Nebius, the former parent company of Yandex, announced the deployment of its first AI computing cluster in France. The complex, designed for AI workloads, is based on the Equinix PA10 data center in Saint-Denis, 9 km north of the center of Paris.
The new cluster will be the first Nebius facility to use exclusively proprietary servers and racks. Such systems are designed specifically with an eye to the use of powerful GPU-based accelerators. This, in particular, speeds up commissioning. Setting up equipment and commissioning systems at the Equinix PA10 site will take only two months. The data center will begin processing customer workloads in November 2024.
It is known that the Nebius cluster uses NVIDIA H200 accelerators. The heat generated by the Nebius servers will be used to heat an urban farm located on the roof of the Equinix PA10 data center. It includes a greenhouse where seasonal fruits and vegetables are grown, and a garden.
Image source: Nebius
The launch of the Paris site is said to be part of Nebius’ strategy to create a large-scale network of AI clusters around the world. They will provide clients with resources to solve AI-related problems. In particular, by mid-2025, Nebius intends to invest more than $1 billion in AI infrastructure in Europe. Starting next year, the company will begin introducing systems based on NVIDIA Blackwell accelerators.
«We operate in a new industry that requires both advanced technology and significant capital. The launch of the cluster in Paris is the next step in our program to expand AI capabilities in Europe,” said Arkady Volozh, founder and CEO of Nebius.