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Google takes us inside their data centers, shows you where the internet lives (video)
Ever fancied a look inside one of Google's cavernous server farms? Given the security issues, the company isn't likely to just let anyone mooch around -- but understands if you're curious. That's why it's adding a special collection to its Street View data that lets you wander inside without a big trek to Iowa, Belgium or Finland. If you'd like to sample some of the delights, you can check out our gallery or head down past the break to get a video tour of the facility in Lenoir, NC. [Image Credit: Connie Zhou / Google]
Researchers turn to 19th century math for wireless data center breakthrough
Researchers from Microsoft and Cornell University want to remove the tangles of cables from data centers. It's no small feat. With thousands of machines that need every bit of bandwidth available WiFi certainly isn't an option. To solve the issue, scientists are turning to two sources: the cutting edge of 60GHz networking and the 19th century mathematical theories of Arthur Cayley. Cayley's 1889 paper, On the Theory of Groups, was used to guide their method for connecting servers in the most efficient and fault tolerant way possible. The findings will be presented in a paper later this month, but it won't be clear how effectively this research can be applied to an actual data center until someone funds a prototype. The proposed Cayley data centers would rely on cylindrical server racks that have transceivers both inside and outside the tubes of machines, allowing them to pass data both among and between racks with (hopefully) minimal interference. Since the new design would do away with traditional network switches and cables, researchers believe they may eventually cost less than current designs and will draw less power. And will do so while still streaming data at 10 gigabits per second -- far faster than WiGig, which also makes use of 60GHz spectrum. To read the paper in its entirety check out the source.
Google data center in Oklahoma to get 48MW of wind power, boost renewable energy in the Sooner state
Google has made a point of relying on renewable resources for its data centers whenever possible, even down to the cooling. It hasn't had quite as unique an arrangement as what it's planning for its data center in Oklahoma, though. The search firm wants to supply its Mayes County location with 48MW of wind energy from Apex's Canadian Hills Wind Project, but it isn't buying power directly from the source. Instead, it's making a deal with the Grand River Dam Authority, a utility, to purchase the clean power on top of what's already supplied from the GRDA at present. The deal should keep the data center on the environmentally friendly side while giving it room to grow. Wind power will come online at Google's facility once the Canadian Hills effort is up and running later in 2012; hopefully, that gives us enough time to better understand why there's a Canadian River and Canadian Hills to be found in the southern United States.
Microsoft deliberately wasted energy at data center to avoid fine, says NY Times
Microsoft's desire to avoid a fine combined with a power company's strict electricity usage rules resulted in the software giant deliberately wasting millions of watts of power, according to the New York Times. Redmond's Quincy data center, which houses Bing, Hotmail and other cloud-based servers, had an agreement in place with a Washington state utility containing clauses which imposed penalties for under-consumption of electricity. A $210,000 fine was levied last year, since the facility was well below its power-use target, which prompted Microsoft to deliberately burn $70,000 worth of electricity in three days "in a commercially unproductive manner" to avoid it, according to its own documents. The utility board capitulated and reduced the amend to $60k, but the messy situation seems a far cry from Redmond's pledge to become carbon neutral by this summer. [Image credit: New York Times]
Visualized: Apple's 20 megawatt solar farm
We've seen Apple's North Carolina data center in various states of undress, but never before have we seen its associated solar farm looking so complete. That sure is a lot of solar panels. We're not all that surprised though, with the intense thirst for energy from the servers that it feeds. In fact, initial reports indicated that -- although impressive -- the solar farm would still only be supplying 60 percent of the sites requirements. No fear though, as the remaining 40 is said to come from other equally eco-friendly sources. We'd be happy with enough to keep our iPad permanently juiced. [Image credit: WCNC-TV]
Microsoft delivers Windows Server 2012, puts the enterprise on cloud 8
Forget Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 is where it's at... if you're a corporate IT manager, that is. Microsoft has just posted the finished version of its suit-and-tie OS for immediate sale in download form. Not surprisingly given Microsoft's big cloud push, the emphasis with the upgrade is on improving how well the software scales for internet hosting -- the company wants one common backbone that can handle as little as a small e-mail server to large-scale Azure deployments and virtualization. Server 2012 is also defined by what you won't find: while the Metro-style interface from the platform's Windows 8 cousin shows its face in the Essentials version, it's noticeably stripped down and goes away in the more advanced tiers. The real shakeup for some might just be the new price points, which drop the cost by a large amount for offices that don't need more than a slice of what the all-out Datacenter edition has to offer. We'll admit that most of our attention as end users will be focused on what happens several weeks from now, but if you're one of those rare server operators that can't wait to start testing a new OS release almost immediately, you've got a head start on most of us.
Facebook to backup its servers with low-power storage devices at 'Sub-Zero' data center
Data backups come in all shapes and sizes. For some, they take the form of external hard drives or a slice of the amorphous cloud. As for Facebook, its upcoming solution is low-power deep-storage hardware contained within a 62,000 square-foot building in Prineville, Oregon near its existing Beaver State data center. Unofficially referred to as "Sub-Zero," the facility will store a copy of the social network's data in case its primary servers need to be restored in an emergency. Rather than continuously power HDDs that are only occasionally used, the new setup can conserve energy by lighting-up drives just when they're needed. One of the company's existing server racks eats up around 4.5 kilowatts, while those at Sub-Zero are each expected to consume approximately 1.5 kilowatts once they're up and running. Tom Furlong, Facebook's vice president of site operations, told Wired that there are hopes to create a similar structure alongside the firm's North Carolina data center. Since the Prineville project is still being planned, Zuckerberg & Co. have roughly six to nine months to suss out all the details before your photos are backed up at the new digs.
New construction at Apple's North Carolina data center poses for aerial photographs
Photos courtesy of Wired reveal that Apple's new "tactical" data center at its Maiden, North Carolina facility is well on its way to completion. Captured with the help of a decidedly low-tech airplane -- a 1949 Piper PA-11 Cub Special, if you must know -- the shots feature what appear to be the facade of the $1.9 million, 21,000 square-foot structure that was outed last month. The images also show glimpses of a second 20-megawatt photovoltaic array and what may be the foundations of the complex's planned 4.8-megawatt biofuel cell plant, which will convert biogas into electricity. With Apple's upcoming Reno project getting the rubber stamp of approval, it doesn't seem like the company will run out of construction projects any time soon. Click on through to the source link for the full set of pictures and analysis.
Apple's plan for Reno data center gets green light
Apple's gotten the thumbs-up for another data center, this one in the biggest little city in the world, Reno, Nevada. Unfortunately, the deal itself doesn't hold a lot of weight, but at least Apple's gotten another nod in the right direction. The Nevada Board of Economic Development put its support behind the ongoing deal, agreeing to bring in the data center, and provide Apple with up to $89 million in tax breaks. Now, that board doesn't actually oversee deals like that, so a lack of endorsement by this board doesn't mean the deal would have been dead in the water. Local governments have already approved most of the tax breaks that Apple needed from Reno. But there were some concerns on this board, and there was talk of maybe trying to stop the deal somehow. So a vote to endorse the deal is just good news for Apple, and means that there won't be any issues from higher up the chain. Someone on the board did promise to bring the deal back up next year, but Apple's data center is set to go live sometime in 2012, so it may be a moot point by then. [via Engadget]
Apple's iCloud data center gets green light to come to Reno, be a star
Apple's plans to erect an iCloud data center in Sparks, Reno have gained traction now the local board of economic development have rubber-stamped the deal. While largely ceremonial, it's given its assent to $89 million in tax breaks to entice the company to break ground on the weirdly-named "Project Jonathan Hub." The new data center is expected to go live before the end of the year, hopefully ensuring that upgrading to OS 10.9 aren't as fraught as they were for Mountain Lion last week. [Image credit: Amy Meredith, Flickr]
Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint
More Facebook news, but this time we're back to the numbers instead of reporting on a new feature, improvement or integration. As part of its mission to swap the familiar blue for something of a greener tinge, Facebook released today its carbon footprint and overall energy usage figures for 2011. Turning bio-babble into easy visualizations, the company points out that for the whole year, an active user occupied roughly the same carbon footprint as one medium latte. Or, if you're a fan of the tipple, a couple of glasses of wine. Impressively, 23 percent of the social giant's energy usage came from clean and renewable sources, which puts it well on the way to its 2015 target of 25 percent or more. If you'd like more info and a complete breakdown of the stats, the full report is available at the source link below.
Apple plans second North Carolina data center, avoids the 'Deep River Blues'
Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina if you're an Apple data center. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that the folks in Cupertino have filed plans with Catawba County officials for a second 21,000 square foot "tactical" data center that will house 11 rooms and carry a $1.9 million price tag. Mechanical permits outline the need for 22 air conditioners and 14 humidifiers alongside fans and heaters for the building that will nestle up to the existing construction. This is, of course, on the same site that will be home to two 20 megawatt photovolatic arrays and a hydrogen fuel cell facility when all is said and done. Here's to hoping the alternative energy-powered construction catches with other tech giants, too. Lookin' at you, Facebook.
Daily Update for July 19, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple building new, smaller data center in North Carolina
We all know about Apple's mega data center in Maiden, North Carolina. The center, with its solar farm and fuel cells, has been a popular topic of discussion here on TUAW since the groundbreaking years ago. Now the Hickory Daily Record is reporting that Apple's building a smaller "tactical" data center on the Maiden site. The new center is tiny -- just 21,030 square feet -- compared to the monstrous 500,000 square foot facility next door. The 11-room facility is apparently not designed for permanent occupancy, as it has only one unisex bathroom. Even though the site currently has very tight security measures, the new building is equipped with "man trap" security doors requiring clearance after entering the first door but before being allowed to go into the main building space. It's surrounded by an 8-foot chain-link security fence as well. The building services chief for Catawba County, NC, Rick Frady, said that the building was described as a stand-alone metal building with a concrete pad. The US$1,885,129 structure is the second on the site; architectural diagrams show a third data center building planned for the site.
How Apple's North Carolina data center got built
This week GigaOM took an extensive look at North Carolina and its many data centers. The fourth and final installment in this series focuses on Apple's new data center in Maiden, North Carolina and covers some of the early negotiations between Catawba county officials and the Cupertino company. Interestingly enough, Apple almost walked away from Maiden when the Catawba County Economic Development group tried to get the company to build its data center in a small mill building. You can read more about this background discussion on GigaOM's website and catch all four articles in the series here.
Greenpeace boosts Apple's rating, but barely
Greenpeace recently released an environmental report on Apple and upgraded the company's score from an F to a D, says a report in Wired. Greenpeace pointed to Apple's commitment to use alternative power at its North Carolina and Oregon data centers as the reason for this small boost in score, but wanted additional details on how the Cupertino company was going to carry out its plans. Apple has said publicly that it expects to power 60 percent of its North Carolina data center and 100 percent of its Newark, California center with renewable energy. Its upcoming Oregon data center will be power by a combination of hydro, geothermal and wind energy. The environmental watchdog also listed several recommended steps Apple should take if it's serious about the environment. These steps include choosing a renewable-powered utility for its Oregon Data center and seeking alternatives to using the "dirty electricity" from Duke Energy. Instead of relying on coal-based power, Greenpeace encouraged Apple to "use its buying leverage with Duke Energy and other utilities to push for cleaner electricity options."
Road trip! Visiting Apple's North Carolina data center
Looking for an exciting geek adventure this summer? You may want to follow in the footsteps of GigaOM's Katie Fehrenbacher, who recently took a one-day road trip to visit the sites of some of the world's largest data centers. These facilities, all of which are located in a small area of North Carolina, include Apple's new Maiden data center as well as facilities belonging to Google and Facebook. Fehrenbacher started her trip in Maiden, NC, which she refers to as a "sleepy, and economically depressed, outpost." The town of 3,000 won't see a large number of permanent jobs from the work, since data centers are usually quite lean in terms of staff. Fehrenbacher did manage to wrangle up a lunch of "black-eyed peas, fried okra, and baked beans" at one of the few open businesses in town, Scottie's Bar-B-Que (sounds like Katie's a vegetarian). The Maiden data center is getting a 20-megawatt solar farm and 4.8 megawatts worth of biogas-fueled fuel cells to provide clean electricity at the facility; according to Fehrenbacher, the only sign of the solar farm at this time is a grid of hundreds of poles upon which the photovoltaic arrays will sit, and signs for Holder Construction (which is building the farm) and the Project Dolphin Solar Farm (the data center was known as Project Dolphin). You won't get to see much on your driving vacation of the North Carolina data centers. All of the locations are hidden behind massive fences and are well-guarded. But at least you can stop in at Scottie's and get some barbecue... If you're too busy to hop in the car, at least take a look at a 2012 satellite image of the plant on Google Maps.
Reno city council approves Apple tax break for data center
No big surprise here -- the Reno, NV city council has approved tax breaks for Apple's proposed data center and business / purchasing center in the city. The tax breaks are expected to produce a 79 percent reduction in Apple tax burden, but building the facilities should provide the northern Nevada city with a significant economic boost. Washoe County commissioners approved their part of the deal on Tuesday, giving Apple an 85 percent break on personal property taxes. The 350-acre data center still has a few hurdles to overcome, as the project must go through about a month-long approval process with the Nevada governor's economic development office. If all the approvals go smoothly, construction of the new Apple data center could begin as soon as August of 2012.
Apple looking to build data center in Reno
All of Apple's iCloud initiatives need data centers -- big ones -- and the company has announced plans to build a new facility near Sparks, Nevada, just a short toss of a poker chip east of Reno. That's not all Apple is planning to do in Northern Nevada. There are also plans to build a business and purchasing center in downtown Reno, part of a total US$1 billion investment over the next ten years. As with most big job-producing deals of this kind, Apple is hoping to get $89 million in tax breaks from the city, county, and state to sweeten the pot. It's estimated that the economic impact of the projects will be a jackpot for the region -- $343 million from the 41 full-time jobs and 200 contract employees at the data center, and another $103 million from the construction required for facilities. In addition, the local and state governments are going to collect about $16 million in tax revenue from Apple. The deal needs the approval of the local governments today in order to proceed, but it's expected that all the players will chip in with their agreement.
Apple pitches data center near Reno, gambles iCloud will pay off among other puns
Apple data centers are popping up like spring flowers: following its North Carolina, Oregon and California plans, it's now pitching a fourth data center in Sparks, Nevada, just outside of Reno. The enigmatically named Project Jonathan hub is expected to light up before the end of the year if it's given the green light. Not surprisingly, Apple is promising jobs for the area, although the company is choosing the location for a reason: it's hoping for tax breaks on top of the advantages that previously led it to funnel some of its money through Nevada. We'll have a better idea as to the fate of the data center when Apple argues for the project on June 27th, but it's reasonable to think Apple is eager to make the Sparks location a reality. The more capacity and reliability it can build into iCloud and iTunes, the better. [Image credit: Amy Meredith, Flickr]
