Eeva Sokka to lead CSC’s Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem

As head of the CSC Data Center Ecosystem, Eeva Sokka serves as CSC’s representative on development projects, whose aim is to strengthen the preconditions for the growth of data center business in Kainuu. She is the face of the data center and first contact with many different actors in the area. Together with CSC management, she is responsible for hosting high-profile visits to data centers. Bringing the LUMI supercomputer to Kajaani was an international success, and the data center receives more than 1,000 visitors from Finland and all over the world each year.

Prior her new position, Sokka has worked as LUMI Program Manager. Over the past five years, she has been responsible for the administration, finances, contracts and communications of the LUMI programme. She has been responsible for maintaining contact and administrative matters with the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, which owns the supercomputer, and to the 11 countries involved in the consortium. Sokka has a wide range of experience in cooperation involving data centers and supercomputers at the national and international level as well as extensive networks with various stakeholders in the sector.

She also has years of experience in education, regional development and related projects.

“Cooperation in education and training is one of the key areas of my new position. Kajaani’s growing data center ecosystem needs data center technology experts now and in the future. Cooperation between companies and educational institutions, especially the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, is vital to ensuring that degrees meet the needs of working life as well as possible and that companies are able to employ young experts,” Eeva Sokka says.

CSC Data Center is growing and developing

CSC’s Kajaani location already employs nearly 50 people. Most of these people work in data center operations, but there are also other roles. In many CSC recruitments, employees have the opportunity to choose between the Kajaani and Espoo locations.

Data center business is growing and new investments are being made. In addition to the LUMI supercomputer, Finland’s national supercomputers Puhti and Mahti are also located in Kajaani. In the next few years, they will be replaced by new, more powerful computers. Preparations for these procurements have already begun.

The Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem is already a success story, but the opportunities for further growth are significant.

“The management of large datasets and high-performance computing play a major role in development work related to, for example, artificial intelligence. The importance of data centers will only grow. Kajaani Data Center operations will grow and become stronger, and it is inspiring to continue this collaboration between CSC’s partners,” stresses Sokka.

For further information, please contact:

Eeva Sokka, Data Center Ecosystem Manager
Phone: +358 44 7700524
eeva.sokka(at)csc.fi