High performance computing: Reducing the time to science with Jamal Ayach

A supercomputer the size of a hockey rink

When Jamal Ayach’s son asked him what kind of computer he works with, Jamal responded, “How many operations can you do on your calculator in 1 minute?” His son proudly replied, “20 to 25.” Jamal smiled and said, “Well, my computer is the size of a hockey rink and can perform 10 quadrillion calculations per second at peak performance.”

That’s the scale of high performance computing (HPC) at Shared Services Canada (SSC).

Specialized infrastructure with national impact

Jamal leads a team at SSC that maintains advanced computer systems—technology that most Canadians don’t see, but that powers services they rely on every day.

One of their biggest priorities is supporting Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) with the systems that predict weather and enable meteorological and climate research. These systems run high-resolution weather and climate models that simulate the evolution of weather and environmental conditions from minutes to decades ahead. These models are the basis of ECCC’s critical 24/7 weather and environmental prediction services, which provide alerts and warnings that allow Canadians and emergency management organizations to prepare for extreme weather events such as severe storms, floods, wildfires and more.

Managing data at a massive scale

Jamal’s team has spent nearly a decade maintaining a huge archive of data that’s now close to 1 exabyte—about 1 billion gigabytes, or enough video to stream for 3 million years! Keeping this data available 99.9% of the time is no small feat. Forecasters and scientists rely on constant access to this information to provide life-saving weather information and ensure their research is accurate and timely. Any interruption could delay critical work, like severe weather predictions or climate studies.

Turning data into action

Thanks to SSC’s leadership and Jamal’s contributions, Canadians have access to accurate weather forecasts, alerts and updates through ECCC’s weather information site. These services are powered by the high-performance systems Jamal’s team maintains behind the scenes.

“Reducing the time to science is key, especially as artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies change the way we work,” Jamal says. His team builds not only powerful but autonomous systems, equipping GC organizations with the tools to make fast, confident decisions, while SSC ensures the infrastructure remains secure, reliable and future-proof.

Supporting Canada on the global stage

At the recent G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Jamal’s team helped ensure that ECCC had secure, uninterrupted access to data and computing resources. Their work kept HPC clusters running smoothly, allowing Canada to make important decisions that kept event participants safe.

The same cutting-edge technology that powers weather forecasts also helps shape global climate strategies. Because of SSC’s behind-the-scenes efforts, Canada was able to step onto the world stage with the assurance and infrastructure needed to lead important discussions, sharing valuable scientific insights with the world.

Keeping Canadians safe

Jamal is proud of the work he does, knowing it helps keep Canadians safe—especially during severe weather events like floods. His team’s work ensures that weather predictions are delivered on time, helping communities prepare for potential disasters across the country.

“It’s gratifying to know our work contributes to public safety,” he says.

SSC is at the forefront of HPC, managing some of the world’s most powerful systems. Jamal leads the HPC Solutions team, which shapes the strategy, design and ongoing management of SSC’s infrastructure —empowering federal organizations to tackle complex, data-intensive tasks.

These systems need to keep pace with the rapid growth of data and evolving technology. That’s why Jamal and his team constantly perform significant upgrades to the platform, making it possible for government organizations to tap into the latest advances, such as machine learning and AI.

Jamal and his team are more than just experts—they’re the driving force behind reducing the time to science. By working closely with Government of Canada organizations and providing the infrastructure they need, SSC helps deliver critical services to Canadians faster and with greater precision. Jamal and his team’s work fuels scientific insights, enabling quicker, more effective responses that keep Canadians safe, informed and prepared.