FAU becomes Bavarian AI data center

The Center for National High Performance Computing Erlangen (NHR@FAU) is investing millions in AI clusters with state-of-the-art processors. The Free State of Bavaria is providing the funds for this as part of the High-Tech Agenda. NHR@FAU will thus not only become an AI competence and computing center for FAU, but also for other scientific institutions throughout Bavaria.

"Scientific research is currently experiencing an AI boom," says Prof. Dr. Gerhard Wellein, Head of NHR@FAU. "It is therefore fundamentally important for researchers to have access to sufficient computing capacity." The NHR@FAU already offers modern high-performance and supercomputers for complex numerical tasks. However, the future needs of AI and deep learning can only be met by powerful clusters with state-of-the-art processors.

This is exactly what the Free State of Bavaria is now providing funding for as part of the High-Tech Agenda: Together with the Leibniz Supercomputing Center of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (LRZ) in Garching, the NHR@FAU will receive up to 55 million euros in the 2024/25 double budget. Wellein: "We will primarily use this money to purchase AI-specific hardware and operate various AI accelerators that are integrated into an application-oriented storage landscape." In addition, the NHR@FAU team will be expanded in order to provide scientists with the best possible advice and support on all issues. "Our aim is to provide researchers with our systems within 48 hours of their request, or even faster in particularly urgent cases," explains Wellein.

Energy efficiency also plays an important role in the new investment: the graphics processors to be procured are optimized not only in terms of their performance, but also in terms of their energy consumption for AI applications. In addition, the NHR@FAU will cool the new hardware with hot water, which will further reduce power consumption - the aim is to use a maximum of ten percent of the total amount of energy required for cooling. A concept for the subsequent use of waste heat at FAU is currently in preparation.

With the investment in the new systems, the NHR@FAU and the Garching LRZ are establishing themselves as AI data centers, serving the universities and scientific institutions in Bavaria. The two centers are already in close contact and work together on high-performance computing and energy efficiency. At FAU, the NHR@FAU provides AI services and central storage systems together with the Regional Computing Center Erlangen (RRZE). The AI systems will be housed together with the NHR@FAU and parts of the RRZE in a new building on Erlangen's south campus from 2030. The Free State of Bavaria is providing up to 260 million euros for the construction of the future high-performance data center in northern Bavaria.