CHPC Empowers Wits University with Collaborative HPC Equipment Allocation

April 07, 2026   Post

New Infrastructure for Wits Research: Excitement is buzzing at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) as a major boost to their computing capacity arrives on campus. As part of the HPC Ecosystems Project under NICIS, selected HPC computing equipment has been transferred to Wits for use within the Student Interest Group in High‑Performance Computing (SIG HPC). This initiative aims to strengthen HPC skills development, practical training, and student-led technical capacity building. Wits researchers are receiving a comprehensive suite of 34 high-density computing components, including a Dell PowerEdge M1000e chassis and a fleet of M600, M610, and M805 blade servers.

The Logistics of Success: Moving a full-scale server infrastructure deployment is a precision operation. Behind the seamless transfer was our dedicated colleague, Samuel Mathekga, who managed the process locally, ensuring all equipment was delivered and set up according to plan

We also want to recognise the CHPC logistics team, whose expertise in handling sensitive, high-value hardware was crucial to the smooth execution of this handover. Together, these efforts have unlocked a new tier of raw computing potential for the Wits research community.

Shining a Spotlight on Collaboration

To mark this milestone, our team arranged media interviews to document the handover. These interviews, currently in post-production, will soon provide a behind-the-scenes look at how shared infrastructure and institutional collaboration are driving the future of South African research.

Why This Matters

This transfer provides Wits with the foundational "bricks" of a high-performance data centre. With these 34 units, researchers can:

• Scale up complex scientific simulations across multiple server nodes.
• Expand data processing capabilities for multidisciplinary projects.
• Increase reliability and networking speed through dedicated PowerConnect switches.

This collaborative transfer reflects CHPC’s ongoing commitment to providing South Africa’s brightest minds with the robust infrastructure they need to innovate, while supporting student-led community engagement and workforce development.

What’s Next? Stay tuned for the full media coverage of this exciting chapter for Wits and CHPC! Together, we’re powering progress, one server at a time.