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

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

A collection of switches and routers that keep Google's data centres in contact.

2. Data Centre In Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA

An array of steel beams holds up the structure.

3. Council Bluffs Antenna

This antenna receives signals for Google's Access Services unit and Google Fibre's

TV service.

4. Water Pipes Inspection

In Douglas County, Georgia [USA], a man inspects pipes running under

the floor.

5. Fire-Fighting Pipes

Google keeps pipes full of pressurized water on hand in case of a fire.

6. Server Aisle

A server aisle in Mayes, Oklahoma [USA]. The lights are from green LEDs showing the

status of the servers.

7. Colourful Pipes

Pipes carry water to and from a data centre In The Dalles, Oregon [USA].

8. Fabrication Area

An employee works on wire at a "fabrication area" in the Lenoir, North Carolina [USA]

data centre.

9. Cooling Towers

Steam rises from towers in The Dalles, Oregon.

10. Pryor, Oklahoma, USA

An aerial view of Google's Pryor, Oklahoma data centre.

11. Hamina, Finland

Google renovated an old paper mill to create this data centre.

12. Hamina Centre Exterior

Google maintains three centres in Europe. The Hamina, Finland centre is one of them.

[Source: Popular Science. Edited.]

See also: Fascinating Photos Shot Inside Google’s Private Data Centres.