Infrastructures
In order to facilitate original research and to support scientist in using big data, the VERA Centre is making significant investments in information infrastructures, in particular:
- Supporting the implementation and management of the Bloomberg Finance Lab (BFL);
- Strengthening the Cluster for Computing (SCSCF) and implementing a brand-new High Performance Computing (HPC);
- Designing and realizing the Laboratory of Experimental Economics (VERALabEx).
Bloomberg Finance Lab
This is a structure of Bloomberg Terminals and provides real-time data on each market, latest news, in-depth research, powerful analysis tools, communication tools and world-class execution features in a single fully-integrated solution.
It offers unparalleled coverage of markets and securities with information on all asset classes – from fixed income to stocks, to foreign currencies, commodities and derivatives – integrated in one place and delivered in real time.
The classroom, located at the ground floor of the Economics Library, has 11 workstations for consulting the Bloomberg database, which can be used for teaching classes, for individual and group work and for BMC certification. Another workstation is located at the first floor, at the bibliographic consulting office, where non-expert users can acquire the first steps to access and to work with the terminals.
BFL for students:
- an innovative teaching experience that prepares them for the reality of an uncertain and decidedly demanding job market. Practical knowledge and real-world experience by introducing them to Bloomberg Terminal®, the world's leading platform with business and finance news, data, analytical tools and research.
- Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) that is, the possibility of acquiring, without charge, a certification that can be used in the world of work in the field of finance. The certification is recognized by the operators of the financial markets and constitutes an added value, of great impact in the graduate's curriculum.
BFL for teachers and researchers:
- teaching support that allows students to obtain genuine business and finance experience. Bloomberg for Education improves research practices and improves data analysis, identifying all aspects in the context of market trends and moving events and allowing you to teach from a wide range of disciplines. Case studies and other real examples serve as a complement to the programme.
- research support in business and industrial analysis, information on thousands of companies in more than 130 sectors, and reports to help understand the driving forces behind the movements in the main classes of activities, credit metrics, economics and government policy. Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) also provides a "professor" account where you can set class codes, invite students to participate, track student progress and receive detailed score reports.
How to...
Book a reservation and access the BFL
The classroom is available by reservation from Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm for institutional users only, who have to send an e-mail at least one day before the requested date. They considered your workstation booked for the whole morning (8.30am-1.30pm) or the whole afternoon (1.30pm-5.30pm). Please indicate if you need a shorter time period.
The professors and researchers interested in booking the classroom for teaching, can contact the bibliographic consulting office on the first floor of the BEC library, or by email at consulenzabec@unive.it.
To access the classroom, you can contact the Reception and Information Service (SAI) at the entrance of the Economics library, and sign the attendance register at the same time.
Those who book are responsible for the optimal use of the classroom and are required to respect the booking times.
Organize individual and group work at the BFL
Expert and independent users can contact the bibliographic consulting office at the first floor of the Economics library, or by e-mail consulenzabec@unive.it to book the workstation in the classroom.
Users at first access or non-expert users, who need assistance in consulting the database, can contact the bibliographic consulting office at the first floor of the Economics library, or by e-mail at consulenzabec@unive.it.
Get the Bloomberg Market Concepts certification
Bloomberg Market Concepts certification consists of 5 modules, for a total of 10 hours.
Users interested in obtaining the certification can contact the bibliographic consulting office at the first floor of the Economics library, or by e-mail at consulenzabec@unive.it.
The first access takes place from the workstation at the bibliographic consulting office. Subsequent accesses from the Bloomberg classroom seats by reservation. The use of headphones (personal) is required to not disturb other users.
Attend a Bloomberg Webinar
The updated list of upcoming Bloomberg webinars is available only on the Bloomberg terminals.
After having booked yourself for one (or more) webinar(s), please remember to book also your worskstation at the BFL for the same time period.
Log in with your Bloomberg credentials and then attend the webinar with your personal headphones, which are required to not disturb other users.
Important warning
There is a monthly limit of the data that can be downloaded through the Bloomberg terminal. Proper usage is required by each user.
Examples of good practices:
- First perform a data screening through the terminal and then download the data that are strictly necessary. Not the other way around.
- Check through the help desk if there are Bloomberg functions that permit data manipulation/elaboration directly on the terminal.
You will save time and data consumption for you and the other users.
System for the Scientific Computing at Ca’ Foscari
The System for the Scientific Computing at Ca’ Foscari (SCSCF) is a set of processors and programs aimed at performing particularly demanding calculations in terms of computing power and storage of large amounts of data, with the goal of satisfying the reasearchers growing needs of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
The system, inaugurated in February 2014, was born from a collaboration between the Department of Economics and the Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics and benefited from co-financing from the Ca' Foscari University. The European Center for Living Technologies has recently been added as a sponsor. They also provided documents from the Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems.
The cluster is composed of 7 computing nodes: the first 5 nodes present 4 CPUs with 8 cores 2.7 Ghz and 256 GB of RAM, the next added 4 CPUs with 10 cores 3.2 Ghz and 512 GB of RAM. A node for Big Data applications is also available.
For computing nodes, in total, 240 cores and 2.25 TB of RAM are included.
The Big Data resources are therefore a total of 20 cores and 128 GB of RAM.
Nodes connectivity for communication between processes (IPC), nodes and the NAS with user data (Storage) is provided by two independent networks, each with a dedicated 10 Gbit switch.
High Performance Computing
High Performance Computing (HPC) is a new calculation system, developed in cooperation with the Computer Services and Telecommunications Area (ASIT).
By taking advantage of the virtualization of the resources made available by the cluster, 13 virtual machines have been generated, 10 with Windows and 3 with Linux operating systems, to meet the needs of each research project, allowing to further optimize the hardware available.
Virtual machines available
Linux operating system
- Vera 2 - 8: 64 cores - installed RAM 728 GB
- Vera 2 - 9: 24 cores - installed RAM 256 GB
- Vera 2 - 10: 40 cores - installed RAM 416 GB
Windows operating system
- Vera 2 - 1: 40 cores - installed RAM 416 GB
- Vera 2 - 2: 24 cores - installed RAM 256 GB
- Vera 2 - 3: 24 cores - installed RAM 256 GB
- Vera 2 - 4: 12 cores - installed RAM 128 GB
- Vera 2 - 5: 12 cores - installed RAM 128 GB
- Vera 2 - 6: 12 cores - installed RAM 128 GB
- Vera 2 - 7: 12 cores - installed RAM 128 GB
- Vera 2 - 11: 40 cores - installed RAM 416 GB
- Vera 2 - 12: 12 cores - installed RAM 128 GB
- Vera 2 - 13: 12 cores - installed RAM 128 GB
Users who intend to get access or to book a virtual machine for their research projects can write an e-mail to centro.vera@unive.it.
Software, Licenses and Databases
STATA
STATA CAMPUS is a fundamental software for the economic analysis and is used in most of the Department courses. STATA is now available under Campus licence to be used by faculty, researchers and students on their personal computers. Licences and further information are available - in the own personal area - at the following link. More information about the software is available on the STATA Moodle page.
NRG METRICS
NRG METRICS provides data on over 8000 companies from more than 46 countries. A big database that combines 6 different datasets and more than 30 variables: Corporate Governance, Ownership Structure, Directors and Officers, Family Firms, Compensation and Audit.
ArcGIS
ArcGIS is a cloud-based software to create and share web maps. The software will give the possibility to build interactive maps for explaining and analysing data in the context of location, share maps with specific groups. Access is for faculty, researchers and Phd students.
European DataWarehouse
European DataWarehouse is the first securitisation repository in Europe to facilitate the collection, validation, and download of standardised loan-level data (LLD) for Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) and private whole loan portfolios. Developed, owned, and operated by the market, the platform serves to streamline risk assessment and improve transparency standards for European ABS deals.