Mission and Tasks

About us

The Academic Computer Center CYFRONET AGH is the longest-operating and one of the largest supercomputing and networking centres in Poland, with a history of providing access to supercomputing resources dating back to 1975 [for more details, see the History of Cyfronet].

For years, ACC Cyfronet AGH has been the operator of the fastest supercomputers in Poland, repeatedly listed on the TOP500 world list, as well as very high-capacity data storage systems. It has three data centres, its own fibre-optic network, as well as technical facilities, personnel and competencies, allowing it to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The centre is an administrator of the MAN network in Krakow and is an essential node of the PIONIER academic network, connected to the European GÉANT network.

Cyfronet is the organiser and leader of the PLGrid Consortium, consolidating national computing resources and providing a range of unique computing and IT support services for science, as well as the leader of the National Competence Center in HPC, which acts as a contact and access point for HPC for both academia and innovative entities in the economy and public administration.

ACC Cyfronet AGH plays a coordinating role in the projects included in the Polish Research Infrastructure Map (PMIB): National Supercomputing Infrastructure for EuroHPC and PLGrid National Cloud Infrastructure for EOSC. It is also a member of consortia implementing programs listed on the PMIB: CTA, EPOS, KMD, PIONIER-LAB, PRACE and Virgo, and additionally provides the computing infrastructure of High-Performance Computers along with the resources of storage systems and the computing infrastructure of the Metropolitan Area Network in Krakow (MAN) for conducting research work in other PMIB projects.

Cyfronet is actively involved in leading European projects related to the development of supercomputing technologies and services based on them, including WLCG (The Worldwide LHC Computing Grid), EGI (Advanced Computing Services for Research), PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe), EuroHPC JU (The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking), EOSC (European Open Science Cloud), EPOS (European Plate Observing System), LUMI (The Large Unified Modern Infrastructure - the fastest supercomputer in Europe), LUMI-Q, Digital Twins in Earth and Health Sciences.

At the same time, Cyfronet participates in many other national and international research and development projects, which use both hardware resources and unique experience in building and developing integrated service platforms for scientific users. The Laboratories operating at Cyfronet bring together specialists who develop IT tools to support the development of science and technology, including modern medical diagnostics and therapy.

The centre also works with SMEs and large companies to enable the effective implementation of HPC (High-Performance Computing) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) in logistics, medicine, satellite image processing, CFD, drug research and the automotive industry.

An important aspect of Cyfronet's activities is the organisation of scientific events and specialised training and workshops related to HPC.

The mission of the ACC Cyfronet AGH

Academic Computer Centre CYFRONET AGH is established by the National Committee for Scientific Research as the unit leader in the operation and development of the hardware base of the high performance computers (HPC) as well as the urban and academic computer network (Metropolitan Area Network – MAN). The essential task realised by Cyfronet is to provide telecommunication and computing services for the entire scientific community of Krakow and Malopolska province to support scientific research.

The tasks of the Centre include:

• providing computing power and other IT services to research teams and educational institutions,
• conducting scientific research and R&D activities, either alone or in cooperation with other units, mainly in the field of high performance computers, computer networks and IT and telecommunications services,
• actions to achieve the objectives and programs of the Polish government, contained in the assumptions of the ministries responsible for science and education, in the field of usage of the new information techniques and technologies in science, education, management and business,
• construction, maintenance and development of the IT infrastructure operated by the Centre,
• studies, analyses and implementations of new techniques and technologies, which could be potentially used in the design, construction and operation of an IT infrastructure,
• advice, expertise, training and staff skills improvement as well as other activities in the field of computer science, computer networks, high performance computers and computer services,
• identifying, evaluating and promoting new solutions in the scope of the activities of the Centre to be used in the fields of science, education, administration, economy and management,
• providing computing power, ICT infrastructure and other services - based on the Centre's potential - to entities interested in their implementation or use,
• conducting the payable research and cooperation with the economy in the area and innovating solutions.