Fast network between Erlangen and Garching
Network cable: A fast data line connects the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre with the Regional Computing Centre in Erlangen-Nuremberg. Photo:Possessed Photografy/Unsplash
A high-performance network connecting Erlangen Regional Computing Centre and the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre is accelerating data traffic, providing greater security in service management and giving researchers in Bavaria more options for analysing information.
The Regional Computing Centre Erlangen-Nuremberg (RRZE), IT service provider for the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU), and the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) on the research campus in Garching are moving even closer together: With the help of the Deutsches Forschungsnetz (DFN), the two institutes have set up a high-speed connection that transmits a data volume of 100 gigabits per second. "We are linking the LRZ with the RRZE and thus bringing northern and southern Bavaria even closer together," says Marcel Ritter, Technical Director of the RRZE, and Prof Helmut Reiser, Deputy Director of the LRZ, adds: "The connection allows us to exchange data faster. It gives us the opportunity to develop concepts for the reliability of technology and services and thus increase our resilience."
More security for data and services
The fast network strengthens the recently established Digitalverbund Bayern (Digital Network Bavaria), in which universities and institutes have joined forces with their data centres and the LRZ to jointly develop and implement digitisation strategies, inter-university services and IT security measures. For some time the LRZ and the RRZE have been providing together IT services and storage capacity to the universities, for example BayernShare. The high-performance network now extends the technical scope and performance of both data centres, as it can transport up to 100 billion bits per second, which is the equivalent of around 100,000 books, 30,000 photos or 300 films in standard resolution.
Not only can it move large volumes of data, with the capacity to grow as required, but it also allows reciprocal access to each other's data centre services. "We plan to use it to exchange backups," says Reiser. "In this way, we can better protect the data and information stored on our systems. We can be up and running again quickly in case of an emergency, and thus increase our reliability." If part of the infrastructure in one data centre fails, the other provides access to backups or IT services.
Powerful infrastructure for research
A fast network is also an advantage for data-intensive simulations and artificial intelligence (AI) research. Researchers are increasingly combining traditional computing methods with statistical AI models. This will also benefit users of the National High Performance Computing Centre Erlangen (NHR@FAU). The network will bring its high-performance computing and AI systems in Erlangen and Nuremberg closer to the LRZ systems in Garching. Researchers will be able to switch between the resources or combine them as required. NHR@FAU and the LRZ plan to further expand the hardware capacity and consulting and training services and make them available to all universities and colleges in Bavaria. (vs)