The new hierarchical storage management system (HSM) with StrongLink will allow the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) to store and manage a data volume in the range of exabytes in the future. Annual storage rate is up to 120PB. With the installation, 150 PB of inventory data is migrated from the old to the new HSM system within just one week. The new system uses future-proof, open standards such as S3 and LTFS.
Cristie Data signed a five-year contract for the delivery and service of a new hierarchical storage management system (HSM) at the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) in autumn 2020.
The intelligence of the new platform is based on StrongBox Data Solutions’ (SBDS) strong metadata-driven workflow engine StrongLink, coupled with Huawei’s OceanStor systems. StrongLink is deployed on a scale-out architecture. The storage management system designed by Cristie Data will transfer 120PB per year between the HPC storage and the new HSM system. For this purpose, StrongLink virtualizes the 1 PB high-performance cache and the 9 total tape archives. The conversion of the 150 PB inventory data to the new LTFS format takes place automatically in parallel with the reading and writing of new data and is transparent for the users. The parallelization extends over about 90 tape drives in 9 tape archives, which together provide more than 79,000 media locations.
Cristie Data signed a five-year contract for the delivery and service of a new hierarchical storage management system (HSM) at the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) in autumn 2020.
The intelligence of the new platform is based on StrongBox Data Solutions’ (SBDS) strong metadata-driven workflow engine StrongLink, coupled with Huawei’s OceanStor systems. StrongLink is deployed on a scale-out architecture. The storage management system designed by Cristie Data will transfer 120PB per year between the HPC storage and the new HSM system. For this purpose, StrongLink virtualizes the 1 PB high-performance cache and the 9 total tape archives. The conversion of the 150 PB inventory data to the new LTFS format takes place automatically in parallel with the reading and writing of new data and is transparent for the users. The parallelization extends over about 90 tape drives in 9 tape archives, which together provide more than 79,000 media locations.
Tape Library at the German Climate Computing Center – image source & copyright: Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum GmbH
“With this new archive system, DKRZ can expand and modernize important data services for our research community and at the same time seamlessly switch to a new open-standard platform that can grow with our requirements,” explains Prof. Thomas Ludwig, Managing Director of DKRZ, and continues from: “The new HSM system provides a solid foundation to ensure that researchers have continuous access to the critical data required for climate modeling and improved climate projections.”
Cristie Data is responsible for the installation, configuration and project management for the new HSM system at DKRZ. The Niedernbergers also deliver all the hardware required for the project and are responsible for service and integration management.
“DKRZ is an important partner in climate research. At Cristie, we take our responsibility to the environment very seriously. With StrongLink, climate researchers around the world will continue to be able to access all data quickly and reliably in the future. With Huawei as one of the industry leaders for energy-efficient data center solutions, we are also making a contribution to more environmentally friendly solutions in the data center,” says Volker Wester, Managing Director of Cristie Data.
The project replaces the existing HPSS with a new system using the open standards LTFS and S3.
“With this new archive system, DKRZ can expand and modernize important data services for our research community and at the same time seamlessly switch to a new open-standard platform that can grow with our requirements,” explains Prof. Thomas Ludwig, Managing Director of DKRZ, and continues from: “The new HSM system provides a solid foundation to ensure that researchers have continuous access to the critical data required for climate modeling and improved climate projections.”
Cristie Data is responsible for the installation, configuration and project management for the new HSM system at DKRZ. The Niedernbergers also deliver all the hardware required for the project and are responsible for service and integration management.
“DKRZ is an important partner in climate research. At Cristie, we take our responsibility to the environment very seriously. With StrongLink, climate researchers around the world will continue to be able to access all data quickly and reliably in the future. With Huawei as one of the industry leaders for energy-efficient data center solutions, we are also making a contribution to more environmentally friendly solutions in the data center,” says Volker Wester, Managing Director of Cristie Data.
The project replaces the existing HPSS with a new system using the open standards LTFS and S3.
