DKRZ – German Climate Computing Centre
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The High-Performance Computing System for Earth System Research 3 (HLRE-3) "Mistral"
Unique status among German high-performance computing centres
The German Climate Computing Centre (DKRZ) is a national facility that provides services for earth system scientists. By offering powerful computing platforms, sophisticated and high-capacity data management and superior service exclusively for premium climate science, it enjoys a unique status among German high-performance computing centres.
The High-Performance Computing System for Earth System Research 3 (HLRE-3) Mistral, which was installed in 2015 and 2016, is the current workhorse of the German laboratory of climate research. The total peak performance of the system is 3.6 petaFLOPS. With a capacity of 54 petabytes, its parallel file system is one of the largest in the world. The system is complemented by a tape-based data archive with a capacity of up to 500 petabytes, thus strengthening the DKRZ’s leading role as a global centre for climate model data. In 2021, Mistral will be replaced by the new system Levante, which will offer a fivefold increase in computational performance and an even larger file system of about 120 petabytes.
The DKRZ plays a vital role in the infrastructure of German climate change research. Its results complement research on observable changes in climate to form the basis for sustainable policy.
Organisational details
Founded in 1987 as a limited liability company (GmbH) with four shareholders (largest: Max Planck Society), the DKRZ is a non-profit and non-commercial research centre.
Facts and figures
1 centre in Hamburg
Approx. 90 staff
Non-profit limited company
Budget of approx. 10 million euros (2020)
Research and service activities
Climate modelling: DKRZ’s high-performance computing facilities are used to conduct research based on climate modelling. Its computing power and storage capacity enable the application of sophisticated, realistic numerical models for the quantitative computation of complex processes in the climate and earth system.
Analysis of large data sets: In addition to this, the DKRZ installs and maintains software tools and hardware infrastructure for the archiving, management and analysis of extremely large data sets. DKRZ is a partner in various research and infrastructure projects facilitating climate modelling and hence the analysis, visualisation and management of climate model data. The centre is a central node in the national and European network of climate researchers and coordinates ESiWACE, the EU-funded Centre of Excellence in Simulation of Weather and Climate in Europe. Furthermore, DKRZ hosts and maintains the ICSU World Data Centre for Climate.
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Budget
The DKRZ has an annual budget of 10 million euros (2020). The budget is funded by the four shareholders in accordance with the size of their stake.