AI in Ireland
- AI in Ireland: A Server Configuration Overview
This article details the server configuration supporting Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives within Ireland. It’s geared towards newcomers to our MediaWiki site and aims to provide a technical overview of the infrastructure involved. We will cover hardware, software, networking, and security considerations. Understanding this setup is crucial for anyone contributing to or maintaining these systems.
Introduction
Ireland has become a significant hub for AI development and deployment, attracting major technology companies and fostering a growing startup ecosystem. This has necessitated a robust and scalable server infrastructure to support the computational demands of AI workloads, including machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing. This document outlines the core components of that infrastructure. Please see our Server Room Standards for general guidelines.
Hardware Infrastructure
The primary server hardware is located in geographically diverse data centers throughout Ireland to ensure redundancy and disaster recovery. The current specifications are detailed below. We utilise a hybrid cloud approach, leveraging both on-premise servers and cloud services from providers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.
| Server Type | Quantity | CPU | RAM | Storage | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPU Server (Training) | 50 | Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 | 512GB DDR4 ECC | 8 x 4TB NVMe SSD (RAID 0) | 8 x NVIDIA A100 80GB |
| GPU Server (Inference) | 100 | Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 | 256GB DDR4 ECC | 4 x 2TB NVMe SSD (RAID 1) | 4 x NVIDIA T4 16GB |
| CPU Server (Data Storage & Preprocessing) | 20 | Dual AMD EPYC 7763 | 1TB DDR4 ECC | 16 x 16TB SAS HDD (RAID 6) | None |
These servers are interconnected using a high-speed InfiniBand network, providing low latency and high bandwidth communication between nodes. Power consumption is carefully monitored using Power Distribution Units (PDUs) and managed through our Data Center Management System.
Software Stack
The software stack is built around a Linux operating system (primarily Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS) and utilizes popular AI frameworks and libraries. Containerization using Docker and orchestration with Kubernetes are standard practice for deploying and managing AI applications.
| Software Component | Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS | Base operating system for all servers |
| CUDA Toolkit | 12.2 | NVIDIA's parallel computing platform and API |
| cuDNN | 8.9.2 | NVIDIA's deep neural network library |
| TensorFlow | 2.12 | Open-source machine learning framework |
| PyTorch | 2.0.1 | Open-source machine learning framework |
| Kubernetes | 1.27 | Container orchestration platform |
| Docker | 24.0.5 | Containerization platform |
All code is version controlled using Git and hosted on our internal GitLab instance. We also utilize a dedicated Monitoring System to track resource utilization and application performance. Data is stored in a combination of relational databases (PostgreSQL) and NoSQL databases (MongoDB) depending on the specific requirements of the application.
Networking and Security
The network infrastructure is designed for high availability and security. Servers are grouped into virtual networks based on their function, and access control lists (ACLs) are used to restrict communication between networks. A dedicated Firewall protects the infrastructure from external threats.
| Network Component | Specification | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Network Topology | Spine-Leaf | High bandwidth, low latency |
| Inter-Server Network | 400Gbps InfiniBand | Fast communication between servers |
| External Connectivity | 100Gbps Fiber Optic | Connection to the internet and cloud providers |
| Firewall | FortiGate 600F | Network security and access control |
Security is a top priority. We implement multi-factor authentication for all server access, regularly scan for vulnerabilities using Vulnerability Scanners, and encrypt all sensitive data at rest and in transit. Regular Security Audits are conducted to ensure compliance with industry best practices and relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR). See our Incident Response Plan for details on handling security breaches.
Future Considerations
We are continually evaluating new technologies and approaches to improve the performance, scalability, and security of our AI infrastructure. Future plans include exploring the use of quantum computing for certain AI workloads and investing in more energy-efficient hardware. We are also researching federated learning techniques to enable training AI models on distributed datasets while preserving data privacy. Further documentation can be found on our Wiki Home Page.
Server Maintenance Schedule Backup Procedures Disaster Recovery Plan Data Center Locations Contact Support
Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️