Comments on: Data-centers built out of sealed shipping containers filled with servers http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 06:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: med1972 http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265729 med1972 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265729 The idea is not a "mobile data centre". The intent was never to allow you to move you data centre around. The point was to deliver an entire data centre in a box that you can plunk down in your parking lot, on top of your office building, or anywhere else that is convenient. It's buying an entire data centre as a single line item without having to build out all the usual overhead associated with traditional data centres. Building massive data centres out of plug-n-play "compute shipping containers". The idea is not a “mobile data centre”. The intent was never to allow you to move you data centre around. The point was to deliver an entire data centre in a box that you can plunk down in your parking lot, on top of your office building, or anywhere else that is convenient. It’s buying an entire data centre as a single line item without having to build out all the usual overhead associated with traditional data centres. Building massive data centres out of plug-n-play “compute shipping containers”.

]]> By: StCredZero http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265731 StCredZero Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265731 I can imagine a hacker figuring out how to spoof the heartbeat/diagnostic data for one or two containers, so that he has a free place to live. (And as long as there's this great spoofing tech: lots of server resources for his/her own purposes.) I can imagine a hacker figuring out how to spoof the heartbeat/diagnostic data for one or two containers, so that he has a free place to live. (And as long as there’s this great spoofing tech: lots of server resources for his/her own purposes.)

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265232 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265232 Talk about scalability! Talk about scalability!

]]> By: Jon Adair http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265745 Jon Adair Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265745 I wish they would throw a couple of those containers at the <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/photosynth/archive/2008/08/21/photosynth-yikes.aspx" rel="nofollow">Photosyth launch</a> so us mere mortals could try it. I wish they would throw a couple of those containers at the Photosyth launch so us mere mortals could try it.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265237 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265237 Trantor Lego. Trantor Lego.

]]> By: GraemeM http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265757 GraemeM Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265757 How much do they cost? Can they run FSX with all the sliders et to max? Or, Give it 10 years and the average mobile phone will have more processing power, where will it all end? How much do they cost? Can they run FSX with all the sliders et to max?

Or,

Give it 10 years and the average mobile phone will have more processing power, where will it all end?

]]> By: Latente http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265251 Latente Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265251 when add the last container the datacenter develop self consciousness. when add the last container the datacenter develop self consciousness.

]]> By: Itsumishi http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-266019 Itsumishi Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-266019 Haha! It certainly does. @9 - Oh come on be fair. The reason Vista runs like crap on anything with less than 2GB of ram is because of all those great features they've crammed in there that make your computer easier and better to use! I really wish people would stop bagging out the fantastic $260billion company that has no way of defending itself! Haha! It certainly does.

@9 – Oh come on be fair. The reason Vista runs like crap on anything with less than 2GB of ram is because of all those great features they’ve crammed in there that make your computer easier and better to use!

I really wish people would stop bagging out the fantastic $260billion company that has no way of defending itself!

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265764 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265764 I'll be impressed when it comes with a satellite and launcher. I’ll be impressed when it comes with a satellite and launcher.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265266 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265266 Isn't this very like elements of Spook Country by William Gibson? Isn’t this very like elements of Spook Country by William Gibson?

]]> By: Itsumishi http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-267071 Itsumishi Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-267071 I'd say that given the fact the containers are sealed a fire inside would not be too much of an issue. If something did catch alight and if they're water cooled there wouldn't be much in the way of oxygen for fuel, the fire would quickly go out due to lack of oxygen. Hell they might even remove all the oxygen beforehand and fill the containers with some kind of less flammable gas. I’d say that given the fact the containers are sealed a fire inside would not be too much of an issue. If something did catch alight and if they’re water cooled there wouldn’t be much in the way of oxygen for fuel, the fire would quickly go out due to lack of oxygen. Hell they might even remove all the oxygen beforehand and fill the containers with some kind of less flammable gas.

]]> By: Spankr http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265280 Spankr Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265280 The idea is pretty old: http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2005/pulpit_20051117_000873.html FTA: "So why buy-up all that fiber, then? The probable answer lies in one of Google's underground parking garages in Mountain View. There, in a secret area off-limits even to regular GoogleFolk, is a shipping container. But it isn't just any shipping container. This shipping container is a prototype data center. Google hired a pair of very bright industrial designers to figure out how to cram the greatest number of CPUs, the most storage, memory and power support into a 20- or 40-foot box. We're talking about 5000 Opteron processors and 3.5 petabytes of disk storage that can be dropped-off overnight by a tractor-trailer rig." and: http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2006/pulpit_20061020_001035.html The idea is pretty old:
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2005/pulpit_20051117_000873.html
FTA:
“So why buy-up all that fiber, then?
The probable answer lies in one of Google’s underground parking garages in Mountain View. There, in a secret area off-limits even to regular GoogleFolk, is a shipping container. But it isn’t just any shipping container. This shipping container is a prototype data center. Google hired a pair of very bright industrial designers to figure out how to cram the greatest number of CPUs, the most storage, memory and power support into a 20- or 40-foot box. We’re talking about 5000 Opteron processors and 3.5 petabytes of disk storage that can be dropped-off overnight by a tractor-trailer rig.”

and:
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2006/pulpit_20061020_001035.html

]]> By: Cheqyr http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265300 Cheqyr Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265300 <i>Once a certain number of servers in the container have failed, it will be pulled out and sent back to the manufacturer and a new container loaded in.</i> With a Microsoft OS driving the hardware, that shouldn't take long at ALL ... I'm buying stock in whoever makes those shipping containers! Once a certain number of servers in the container have failed, it will be pulled out and sent back to the manufacturer and a new container loaded in.

With a Microsoft OS driving the hardware, that shouldn’t take long at ALL … I’m buying stock in whoever makes those shipping containers!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-266073 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-266073 I guess the main problem is how to manage a Windows server in a sealed enviroment. I mean if you are lucky you can access it via RDP. Unless of course there's a problem with the boot process, then you won't be able to access it at all. I guess the main problem is how to manage a Windows server in a sealed enviroment. I mean if you are lucky you can access it via RDP. Unless of course there’s a problem with the boot process, then you won’t be able to access it at all.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265306 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265306 Only partially joking, but isn't this the start of the Matrix? Just stacks and stacks of processing units. Only partially joking, but isn’t this the start of the Matrix? Just stacks and stacks of processing units.

]]> By: prepost http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-266087 prepost Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-266087 Each container is actually two Xboxes duct-taped together. Each container is actually two Xboxes duct-taped together.

]]> By: drivers99 http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-266097 drivers99 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-266097 #28, servers these days have remote KVMs as well so you can interact with the boot process. #28, servers these days have remote KVMs as well so you can interact with the boot process.

]]> By: boingboing ate my name http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-266101 boingboing ate my name Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-266101 I still doubt this is cheaper then a traditional data center. And quite frankly, why plop down the computers anywhere when the company that manufactured these shipping crates could just rent you the cpu time? Seems like a lot cheaper to me. I still doubt this is cheaper then a traditional data center. And quite frankly, why plop down the computers anywhere when the company that manufactured these shipping crates could just rent you the cpu time? Seems like a lot cheaper to me.

]]> By: airship http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265335 airship Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265335 Yeah. Why even unhook the tractor? Let the driver go for coffee, then come back and haul the trailer back to HQ. Yeah. Why even unhook the tractor? Let the driver go for coffee, then come back and haul the trailer back to HQ.

]]> By: Apreche http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265339 Apreche Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265339 If they ran Linux instead of Windows, they could probably get by with half as many containers. I'd like to see them calculate how much energy is wasted due to software inefficiency. Google has big datacenters too, but I don't think they're going this crazy. Software is the difference. If they ran Linux instead of Windows, they could probably get by with half as many containers. I’d like to see them calculate how much energy is wasted due to software inefficiency. Google has big datacenters too, but I don’t think they’re going this crazy. Software is the difference.

]]> By: 1SockChuck http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265349 1SockChuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265349 Microsoft ‘s use of containers allows it to jam a lot of servers into a data center (as many as 300,000 in Chicago), but the container "form factor" is also <a href="http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2008/Jul/02/containers_as_an_energy_efficiency_tool.html" rel="nofollow">very energy efficient</a> and allows Microsoft to cool the servers much more efficiently, supporting power loads of up to 1,300 watts per square foot. We'll see a lot more of this. Microsoft’s adoption has moved containers from a fringe idea to a mainstream product. At the start of 2008, only Sun, Rackable and Verari had data center container products. Since Microsoft’s announcement that it would use 150 of them in Chicago, shipping container products have been announced by Dell, HP and IBM. What's interesting is that Google <a href="http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2007/Oct/09/google_patents_portable_data_centers.html" rel="nofollow">holds the patent</a> on the concept. Microsoft ‘s use of containers allows it to jam a lot of servers into a data center (as many as 300,000 in Chicago), but the container “form factor” is also very energy efficient and allows Microsoft to cool the servers much more efficiently, supporting power loads of up to 1,300 watts per square foot.

We’ll see a lot more of this. Microsoft’s adoption has moved containers from a fringe idea to a mainstream product. At the start of 2008, only Sun, Rackable and Verari had data center container products. Since Microsoft’s announcement that it would use 150 of them in Chicago, shipping container products have been announced by Dell, HP and IBM. What’s interesting is that Google holds the patent on the concept.

]]> By: technogeek http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265354 technogeek Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265354 Sun's been selling/renting containerized processor banks for a while -- I think under the name "Black Box". Arrive on site, plug in power, plug in network connection, plug in chilled-water source, turn on. Microsoft's originality ran out some time around the introduction of MS-DOS, I think. Sun’s been selling/renting containerized processor banks for a while — I think under the name “Black Box”. Arrive on site, plug in power, plug in network connection, plug in chilled-water source, turn on.

Microsoft’s originality ran out some time around the introduction of MS-DOS, I think.

]]> By: Modusoperandi http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265879 Modusoperandi Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265879 <b>phlavor</b> <i>"Given that the containers aren't opened, I'd love to see the power/data/cooling connection interface."</i> That sounds like a pickup line at a Startrek convention. phlavor “Given that the containers aren’t opened, I’d love to see the power/data/cooling connection interface.”
That sounds like a pickup line at a Startrek convention.

]]> By: catbeller http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265376 catbeller Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265376 @technogeek MS-DOS was a copy of the CP/M operating system, with the slashes reversed. And Gates and company bought MS-DOS. They had no part in its development. The creator was shafted, of course. @technogeek

MS-DOS was a copy of the CP/M operating system, with the slashes reversed.

And Gates and company bought MS-DOS. They had no part in its development. The creator was shafted, of course.

]]> By: bwcbwc http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-266660 bwcbwc Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-266660 @#20: Prefab, modularized and transportable, to name just 3 features of the containerized system that aren't available in traditional data centers. @#5: I think the key new feature here is "sealed". That said, I think there might still be a patent-lawsuit brewing unless MS has already licensed the Google patent. @#32: A data haven! I wonder which maritime flag-of-convenience has the most libertarian IP laws... I wonder what happens when there's a fire inside. Is there a halon feed in addition to the AC and the water cooling? @#20: Prefab, modularized and transportable, to name just 3 features of the containerized system that aren’t available in traditional data centers.
@#5: I think the key new feature here is “sealed”. That said, I think there might still be a patent-lawsuit brewing unless MS has already licensed the Google patent.
@#32: A data haven! I wonder which maritime flag-of-convenience has the most libertarian IP laws…

I wonder what happens when there’s a fire inside. Is there a halon feed in addition to the AC and the water cooling?

]]> By: wheezer http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265644 wheezer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265644 TeliaSonera/Finland did this 10 years ago. TeliaSonera/Finland did this 10 years ago.

]]> By: catbeller http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265392 catbeller Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265392 @technogeek MS-DOS was a copy of the CP/M operating system, with the slashes reversed. And Gates and company bought MS-DOS. They had no part in its development. The creator was shafted, of course. @technogeek

MS-DOS was a copy of the CP/M operating system, with the slashes reversed.

And Gates and company bought MS-DOS. They had no part in its development. The creator was shafted, of course.

]]> By: dragonfrog http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265402 dragonfrog Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265402 MSFT isn't selling these things anyway, they're buying them from someone (probably not Sun...) It's slightly interesting that they've chosen to use them; also that they're not opening the the containers to service them, just letting failed machines stay failed. MSFT isn’t selling these things anyway, they’re buying them from someone (probably not Sun…)

It’s slightly interesting that they’ve chosen to use them; also that they’re not opening the the containers to service them, just letting failed machines stay failed.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265409 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265409 will BB allow individuals to buy/lease their own server can at BB headquarters? (I mean the secret Cave deep under the Canadian Shield) I'm kind of tired of how long it takes to load my comment history when I want to check something. will BB allow individuals to buy/lease their own server can at BB headquarters? (I mean the secret Cave deep under the Canadian Shield) I’m kind of tired of how long it takes to load my comment history when I want to check something.

]]> By: phlavor http://boingboing.net/2008/08/21/datacenters-built-ou.html#comment-265666 phlavor Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-265666 Given that the containers aren't opened, I'd love to see the power/data/cooling connection interface. Given that the containers aren’t opened, I’d love to see the power/data/cooling connection interface.

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