Procurement project HPC (A2)

The next national HPC and AI/ML platform

This project's objective is to acquire and put into operation the next-generation national HPC resource (supercomputer) in the Sigma2 e-infrastructure portfolio. The working name for this resource is A2. A2 will be placed in Lefdal Mine Datacenter, the same location as the new national storage infrastructure (NIRD).

Illustration of where the national e-infrastructure systems in Norway are located: Tromsø, Trondheim, Måløy and Oslo.
Current Norwegian HPC and Data Storage infrastructure, including sensitive data (TSD) in Oslo. The infrastructure in Tromsø (HPC and storage) will be phased out, and service will be provided from Trondheim (Saga and Betzy), together with the new A2 system in Måløy (Lefdal Mine Datacenter).

Goals

The project aims to:

  • replace current HPC machines Fram and Saga and additional usage growth forecast
  • provide computing capability for AI/ML and scientific applications through GPU/CPU
  • procure a system with expandable computing and storage capacity

HPC A2 Public Procurement Process

The HPC A2 Public Procurement Process has now started and is available both on Doffin and TED.

Please use the tendering tool TendSign as instructed for all matters concerning this public procurement

Preliminary timeline

QI 2023: Publication of RFI

The RFI is published.

Q4 2023: Publication of competition
H2 2024: New HPC system in production

Our goal is to have the system in production in H2 2024.

Background

HPC systems generally have a life span of approximately 5 years due to declining energy efficiency compared to newer machines, obsolete parts, lack of support, and the arrival of new technology.

Our procurement strategy has traditionally been two-legged, an A- and B-leg where we acquire systems with an offset of 2-3 years.