Faster Calculations with Hortense
They affectionately call her Hortense. This is the name of the new supercomputer of Ghent University. The lady calculates 3.3 petaflops per second and is one of the 500 fastest of her kind. Speed was also required when supplying the cabling.
A supercomputer serves many purposes. Hortense – which is part of the Vlaams Supercomputer Center (VSC) – supports Belgian science in cancer and genetic research. She helps to decipher viruses as well as model climate, galaxies, and plasma states. She provides the industry with artificial intelligence for technology development and much more besides.
One of the strengths of a supercomputer is that it can execute millions of processes in parallel. Networks with high bandwidth and low latency connect the many nodes and cores. Of course, a supercomputer like this must never fail. These criteria – processing power, transmission rate, signal quality, operational reliability – require powerful processors and pretty good network cabling.
Fast delivery
With corresponding requirements, the VSC approached network provider NTT and system integrator NetConnect. The Center needed a cabling solution at short notice for a project in the field of supercomputing. Up to 2,000 copper links and 5,000 fiber optic links were to be installed with high density. This was a time-critical assignment and NetConnect chose the offer of its partner R&M. The required products were immediately available.
In addition, there were organizational and logistical challenges due to existing moves, adds, and changes in the data center. R&M and NetConnect reacted very flexibly and adapted to the work in progress. As a result, NetConnect was able to meet all deadlines.
From the point of view of the partners, this cooperation paid off. In comparison to the market, NetConnect and R&M were the most flexible and had the shortest lead time. Tom Van Looy, Managing Partner at NetConnect, confirms: «The best return on investment was achieved for everyone involved in the project.»
R&M solution for VSC
Why R&M?
- Short response time, ability to deliver
- Flexible integration into ongoing projects
- Product quality and shielding
- Best return-on-investment for partners
The customer
Vlaams Supercomputer Centrum (VSC) is a consortium of the five universities in the Flemish region of Belgium and associated partners. In VSC, they combine four powerful supercomputers and their expertise in scientific and technical computing. At the top of the list is the Tier 1 supercomputer Hortense from Ghent University, launched in 2021, with six computer clusters. Hortense combines 44,000 processors, and 100 terabytes of memory and calculates at a speed of 3.3 petaflops per second. The name refers to the French astronomer and mathematician Nicole-Reine «Hortense» Lepaute (1723-1788), who used her computer-like capabilities to calculate the return of Halley’s comet and other astronomical phenomena.
Would you like to learn more about R&M products? We will be happy to advise you. Simply fill out our online inquiry form or use our contact details and talk to us directly.
