Wetsus & Bytesnet

The Microbiology Department at Wetsus is focused on reducing dependence on chemicals and using bacteria and other microorganisms as solutions. Microbiological research provides insight into how biological processes work, for example during the purification of wastewater to ultrapure water, the breakdown of micropollutants in groundwater and soil, or the recovery of valuable materials such as pure sulfur. Clean water and recovered materials can then be applied in a circular way in, for example, agriculture, industry, or even at home. Through this innovative approach, Wetsus not only works to improve water quality, but also contributes to a more sustainable world.

The Challenge: Computing Power and Sustainability

In an era of growing data streams, Wetsus faced a significant challenge in terms of their computing capacity. The limits of proprietary computing systems and the greater demands of the latest software led to a search for a suitable hardware solution. The need for a sustainable solution for future-proof hardware plays a particular role for intensive analysis of DNA and RNA sequencing data, machine learning and handling growing reference datasets.

The Solution: Collaboration with Bytesnet

The collaboration between the Frisian Wetsus and the Groningen-based Bytesnet, began 13 months ago and was made possible in part through joint internship supervision by Jasper Bosman (BytesNet, Hanze University of Applied Sciences) and Pieter van Veelen (Department Head of Microbiology, Wetsus). This collaboration was strategic not only because of the geographical location and shared focus on sustainability, but also because of Wetsus’ specific needs in terms of computing power.

Bytesnet offers a solution that not only meets the computing requirements of Wetsus, but also supports their sustainable vision. For example, unlike more traditional datacenters, Bytesnet uses no water for cooling, the energy used is derived entirely from green electricity, and residual heat is returned to the district heat grid. Technical support and the ability to scale up in response to Wetsus’ growing needs in data analytics were crucial factors in this successful collaboration.

Pieter van Veelen on the collaboration

“Bytesnet offers us the flexibility to use our CPUs and RAM capacity at our convenience, with the option to pay for the actual hours used afterwards. They call this service ‘Flex-VMs.’ Within our department, it is sometimes necessary to apply intensive machine learning, where we regularly need to load 100 GB of data into RAM. These calculations often take only a few hours. It is therefore particularly convenient that we only pay for the hours in which we actually use the computing power, rather than for an entire month. In addition, we appreciate the ability to turn the Flex VMs on and off as needed ourselves, or expand them as needed.”

Looking ahead

Thus, with Bytesnet’s help, Wetsus can now manage their computing power needs more efficiently. This enables Wetsus to perform more advanced analyses and scale up research. The collaboration highlights the value of regional partnerships and shared visions for sustainability and innovation.