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Thursday 18 October 2012

12 BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS OF GOOGLE'S (PROBLEMATIC) DATA CENTERS


New Picture (46)
12 Beautiful Photos Of Google's (Problematic) Data Centers
By Colin Lecher,
Popular Science, 17 October 2012.

They're gorgeous images, published with convenient timing.
Two things need to be said about these images of data centres - the server storage areas for tech giants - just released from Google: a) They're breathtakingly beautiful, and b) They're a breathtakingly beautiful PR push.
It's not a coincidence that these images are being released after a report from The New York Times about the wastefulness of data centres. Only a fraction - 6 to 12 percent - of the energy used in such centres, The Times reported, went to computational services. Facebook was slammed by the investigation, but so was Google: The search company uses almost 300 million watts to power its centres, and it doesn't always go to good use. "[D]ata centres can waste 90 percent or more of the electricity they pull off the grid," they wrote.
So it's not surprising that so many of the images released by Google would highlight efficiency and environmental friendliness - water vapour means "our cooling towers are at their most efficient," while several photos show the tech that goes into keeping the servers cool.
But they're still a lovely look at the rarely-seen centres, even if the glasses you're looking at them through aren't so rose-coloured.
[New York Times]
1. Google's Campus Network
New Picture 47
A collection of switches and routers that keep Google's data centres in contact.

2. Data Centre In Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA
New Picture 48
An array of steel beams holds up the structure.

3. Council Bluffs Antenna
New Picture 49
This antenna receives signals for Google's Access Services unit and Google Fibre's
TV service.

4. Water Pipes Inspection
New Picture 50
In Douglas County, Georgia [USA], a man inspects pipes running under
the floor.

5. Fire-Fighting Pipes
New Picture 51
Google keeps pipes full of pressurized water on hand in case of a fire.

6. Server Aisle
New Picture 52
A server aisle in Mayes, Oklahoma [USA]. The lights are from green LEDs showing the
status of the servers.

7. Colourful Pipes
New Picture 53
Pipes carry water to and from a data centre In The Dalles, Oregon [USA].

8. Fabrication Area
New Picture 54
An employee works on wire at a "fabrication area" in the Lenoir, North Carolina [USA]
data centre.

9. Cooling Towers
New Picture 55
Steam rises from towers in The Dalles, Oregon.

10. Pryor, Oklahoma, USA
New Picture 56
An aerial view of Google's Pryor, Oklahoma data centre.

11. Hamina, Finland
New Picture 57
Google renovated an old paper mill to create this data centre.

12. Hamina Centre Exterior
New Picture 58
Google maintains three centres in Europe. The Hamina, Finland centre is one of them.

[Source: Popular Science. Edited.]



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