Aire
Launching in Early 2025, Aire is the University of Leeds' latest HPC system, bringing cutting-edge computational power to support research across disciplines. With major upgrades in computing power, memory, and storage, Aire is set to enhance data processing and streamline research workflows.
Key Features
- Bigger Nodes: Each CPU node now has 168 cores, a significant upgrade from the previous 40 cores.
- Expanded Memory: Standard CPU nodes come with 768GB of memory (previously 192GB). High-memory nodes now support up to 2.3TB, up from 768GB on ARC4.
- Improved Scheduler: Aire uses Slurm instead of SGE, aligning with other HPC systems and providing a more user-friendly experience.
- Enhanced GPU Capacity: Upgraded from 3 nodes with 4 x NVIDIA V100 GPUs to 28 nodes, each with 3 x NVIDIA L40S 48GB GPUs.
- Faster Networking: Moving from Infiniband (100Gbit/s EDR on ARC4, 56Gbit/s FDR on ARC3) to 100 Gb/s OmniPath, enabling faster data transfer.
- Larger and Faster Storage: Increased from 1.2PB usable Lustre on ARC4 to 3.6PB Lustre, plus an additional 80TB NVMe Lustre for faster access.
System Overview
CPU nodes
- 52 systems
- Dell R6625 servers
- AMD Dual 84 core 2.2GHz (9634 Genoa-X)
- 768GB DDR5-4800 Memory
- Dual 480GB M2 drives
- 9,072 cores total
High memory nodes
- 2 systems
- Dell R6625 servers
- AMD Dual 84 core 2.2GHz (9634 Genoa-X)
- Dual 480GB M2 drives
- 2.3TB DDR5-4800 Memory
GPU nodes
- 28 systems
- Dell R7615 servers
- 3 x NVIDIA L40S 48GB GPUs (PCIe)
- AMD 24 core 2.9GHz (9254 Genoa-X)
- 256GB DDR5-4800 Memory
- Dual 480GB M2 drives
- 84 GPU cards total
Other nodes
- Login Nodes (4)
- Management Nodes (2)
Storage
- NEW - 80TB NVMe Lustre Scratch System
- 3.6PB Lustre Scratch
Network
- 100 Gb/s OmniPath
- 25GbE Ethernet
Purchasing Additional Aire Nodes
If your project requires additional resources, you can purchase nodes for priority access within the Aire HPC system. Please review the guidelines below and contact Research IT for more details:
Guidelines for Node Purchases:
- Quote Details: The quoted price will cover only the cost of the hardware. Management and maintenance of the system are provided centrally and are not included in the hardware quote.
- Data Center Capacity: The number of nodes that can be added depends on available space in the data centre. Please consult with Research IT to confirm the current capacity.
- Node Lifespan: All purchased nodes are managed as part of Aire’s infrastructure and will remain available until the system’s retirement date of 31/07/2029, regardless of purchase timing.
- Access Model: Purchasing a node grants priority access to its resources, not exclusive ownership. This policy maximizes resource utilization and promotes energy efficiency. For specific arrangements, please discuss with Research IT.
Estimated Node Costs
| Node Name | Cores per Node | Memory per Node | Processor | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aire Standard CPU Node | 168 | 768GB | 2 x AMD 9634 2.25GHz 84c | £ 11,850 |
| Aire High-Memory CPU Node | 168 | 2.3TB | 2 x AMD 9634 2.25GHz 84c | £ 19,580 |
| Aire GPU Node | 24 | 256GB | 3 x NVIDIA L40S PCIe | £ 14,600 |
Please reach out to Research IT to discuss your specific needs, obtain a quote, and explore how additional nodes can enhance your research project.
Requesting Research Software Engineering support
In addition to infrastructure, we also offer Research Software Engineering (RSE) support to help researchers make the most of the available resources. Our RSE team can provide expertise in optimising code, parallelising workflows, and ensuring efficient usage of HPC systems. The full consulting catalogue and instructions for requesting our services are available on our Consulting Session.