz XXXXXX.
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read onDr Thomas Seidl
Professorial Chair of Database Systems and Data Mining, LMU, and LRZ Director
Dr Thomas SeidlProfessorial Chair of Database Systems and Data Mining, LMU, and LRZ DirectorThe acquisition of (research) data from a wide range of sources and database systems are the scientific focus of Thomas Seidl and therefore also machine learning and the methods of artificial intelligence (AI). Seidl studied and completed his doctorate at the TUM and LMU and has held research and teaching positions at the universities of Augsburg and Constance. In 2002, he accepted a position at the RWTH Aachen University, where he was appointed the Professorial Chair of Data Management and Research In 2016, he returned back to the LMU, where he was appointed the Professorial Chair of Database Systems and Data Mining. He has also been the Director of the Munich Centre for Machine Learning since 2018, and the LRZ Director since 2019.
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read onDr Helmut Reiser
Deputy Head of the LRZ
Dr Helmut ReiserDeputy Head of the LRZIn business terms, Helmut Reiser would be the Managing Director or Chief Operating Officer (COO). The computer scientist is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the LRZ as well as networks and communications – topics that he also pursues as a scientist and lecturer at the LMU. The passionate motorcyclist and hunter also specialises in: IT management, IT security and service quality. Reiser drew on his experience and created a management and documentation system for information security, which now forms the basis for certifications at the LRZ in accordance with ISO 20.000 and 27.0001 and in line with EMAS guidelines. Reiser studied computer science and theoretical medicine at the TUM, completed his doctorate in networks at the LMU and then moved to the LRZ in 2005: Here, he assumed responsibility for the Network Planning department before moving to Communication Networks. He has been the Deputy Head since 2017. The LMU appointed him to the role of associate professor for its professorial chair of mathematics, statistics and computer science three years earlier. He has also acted as Deputy Chair of the Board of the German National Research and Education Network since December 2023.
The LRZ – An institute of the Bavarian Academy of Science and Humanities (BAdW)
The LRZ was founded in 1962 under the umbrella of the Bavarian Academy of Science and Humanities (BAdW). This foresighted decision by the founding fathers gave the computing centre independence and was a prerequisite for its growth and internationalisation. Thanks to the Bavarian Academy of Science and Humanities, the LRZ is integrated into a valuable network of world-class scientists, who, with their demands and ideas, advance the institute and its activities. Following in the footsteps of the Bavarian Academy of Science and Humanities, the LRZ is also dedicated to conducting basic research and qualifying the next generation of scientists.
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Basically, we can all be excluded and discriminated against because of any characteristic traits we have. In other words, we are all unique and different. Recognizing diversity, seeing otherness as a complement to our own experiences and knowledge, that is the challenge. At the LRZ, we don't want anyone to feel excluded. We want to use diversity positively and build on it - as Equal Opportunities Officer at the LRZ and BAdW, I want to contribute to this.
Severine Müller,
Equal opportunities officer -
Diversity touches on issues of inclusion, gender, age, cultural background and ethics - topics that are central to the culture of the LRZ. Many years ago, we signed “Charta der Vielfalt”. According to this agreement LRZ is committed to cultivating a culture based on mutual respect and appreciation. In 2021, a cross-departmental working group was added that aims to anchor diversity even more firmly at the LRZ. This is because we want to create an awareness of uniqueness and highlight the opportunities that diversity creates both personally and, of course, for the LRZ.
Diversity Team,
at LRZ
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Network
We are opening the door to the Internet for universities, colleges and research institutes with the Munich Scientific…
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IT Security
Your IT security and the security of your scientific data are our priority. This is what we do.
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Data and storage systems
Do you have scientific data? We have storage and archives. We will find the right solution for you.
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AI and Big Data
Image, pattern and speech recognition, machine and deep learning: Do you have the tools and models? We have the…
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Supercomputing
We deliver computing power for research and progress: from computing clusters and cloud services to our SuperMUC-NG…
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Quantum computing
Fresh out of the physics lab and into daily research. We are laying the foundations for this at the LRZ Quantum…
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Future Computing
Hot on the heels of future computing. At the LRZ, we thrive on technological exploration and are integrating the today’s…
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Virtual Reality
We translate your research outcomes into the virtual world. How? Let us show you.
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Energy efficiency
Innovative technologies, in-house research and collaborations – this is how we work to ensure sustainable and efficient…
The LRZ: Our focus is on the future
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13.12.2024Supercomputing is going smart
The LRZ has commissioned its next high-performance computer. Blue Lion is set to start computing for research and science by 2027 and will be able to run artificial intelligence methods in addition to classic HPC workloads. The supercomputer is not just equipped with Central Processing Units (CPU) for this purpose, but also Graphics Processing Units (GPU). These not only enable statistical data analyses to be carried out but also accelerate scientific calculations and simulations. Like the GPU, quantum processors will also accelerate high-performance computing – and add many more new computing methods to the mix.
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17.03.2017The dawn of a new era: Quantum computing
The LRZ is taking quantum computing out of physics labs and opening its Quantum Integration Centre (QIC). The LRZ is planning to connect innovative quantum processors with its supercomputers in collaboration with partners from Munich Quantum Valley to allow scientists to incorporate this future tech into their everyday work as quickly as possible. The LRZ will be the world’s first computing centre to achieve this goal in summer 2024 with a quantum system based on superconducting circuits. Other quantum technologies, such as those that work with laser light and ionisation, are already in the process of being tested and can be used by researchers.
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15.04.2020The future of computing
Moore’s law, which asserts that computing power doubles within a few years as a result of technical progress, is gradually reaching its limits. Accelerators and new processor architectures are being developed – and the LRZ is setting up its own test field to experiment with them. The Bavarian Energy, Architecture and Software Tetbed, or BEAST for short, supports the design and planning of the next high-performance systems at the LRZ and helps to develop strategies for increasing energy efficiency.
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20.07.2012SuperMUCs and visualisation
In July 2021, the LRZ continued to grow and site extensions were inaugurated: Space at the ‘computer cube’ was roughly doubled for the next generation of supercomputers; and the LRZ now needs other offices and course rooms. The supercomputers are now built in two phases: This reflects the dynamics of technological development, particularly the increase in energy consumption. After four to five years, a similarly powerful system – with newer, more economical technology – will be installed. And while Phase 1 of SuperMUC-NG from Lenovo arrives at the LRZ, the first part of SuperMUC is dismantled again.
In addition to offices, the extension also houses the Centre for Virtual Reality and Visualisation (V2C), which was completed in 2014.
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23.03.2006Relocating to Garching
After the Linux cluster, the servers also moved to Garching in April 2006. Fun fact: The fastest method of transferring 1.5 petabytes of data to the new computing centre involved transporting all tapes by lorry. This achieved a transfer rate of 7 terabits per second – something that even current networks cannot (yet) achieve. The HLRB II went live in autumn 2006.
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26.09.2001GRID computing or distributed computing
DGrid computing has been spreading since the turn of the millennium and the LRZ is involved in relevant projects, networking first with regional and national computing centres and then with institutes from all over the world. Since then, the LRZ has been researching the most elementary components of matter in the global grid system of high-energy physicists.
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15.03.2000The first supercomputer for Bavaria
The LRZ’s refurbishment was completed by 1997. At the time, plans were also underway for the first high-performance computer for Bavaria, HLRB, which was installed in March 2000: The Hitachi SR8000-F1 system managed around one teraFLOP or around a billion floating point calculations per second. 8 systems were installed to perform long serial computing tasks as early as 1999, and these are gradually being expanded into a cluster of hundreds of PC with partitions for different requirements (32 and 64 Bit, serial and parallel programmes, shared memory modes). The decision for the next supercomputer also means planning a new computing centre on the existing research campus in Garching.
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01.01.1996There’s space there – the storage units need to grow
The volume of data stored at the LRZ grew from one terabyte (TB) to 217 terabytes between 1996 and 2002, and to one petabyte by 2007. This required new services for short-term data backups and long-term archiving, for which new hardware and software are constantly being developed. Usage data migrated from reel-to-reel tapes to the first robot-operated VHS cassette system. Additional storage capacities boosted our relationship with the Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek and the Bibliotheksverbund Bayern. Because data is valuable, the LRZ’s entire database has been housed at a second computing centre since 2012 for security reasons and the Staatsbibliothek has maintained its own 700 TB storage facility at the LRZ since the same year.
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11.03.1987High-performance computing at the LRZ
The demand for computing power is constantly increasing, not just in Munich but across Bavaria. This demand was satisfied by the gradual installation of a Cray Y-MP4/432 high-performance computer with four processors and, most recently, 512 megabytes of main memory. But even this system was on the verge of reaching its limits. At the same time, LRZ discovered that it had an asbestos problem – and the computing centre’s operations had to be relocated to containers, and a new building and other high-performance systems planned.
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03.03.1977From remote access to communication network
The remote data processing network, which connects devices like punch card readers, printers and plotters to the LRZ’s central computers, grew with the first high-performance computers. But, the first communication network, the computer, was created in the 1980s, connecting computers and later mobile devices, scanning microscopes, measuring and test strands as well as other laboratory equipment. The Munich Science Network was gradually created when fibre optic connections were installed between the Munich universities and a city-wide backbone network with routers was established. This was connected to the German Research Network in 1990 and then to the Internet in 1991. Not only did the transmission speeds grow in the years to come, but the networking of research institutes too.
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15.03.1977First remote access computer
The first central computer system, consisting of two computers from Control Data, a remote processing network from AEG-Telefunken, 11 stacking station with punch card readers, punch tape readers and high-speed printers, 200 text viewers, 5 graphic viewers and 10 serial printers, went into operation.
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01.01.1966Starting life in Munich
The “Akademie-Rechenzentrum” started life in Munich’s Richard-Wagnerstraße where it ran a TR4 system supplied by Telefunken; the ALGOL compiler and the operating system were developed at the computing centre, which outgrew its space and was renamed the ‘Leibniz-Rechenzentrum’ in 1966. It moved to Barer Straße in 1970, where a TR440 system was installed alongside the TR4, followed by the TR86S satellite computer in 1971.
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07.03.1962A commission for the computing centre
Under the umbrella of the Bavarian Academy of Science and Humanities, the TUM professors Hans Piloty and Robert Sauer founded the “Commission for Electronic Computing”, which, with funding from the Free State of Bavaria, decides to set up a computing centre for Munich’s universities and scientific community and conduct research into computer science.
You can count on us: Welcome to the LRZ
If you need computing power for research projects or are looking to speak to someone about innovative technologies, then look no further! We are happy to provide you with advice and assistance and put you in touch with our experts. This is how you can reach us
- if you need advice or access to computer resources: Servicedesk
- if you would like to research with us: Research Department
- if you work for the media: Public Relations
