University of Regensburg receives millions in funding for HPC system Athene III”

University of Regensburg receives millions in funding for HPC system Athene III”

The University of Regensburg recently received significant funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) for the purchase of the new high-performance computer system “Athene III”. This investment is part of a comprehensive plan to strengthen IT infrastructure for computationally intensive scientific research. The total costs of the project amount to 2,991,000 euros, of which the DFG is providing 1,495,500 euros, i.e. 50 percent of the costs. Co-financing from the Free State of Bavaria is required in order to realize the purchase.

“Athene III” will play a central role in the research landscape of the University of Regensburg and serves as the successor to the previously used “Athene II” system, which has been in use since 2018. Dr. Michael Hartung, who leads the project, and his team in the data center are pleased about this development, which is described as a milestone for the university's IT infrastructure.

Technical specifications and applications

The new HPC cluster (“High Performance Compute Cluster”) will consist of a total of 69 CPU nodes, which have 8832 processor cores and 103.5 terabytes of RAM. There will also be three GPU nodes equipped with a total of 12 Nvidia H100 graphics cards. This hardware is specifically used for artificial intelligence and deep learning applications. Supercomputing enables researchers to simulate complex molecular processes, create climate models and analyze medical imaging data.

Dr. Christoph Bauer, head of the computer center at the university, emphasizes the importance of “Athene III” for impact in science. HPC systems are capable of processing tasks in parallel and at high speed, making them an indispensable tool for modern research.

The context of funding

The funding for “Athene III” is in line with the national program for high-performance computing (NHR), which was launched by the federal government and the federal states. The aim of this program is to promote the provision of high-performance computing capacities for scientific research in Germany. The DFG is responsible for conducting calls for proposals to identify suitable locations for NHR centers. The annual investment and operating costs for these centers can be up to 62.5 million euros.

The NHR program promotes transregional and interdisciplinary cooperation, strengthens the methodological competence of users and offers training in the field of scientific computing. Eligible applicants for funding are computer-based facilities at accredited universities. A successful NHR center must demonstrate willingness to participate in the NHR Alliance and propose coordination activities.

The projects to create and establish these NHR centers are designed to improve research capacities in Germany and promote collaboration between different scientific disciplines. The investment systems require a high standard of planning and operational competence in order to be successful.

With "Athene III", the University of Regensburg is making a significant contribution to this ambitious project, which not only strengthens local research, but also fits into the national context in order to promote Germany's competitiveness in the field of high-performance computers.