Microsoft's $500 million cloud machine.

[40hz]

Interesting short article w/photos over at the Data Center Knowledge website about the hardware infrastructure that floats Microsoft's cloud.

Microsoft’s new $500 million Chicago data center is one of the largest data centers ever built, spanning more than 700,000 square feet. But it’s also one of the most unusual, with its garage-like lower level optimized for 40-foot shipping containers packed with web servers, while a second story houses traditional raised-floor data center space. Microsoft opened the facility for a tour on Sept. 30.

Link to full article: http://www.datacente...ized-for-containers/

56 complete 'data center' web farms installed in separate 40-foot shipping containers - racked two high in a 700,000 sq.ft. complex - and with expansion room for double that number? Talk about hyper-modular!

Anybody want to tell me these people aren't out to rule the world?

[app103]

They might be out to lose all the world's data, instead.

http://www.datacente...he-sidekick-backups/

[40hz]

They might be out to lose all the world's data, instead.

http://www.datacente...he-sidekick-backups/

-app103 (October 13, 2009, 04:00 PM)

 

Touché! (And too true...)

(Although it looks like Apple is giving them some competition on that score too.  )

[zridling]

Wow, talk about server sprawl! And the march toward the computer-as-appliance continues the closer it moves to the cloud.

I'd hate to pay the electricity bill.

[40hz]

If they stacked all 56 on top of each other they could build The Tower of Byte-Bull.