Kickoff bwHPC-S5 Phase 3

In 2020 the bwHPC members drew up the 2nd phase of the state-wide project bwHPC-S5 'Scientific Simulation and Storage Support Services'. With the approval by the DFG and MWK the support project bwHPC-S5 which started at Juli 2018 (as Phase 1) transitioned to Phase 2 on April 01, 2021 and further to Phase 3 on November 1, 2023. Phase 3 will run until January 2026 and includes 30.5 full time positions of which 21 are funded by the Ministry of Science, Research und Arts Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

On October 24, 2023 the project layout and the plan for the next 3 months was presented to the to the associates and members of bwHPC. The project team will continue its work started in Phase 2 - e.g. user support of the HPC cluster and data facilities, maintaining software and services, teaching - but will also address the following topics:

• Further development of scientific support in terms of competences to support novel system and method concepts, linkage with methodological research, integral demand analyses and support strategies
• Increasing energy efficiency by raising awareness and investigating in and using new operating models and workflows
• Testing and integration of new system components and ressources
• Implementation of new software strategies
• Expansion of the functionalities of the Baden-Württemberg data federation
• Implementation of concepts for handling sensitive data and for developing digital sovereignty
• Networking and cooperations with other research infrastructures