Trends
Interview with Paola Crobu: How Sparkle is powering multicloud innovation for Europe’s R&E sector
Sparkle’s Paola Crobu shares how OCRE 2024, AI use cases, and multicloud strategies are shaping Europe’s research and education cloud future.
Headline
Sparkle’s Paola Crobu shares how OCRE 2024, AI use cases, and multicloud strategies are shaping Europe’s research and education cloud future.
Context
At this year’s TNC, BTW Media spoke with Paola Crobu , Multicloud Solutions Product Manager at Sparkle . She shared insights into how Sparkle supports the research and education (R&E) community through the OCRE 2024 Cloud Framework. GÉANT created this initiative to make it easier for universities and research institutes to access cloud services under clear contractual terms and stable pricing. Sparkle was ranked as the first provider for AWS services across all 39 participating countries and for Google Cloud services in 19 countries. Paola explained that Sparkle not only complies with the framework requirements but also adds value by offering extra discounts, free monitoring tools, onboarding support, and the creation of a Multicloud Competence Centre. This team provides both technical and financial operations (FinOps) support, alongside a strong network of local partners who deliver assistance on the ground.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
Also Read: Sparkle boosts connectivity with new PoP in Helsinki Also Read: Sparkle and Algérie Telecom launch new subsea route When asked about the role of artificial intelligence in R&E, Paola highlighted simulation modelling, data analysis, and automated workflows as areas of rapid growth. Sectors such as physics, material science, remote sensing, and climate modelling already depend on advanced computing pipelines. These pipelines process large sets of data and make it possible to run detailed simulations. In physics, they support experiments that require high precision and vast computing power. In material science, they allow researchers to model how new compounds behave under different conditions. Remote sensing uses them to study satellite images and measure changes on the Earth’s surface. Climate modelling applies them to predict weather patterns and long-term shifts in the environment. BTW Media sources have revealed that the demand for such computing systems is growing quickly across research communities. According to our research, these pipelines are becoming a standard tool in laboratories and institutions worldwide. Industry pundits say they will remain central as data continues to expand in scale and complexity. She also pointed to the growing use of large language models (LLMs) for digital assistants and literature analysis, noting that while these tools cannot replace human judgment, they provide significant support in handling vast amounts of information. “We will see every day more cloud-native AI pipelines for ingesting, training, and monitoring data,” Paola said, emphasising the transformative potential of AI when combined with flexible cloud platforms.
Key Points
- Sparkle’s Paola Crobu explains how its multicloud solutions under OCRE 2024 are tailored to support Europe’s research and education sector.
- She highlights AI use cases, multicloud complexity, local support, and future trends like interoperability, cost control, data sovereignty, and sustainability.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
