The data kingdom and its fascinating technology

Supercomputers, modern backup generators, unique robotic tape storage libraries, and no operator required. Come and explore the Škoda data centre.

16. 7. 2024 Škoda World

It is 55 years since the first computer was installed at Škoda, and it’s hard to think of a field that has undergone more dynamic development. Today, the Czech carmaker has two state-of-the-art data centres in Mladá Boleslav.

The data centres power all of Škoda’s systems: from all employees’ e-mails to calculations in the Technical Development and Production Control departments – everything goes through the server systems. And that’s why Škoda has two main data centres, so that the tasks that are essential for the company’s operations are duplicated for better security and to minimise the impact of any possible outages.

Here’s where the SAP Hana database operates.

For one thing, that applies to the machines the SAP Hana database runs on. They have 16 TB of RAM, so therefore the entire database runs in RAM for fast response. According to IT department representatives, there are 1,331 applications and systems running in both data centres. Although this number was valid at the end of May – more systems and applications may have been added by now.

The data centre has a total of six halls and each of them has six air conditioning units with an output of 350 kW. The cooling air is cooled by airflow; there is no need for additional cooling. This is called free-cooling. The additional cooling is provided by three giant turbo compressors, each with an output of 950 kW. Where possible, they have switched from cooling at 21 °C to a higher temperature of 23 °C. “This helps cut energy consumption and emissions. In the future, we’re considering a further slight increase in temperature, but we have to carefully plan which technology can handle such temperatures,” says Petr Vomáčka, data centre coordinator.

An aisle in one of the data halls

Flywheel as a back-up

The two backup generators are impressive pieces of kit, both technically and visually. To give them their proper name, they are dynamic uninterrupted power supplies, or DUPS. The diesel generators are just one part of these fascinating machines, which only start in the event of a power failure or a large fluctuation in the grid. In addition to the engines, there is a giant alternator and a “kinetic module”, which is actually a huge flywheel.

The centre has its own backup if the electricity is cut. There are diesel generators on the ground floor.

The alternator spins constantly at a steady speed, filtering out any instability coming from the grid. “This instability has been significant in recent years, so a solution like this is a necessity,” Patka says on the subject of how the technologies are powered. The flywheel comes into play in the event of a dropout: when power stops flowing from the grid into the alternator, the flywheel can keep it spinning at unchanged speed for about 8 seconds; within 1.5 seconds the diesel generator will automatically kick in and take control of the alternator’s rotation and thus the power supply.

Water-cooled supercomputers and good old tape

The purpose of all this technology, of course, is to ensure that the local servers run without problems. The data centre has the latest HPE Cray water-cooled supercomputers that can handle the most demanding calculations, such as virtual aerodynamics tests and computer simulations of crash tests. These supercomputers are housed in a special room that allows direct water cooling of the servers, which have a total power consumption of 1.2 MW. In the data halls there are a total of about 4,300 physical servers, but when you add the virtual servers the total is 8,689. And they also have 40 disk arrays with a capacity of 60 petabytes.

Data are stored here in various forms: fast SSDs, of course, for instant storage and retention of data that need to be accessed quickly and continuously. There are also spinning disk arrays as well as four large tape backup stations. “Tape is still a very efficient and reliable backup method. We use it for older data that is rarely needed anymore. For example, the results of virtual simulations of older car models are stored on tape. When someone needs these data, for example to check the results and compare them with those of a car currently under development, a little patience is required,” says Petr Vomáčka.

Škoda data centre

The modern data centre continues a long IT tradition at Škoda. The tradition started almost 55 years ago when the first computer was put into operation here. Today, all systems that control production operate here, although the Kvasiny plant has its own control systems for some specific production tasks because of the delay in communication over longer distances. The data centres in Mladá Boleslav also handle the operation of the SAP centre for Volkswagen Group companies and store the manuals for all Group vehicles, for example. The local supercomputers’ capacity will also be used by the entire Group in the near future. The data centre in the Czech carmaker’s main plant is the younger of the main pair: work on its design began in 2008 and construction in 2011. The building has a very strong structure that can withstand a small aircraft crash, has special shielding and soundproofing for the air conditioning and separate sections for computing, cooling air preparation and backup generators.