Wednesday data center tidbits.

First up today comes the updated list of who has the most web servers in their data centers. I was pondering Google having in excess of 450,000 servers and matching that against all the recent publicity about Google having the backup batteries in the servers. What a phenomenal expense that would be, not to mention all the toxic heavy metals, combined with an absolute nightmare to maintain all those batteries. Geening the data center is an admirable goal but I don’t see this even close to being practical.

Best non-answer answer of the day: Facebook’s response to criticism over it’s new Oregon data center being powered primary by coal. Yes, we know Facebook has all these wonderful efficiency programs, but they didn’t actually respond to the specific criticism raised. When these big companies saturate the media with PR about how green they are, this kind of criticism is absolutely valid.

Call or email me or visit the SwiftWater Telecom web site for green data center and cloud computing services minus the hype.

Vern

Tuesday data center tidbits.

Today we have the strange revelation, that, while Facebook is touting the use of renewable power resources in its Oregon data center, the utility supplying them is actually mostly coal fired. Cheap? Probably. Renewable? Not unless you’ve got millions of years. Green? Not a chance. Greenwash? Sounds like it to me.

Next up is the new IBM data center exhibit at Disney. Not that I havn’t been in a few data centers that were akin to a thrill ride (or a house of horrors), but I can’t imagine this being a big attraction (now festoon those IBM cabinets with iPads and you might have an attraction!).

Vern

Monday afternoon data center tidbits.

I’ve been reading about the great Facebook Oregon data center money giveaway. It’s funny that a lot of states won’t give a hoot about locally based and operated businesses that might actually benefit their communities, but they’ll hand out $2.8 million to a huge corporation to get 35 jobs (power for next to nothing and the right weather for free air cooling wasn’t enough). I wonder how long it will take them to recover the $80,000 they’re buying each job for.

If you’re going to spend money for economic growth, do it smart.

Vern