Rhineland Palatinate takes a leading role in scientific computing

The two newly installed high-performance mainframe computers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and at the University of Kaiserslautern have provided the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate with a new national profile in computing technology.

The investment of almost €5.5 million by the state government, the German Research Foundation (DFG), and both universities will support and strengthen top-flight research in Mainz and Kaiserslautern in areas such as meteorology, genome research, chemistry, physics, mechanical engineering, or in new materials developments.

"The integration of both mainframe computers in the Alliance for High-Performance Computing Rhineland-Palatinate is setting new standards in the field of high-performance computing for the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate as a location of excellent universities and research. What is particularly positive is the fact that scientists all over the state will profit from it," says Minister of Science Doris Ahnen. "Computer-based research has enormous potential and anybody who recognizes this and wants to benefit from it can now find optimum conditions for keeping up with the latest developments in the area. The technical requirements are now in place for top-quality international research across all scientific disciplines."

Furthermore, as Minister Doris Ahnen added, the state not only financed the building of both supercomputers but has also focused on creating on a good technical basis and server structure. Thus, a large share of the funds from Germany's Economic Stimulus Package (Konjunkturprogramm II) was invested in information technology. Of the total €86 million, approximately €10.6 million alone went into IT equipment.

Both systems are integrated in the Alliance for High-Performance Computing Rhineland Palatinate (AHRP) making their use available to all universities and research facilities in the state improving their international expertise and competitiveness.