The Green Data Center ofUniversity of Pisa it has been expanded to support challenges in the field of scientific research and teaching and support the digital transition of this territory. In fact, on 16 April the new room of the Data Center in San Pietro a Grado (PI) was officially inaugurated, which now offers another 38 racks which, added to the 66 already present, brings their total to 104. Numbers that make it the most grande University Data Center of Italy, as well as being the only one to have obtained the “A” classification from AgID.
Green Data Center of the University of Pisa at the forefront in Europe
Riccardo Zucchi, Rector of the University of Pisa
The University of Pisa aspires to a cutting-edge position in the development of digitalization processes. Necessary to best face the new challenges in training, research and technology transfer. In this, the investment made in the University’s Green Data Center is strategic for us. The expansion of this structure, in fact, allows us to make a leap in quality in projects competitive at a high level and in frontier contexts. Such as, for example, 5G, Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing or the topic of high performance computing in the context of the National Center funded in the Pnrr.
An eye also on sustainability
Giuseppe Iannaccone, vice-rector of the University of Pisa
A university-level data center is a key competitive tool for science and engineering research. If well managed it is the best solution efficient from an operational and economic point of view. While from an environmental point of view it is superior to a situation in which the resources are distributed among the various laboratories of the university.
The Green Data Center of the University of Pisa doubles
This expansion will allow you to increase significantly, in fact, the computing power available to UniPi’s scientific research. Currently, in fact, it can already count on around 700 nodes for a total of around 30K computing cores and more than 100 GPUs of various generations. But the expansion of the university Data Center will also have positive repercussions on the local area. All with a strong focus on environmental sustainability.
The ‘UniPi model’ of digital transition
Giuseppe Anastasi, Rector’s Delegate for Digital Transition
With the development of the University’s Green Data Center, our ability to support digitalization processes, not only of the university but also of the territory, is also strengthened. Thus consolidating what is the ‘UniPi model’ of digital transition, in which our university offers disposition of the territory its infrastructures and skills in the field of ICT. The strengthening of the Data Center can in fact guarantee new digital services from which not only the academic community but also the local area can benefit. This lays the foundations for increasingly sustainable, widespread, inclusive, effective and participatory development.
A limited environmental impact
Maurizio Davini, CTO of the Data Center
The main objective of the Green Data Center expansion project was to to integrate new technological elements without distorting the original project. A model designed to have the lowest possible environmental impact. Thanks to the new solutions adopted, the Green Data Center is thus able to support High-performance computing (HPC) and latest generation Artificial Intelligence infrastructures for the next few years, limiting energy consumption.
Limit energy consumption, not performance
To do this, innovative liquid cooling solutions were appropriately chosen. Such as Vertiv’s Liebert XDU or Zutacore’s HyperCool solution which allow the implementation of liquid cooling even in existing data centers with air cooling. It was thus possible to also adopt latest generation computing systems such as Lenovo Neptune, which guarantees a reduction of up to 40% in energy consumption without having to sacrifice performance. Furthermore, the University of Pisa was among the first in Europe to adopt these technological solutions, making its Green Data Center a cutting-edge structure also from the point of view of environmental sustainability.
The Green Data Center of the University of Pisa
Stefano Suin, director of the Digital Infrastructure Directorate of the University of Pisa
Thanks to’activation of a second connection node to the new generation ultra-broadband national network (GARR-T), the scientific computing power of our University Green Data Center has increased. Today, in fact, this structure can count on one connectivity internal at 200 Gbit/sec and one external at 100 Gbit/sec. A solution that allows you to exploit its potential in terms of access to High Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence systems and deliverability based on the needs of each project. Without forgetting the due attention to protection of the data and research results.