Core Scientific Introduces The Cloud for Data Scientists at Equinix – Powered by NVIDIA and NetApp

By AIT News Desk On May 4, 2020

The Cloud for Data Scientists to enable AI Platform-as-a-Service leveraging NVIDIA DGX systems and NetApp flash storage

Core Scientific announced the availability of The Cloud for Data Scientists AI platform-as-a-service solution pilot at an Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data center. Built on the verified architecture ONTAP AI, the solution combines NVIDIA DGX systems for accelerated compute and NetApp AFF A800 Cloud connected All Flash Storage. The Cloud for Data Scientists provides accelerated GPU compute tuned to the demands of AI and deep learning.

Core Scientific is a leader in artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies, delivering best-in-class infrastructure and software solutions. In an increasingly distributed and connected world, Core Scientific believes that AI and blockchain are changing the way information is processed, shared and stored across a range of industries.

Announced earlier this year, The Cloud for Data Scientists brings the ease of the public cloud with the myriad of benefits of co-locating at Equinix. “We are thrilled to pilot our AI platform-as-a-service in a software as-a-platform solution,” said Kevin Turner, CEO of Core Scientific. “A significant number of Fortune 500 companies are deployed in Equinix facilities and are in need of high-end AI computing services under the same roof as their data.” This will be achieved via Equinix Cloud Exchange Fabric™ (ECX Fabric), an on-demand, SDN-enabled interconnection service that allows any business to connect between its own distributed infrastructure and any other company’s distributed infrastructure, including the world’s largest network service and cloud providers, on Platform Equinix®.

“Equinix is well positioned to be the global platform on which AI platform-as-a-service thrives. Working together with Core Scientific, NVIDIA, and NetApp, we are launching a testbed environment for data scientists at the Metro Edge,” said Steve Steinhilber, Vice President, Business Development, Equinix. “By leveraging our connectivity offerings such as ECX Fabric, participants will test their ability to move relevant data from multiple public clouds, private data lakes and from edge devices into a powerful AI solution and satisfy their low cost, low latency and compliance requirements.”

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“More than ever, organizations need to find creative ways to reduce capex costs and pay as-they-go for Infrastructure services,” said Santosh Rao, Senior Technical Director, AI & Data Engineering, NetApp. “Colo based consumption models for AI infrastructure enable customers to perform rapid AI model experimentation and fast track from data science POCs to production. NetApp and NVIDIA power this Core Scientific AI platform and Equinix delivers it.”

“Enterprises everywhere want to infuse their business with AI, but many lack the infrastructure to support rapid iteration and development demanded by data science teams,” said Tony Paikeday, Director of DGX Systems, NVIDIA. “The Core Scientific AI platform combined with NVIDIA and NetApp technology, delivered through Equinix, lets businesses quickly access the AI computing power they need, in an affordable opex model with cloud-like simplicity.”

The Core Scientific AI platform-as-a-service solution is not just managed infrastructure but includes a full software stack called Plexus. “Our software stack gives The Cloud for Data Scientist the same walk-up tooling as they may find in the public cloud,” said Ferreira, CPO. “The ability to combine this solution with the leading-edge computing of NVIDIA DGX systems and Equinix’s customer data lakes is a game changer.”