Revolution in the cloud: TU Dresden starts groundbreaking research project!

Revolution in the cloud: TU Dresden starts groundbreaking research project!

With the research project “CHORYS: Open and Programmable Accelerators for Data-Intensive Applications in the Cloud”, the Technical University of Dresden (TUD) has launched an ambitious project that is intended to significantly increase the performance of data-intensive applications in the cloud. Partners in this innovative project are the University of Copenhagen, the Politecnico di Milano, the Technical University of Darmstadt, Menta SAS and Codasip GmbH. The goal is to develop a new hardware and software architecture that is specifically designed for data-intensive applications in the cloud, such as tu-dresden.de reported.

One of the main focuses of the project is the integration of near data processing technologies and asynchronous data services to improve the efficiency of data processing. An innovative approach is also being pursued that combines RISC-V-based processor extensions with specialized accelerators such as OpenSSD-V and OpenNIC-V. This approach is intended to enable database and analysis processes to be carried out directly at the data creation site. This reduces the necessary data movement typically caused by traditional storage and networking structures.

Technological innovations in focus

A central element of the new architecture is the combination of programmable SSDs, SmartNICs and data-parallel processing techniques in an open architecture. The goal is to develop a powerful library for efficiently executing data-intensive calculations on various hardware platforms. These technological advances are expected to not only increase the performance of cloud services, but also drive the further development of the cloud computing market.

Another aspect of the project is the development of a unified programming interface for the efficient distribution of data-intensive algorithms across different computing units. In addition, the SIMD hardware abstraction library TSL is being further developed to enable cross-platform execution of data-parallel codes. The European Union is making more than four million euros available over four years for project funding, which underlines the high importance of research in this area.

Education and research in the context of cloud technologies

In parallel to these developments, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is offering a series of lectures that deal with modern data centers and cloud technologies. The courses cover essential topics such as the fundamental design principles for scalable systems, efficient data management and the challenges of implementing cloud-based services, such as tum.de illustrated.

TUM students benefit from a comprehensive learning experience that imparts both practical and theoretical knowledge. Lectures are regularly uploaded to Moodle and tutorials take place via video web conferences. Resources such as a Gitlab repository and a Mattermost channel are also available to support students. The integration of current research results and literature ensures high relevance for the participants.

Overall, the “CHORYS” project summarizes the challenges and opportunities of cloud technology and illustrates how interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative approaches can contribute to the further development of the digital infrastructure. The results of this research could have far-reaching implications for the efficiency and performance of data-intensive applications in the cloud.