Lenovo signed a new agreement with Al Hathboor Bikal.ai, to provide public and private sector customers with cutting-edge high performance cloud computing systems to support advanced digital transformation projects which focus on developing innovation in the UAE. Lenovo will also provide systems and expertise to support Al Hathboor Bikal.ai to build and operate a new sustainable data center at Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP).
The collaboration will see Lenovo and Al Hathboor Bikal.ai, the joint venture between Al Hathboor Group and Bikal Technologies Limited, working together to leverage shared experience in High Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to provide customers in the region with advanced capabilities that will enable them to use AI to address business challenges and create new digital technologies.
The agreement was signed at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park on 17th May in presence of HE Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO SRTIP and Raj Sandhu, GM Al Hathboor Bikal.ai, Mohammed Al Hathboor Management Committee Member of Al Hathboor Bikal.ai, and Alaa Bawab, General Manager, Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group, META along with other senior management and dignitaries.
Commenting on the partnership, Raj Sandhu, GM Al Hathboor Bikal.ai said: “We have huge ambitions for Sharjah Research and Technology Innovation Park, and this partnership with a global leader like Lenovo, will set the path towards developing tailored infrastructure solutions that will solve both public and private organisational challenges. We look forward to leveraging Lenovo’s experience in the technology sector and enhancing our digital capabilities while also welcoming new AI-powered and data-enabled research and technologies.”
High Performance Computing (HPC) For All
Lenovo will provide HPC hardware and software to Al Hathboor along with operational management and support, to create on demand services for customers as well as managed services support. The partnership will democratise the use of HPC for various private and public sector organisations allowing them to access HPC cluster on a service model.
AI & Analytics
The agreement will leverage Lenovo’s position as the one of the only providers for proven, ready-to-deploy AI-enabled infrastructure solutions that are optimized for industry-leading independent software vendors (ISVs) of any size and scale. Lenovo will also provide support through its AI Centers of Excellence, including access to Lenovo Data Scientists, AI architects and engineers, to leverage the company’s multi-industry domain experience to deploy AI and machine learning research solutions that can be used across various sectors including education, R&D, retail, oil & gas and more.
With its AI-ready servers and storage solutions, active partnerships and an ecosystem of ISVs, Lenovo will deliver pre-validated, performance optimized AI-ready solutions on demand, even under the heaviest high-performance workloads.
Sustainable Data Center
As part of the deal, Lenovo will implement one of the first data center in the region to use Lenovo’s patented Neptune Liquid Cooling Technology, which will greatly improve energy efficiency and sustainability of services delivered by Al Hathboor. The unique thermal solution uses efficient liquid cooling to reduce cooling requirements in the data center, reducing energy consumption and contributing to sustainability goals. The solution is designed for sustainable performance and scalability, while supporting the emergent demands for HPC workloads without compromising on performance.
Alaa Bawab, General Manager, Lenovo Infrastructure Group, META added, “The agreement with Al Hathboor Bikal.ai for HPCaaS is a gamechanger, providing organizations with the ability to access high performance computing and advanced technologies including AI, to power their digital transformations, with the confidence that they are accessing services from the region’s first sustainable data center.” He further added, “Along with being in line with the UAE Net Zero 2050 policy, the launch of this data center will also enable access for organizations to powerful solutions and the computing resources to utilize them effectively. This in turn will help drive new innovations, such as Large Language Models similar to GPT-3 and help organizations to bring the benefits of advanced AI to their own operations.”
The agreement and the opening of the new sustainable data center both align with the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative. The initiative is a national drive to reduce net-zero emissions by 2050, powered by key sustainability goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, implementing sustainable practices, and using renewable energy. The new data center keeps this in mind, driving efficiency while simultaneously reducing energy consumption.
The agreement will also form the platform for cooperative activities and research in relevant fields such as technology incubation and development. Both parties will also promote activities to encourage cooperation between technology companies, while supporting each other with international conferences, symposiums, and events.
