Nokia partners with RENATER to boost AI-ready data centres for French education institutions

Nokia has partnered with RENATER, France's National Research and Education Network, to deploy advanced data centre infrastructure in Paris. 

In conjunction with IMS Networks, this collaboration aims to bolster the capacity, performance, and resilience of RENATER’s network infrastructure, preparing it for the demands of AI technologies.

Nokia will implement its Data Centre Fabric solution across RENATER’s two data centres in Paris. This deployment will include Nokia's 7220 IXR routers for leaf, spine, and border leaf configurations, all running on the SR Linux Network Operating System (NOS). 

The partnership promises to enhance the network's performance and automate operations, facilitating easier management and creating new services tailored for AI applications.

Boris Dintrans, Managing Director at RENATER, expressed enthusiasm for the project: 

"We are excited to embark on this journey with Nokia, a company whose name is synonymous with innovation, reliability, and,what is increasingly important for our long-term strategy, European digital sovereignty. 

“This new Nokia Data Centre Fabric infrastructure will not only support RENATER’s capacity growth but will also allow for the development of new services for our members and users, particularly those operating in AI that require state-of-the-art networks, both inside and outside of data centers for data feeding."

 IMS Networks, a leading provider of network and cybersecurity managed services in France, will partner with Nokia to ensure the project meets the high standards required for critical infrastructures. 

Sacha Hilic, CEO of IMS Networks, highlighted the significance of their role: 

With this new Data Centre Fabric project, we are bringing all our technical network expertise to the challenges of resilience and performance of RENATER's critical infrastructures.

“This underlines our commitment to excellence and our vision of a more connected, secure and innovative digital future."

Nokia’s Data Centre Fabric solution integrates cutting-edge technology and advanced data centre capabilities, simplifying complex operations to meet RENATER’s evolving needs. 

Matthieu Bourguignon, Senior Vice President and Head of Europe for Network Infrastructure at Nokia, commented:

 “We are honoured to help support RENATER’s transition towards the burgeoning field of AI and the promise it holds for educators and students, across France. 

“Nokia is delighted to partner with IMS Networks with our Data Centre Fabric solution, which is a key pillar of the evolution of Network Infrastructure and Data Centre markets, dedicated to research, education, and connected territories.”

The deployment of Nokia’s Data Centre Fabric is expected to significantly improve the network's ability to handle the increased data demands of modern AI applications, providing connectivity for over 1,300 education and research sites across France.