Super computer

Tender description

Super computer. Super computer. Computer-related services. Technical computer support services. The University of Exeter seeks to replace and expand its current High Performance Computing (HPC) facilities. The University has substantial research ambitions that necessitate access to improved HPC infrastructure in order to conduct a range of numerical and data intensive research activities. The new multi-discipline HPC environment will ultimately replace many existing HPC facilities and will become the primary environment for HPC activity across all campuses at the institution. It is one element of a wider research computing environment, which is developing to accommodate the evolving aspirations and requirements of all research disciplines. This broad remit, including but extending beyond the traditional physics and engineering user base, is a key feature of the new environment. This tender process will be used to identify a suitable Supplier to replace the University' sexisting HPC facility and work with the University to develop its future HPC capacity. The University's aim isto build on an initial base design in a modular approach during the initial contract period (and subsequent extensions if taken) when new environment's (such as the GBP 50 000 000 Living Systems development)come on line to provide increased HPC capacity in the desired form. Collaboration with GW4 partners (Bath,Cardiff and Bristol Universities); along with the successful leveraging of research funding will also provide funding to allow the University to grow its HPC capacity via this contract. It is critically important that the chosen Supplier is able to offer both a holistic solution, and is capable of both providing the initial base design and the staged potential growth of the HPC system to a much bigger system. The Supplier will be responsible for the installation, commissioning and acceptance testing, and ongoing support and maintenance of the system for the life of the contract. The Supplier will be willing to commit to specific delivery dates, performance levels and will be able to offer opportunities for partnership and innovation in the HPC field.