Google acquires server hardware startup Agnilux, a bevy of former Apple / PA Semi employees in tow?
By Ross Miller 
posted April 20th 2010 8:42PM
posted April 20th 2010 8:42PM
It's no secret that Google's been on something of a shopping spree as of late, buying startups left for right like it was trying to win the final round of Supermarket Sweep. This latest one's a bit more interesting, though. Agnilux was borne of former PA Semi / Apple engineers, and its director of application software, Scott Redman, used to be a software architect at TiVo -- basically, it's got some talent behind it, and although no projects have ever been announced, the New York Times suggested back in February that "some kind of server" was being made, and there was a partnership with Cisco that we'd assume has now gone the wayside. At any rate, the company -- and probably more important, the employees -- now seem to be the property of Google, who could probably use a few good server men and women in pretty much all aspects of the company.
I wonder what they will be doing with this, not like this guys build any hardware.
@Kwame Nkrumah they just need to know how it works, ever heard of reverse engineering:o
Also keep in mind Google chrome will be upon us, and its amazing 7 second reboot!:O
@JonnyB
Is it true you can't use if you don't have a signal.
@JonnyB BIOS posts take alot longer than 7 seconds alone, let alone OS boot. Besides, I can wake up from a sleep in 3 seconds now without Chrome OS.
@Ruben start making your sentences make mire sense and then talk to me:]
@JonnyB: Ill just assume you don't understand what I meant. A BIOS post is the first process a PC conducts during startup of a PC. This process can take a while on most hardware (a while in this case is around 7 seconds) then the OS has to start up. So your talk of a 7 second bootup, on existing netbook hardware which all use the standard BIOS system is not possible.
My other comment was to indicate that I have been experiencing 3 second "boot" times by just putting my PC to sleep, allowing it to wake up in three seconds, or just about, since "restarts" in my experience are very infrequent with current OS's like Win 7. So in conclusion, waiting for something that will never be attainable with the low cost hardware of today and for something that can be accomplished today through just putting your PC to sleep is nothing to be excited about.
Is that clear enough for you? Ou en français si vous préférez?
@Kwame Nkrumah
On the contrary, Google has pretty much always been in the hardware came behind what the average user experiences.
Most of their Data Center Infrastructure is all custom made home grown stuff.
Not to mention their Google Search Appliance for enterprises. I peeped one the other day at a data center I was working in.
@Ruben
eliminate BIOS - problem solved. Google will be doing this with Chrome OS devices: turn on, device goes straight into bootloader and loads the OS. Done. You don't need BIOS in iPhone, Nexus One, etc, etc. BIOS days are counted even on PC.
Teary farewell old friend, farewell
@Kwame Nkrumah : Google runs hundreds of thousands of servers, they sure could use some hardware that suits their needs more than regular servers.
I love the way google works
@Murphys Law
we know youre a fanboy by your icon
@googkiller We know you're a MS fanboy by the fact you've been banned 5 times for trolling.
@TheGM
lol
:)
@googkiller actually I like google the least out of the biggest three... I only have the icon because it looks cool
Agnilux eh... sounds like a luxury cleaning product.
NOW with ammonia! Clean your bathroom the Agnilux way... now clean servers - *that* would be something.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_acquisitions_by_Google
every large company makes acquisitions. who cares...
Another week, another company acquired by Google.
"left for right" = "left and right"
Yea they do seem to buying up tech, this expansion is looking good for Google, not sure what another server company would be for.
They're going to build SNAP-Dragon Blade Servers. They're gonna pack as many ARM processors in a blade config. That is the word on the street. Imagine 200 or so ARM based linux /cloud based servers in a 1U rack.
@HDD That would be pretty awesome if you asked me. It would pretty much eliminate the need for virtual servers which I've personally never been a big fan of.
Man all that google has to do is buy the Xserve I bet you they already have them but now they want more. If they do not have the Xserve than there something wrong with that company. Xserve is the most powerful computer in the world of man kind. I would like one of those.
@Macinfoexpert20
Did someone drop you on your head when you were a child or are you being paid for this?
Is that really their logo? Looks like bad design from the 80s...
@monkeycrackers
My thoughts exactly. But a butt-ugly logo is a sign of true engineering talent.
some kind of server is being made?
step 5 of the creation of skynet is under way
*insert "I for one..." joke here*
I think google is playing monopoly. Next step, build hotels.
Advertising can always be pimped, Eminem. Just look at Flash, or iAds.
Speaking of Google acquiring, have you noticed that Google acquires Picnik.com?
This will be a really nice addition to Chrome OS.
I think you meant "born of"...
OK Google. How about a home server with multi-format video capability to put Apple's "hobby" out of it's misery. We need a big player to make the box that everyone knows consumers want, but that all big-name CE companies are afraid to make for fear of incurring the wrath of the content Nazis.
i was wondering what was going to happen to Agnilux.
there were rumors of Cisco buying them up. And at one time, it appeared they were already partnered with a pretty big company on a secret project.
Google buying them up is intriguing. i say better Google than Cisco...
better fit at that.
a server makes sense... home or SMB. to challenge the current home server options.
Wow, everytime I think of Google, I think of Eric Cartman's Trapper Keeper...it just keeps trying to hybrid with so many different companies.
A Google-branded DVR appliance would be pretty cool.
@Brad Pitt Sounds like the Goog is going to be going after making their own chips for something. :DDD .....