Modular Data Centre (MDC) consisting of 50 container modules for JUPITER

Forschungszentrum Jülich and Eviden announced yesterday that the delivery of a modular data centre for Europe's first exascale supercomputer, JUPITER, has been contractually sealed. The modular data centre consists of around 50 container modules on an area of 2,300 square metres, which offer a modern alternative to conventional solid buildings thanks to significantly shorter planning and construction times, reduced construction and operating costs and greater flexibility. Due to the lower use of materials and better recycling options, data centres made of steel containers also offer major advantages in terms of sustainability.

The JUPITER supercomputer will be the first ExaFlop system in Europe - a computer with at least 1 trillion computing operations per second. The system will be provided by a ParTec-Eviden supercomputer consortium and will be installed on the campus of the Jülich Research Centre in Germany in 2024.

The JUPITER system will consist of two computing modules, a booster module and a cluster module. The booster module will deliver an FP64 performance of 1 ExaFLOP/s, measured with the HPL benchmark.It implements a highly scalable system architecture based on the latest generation of NVIDIA GPUs in the Grace Hopper superchip form factor.The universal cluster module targets workflows that either do not benefit from accelerator-based computation, or large/complex workflows where there is either a mix of CPU and GPU execution phases, or where CPU processors are required in the periphery during pre- and post-processing.In addition, a 21 petabyte flash module (ExaFLASH) based on IBM Storage Scale software and a corresponding storage appliance based on IBM ESS 3500 devices will be provided.All JUPITER compute nodes as well as the storage and service systems are connected to a large NVIDIA Mellanox InfiniBand NDR fabric implementing a DragonFly+ topology.

The MDC at a glance:

- Installation and operation: 2024

- Size: 2300 square metres

- Structure: around 50 prefabricated and interchangeable container modules, including 20 IT containers, 15 containers for energy supply, approx. 10 logistics containers with workshops, warehouses and other units.

- Computer modules: IT modules, each consisting of two containers with 20 racks of the direct liquid-cooled BullSequana XH3000 platform, are assembled and tested ex works by Eviden

- Data module: an IT module consisting of 4 containers accommodates the data storage for the supercomputer

Source and further information: Next Milestone for JUPITER – High-Tech Base for the European Exascale Supercomputer (fz-juelich.de)