Major data center project headed to Iceland

Iceland, a country still reeling from the failure of its financial system and government in 2008, may get some economic relief in the form of a large data center. With the support of several investors, Icelandic company Verne Holdings is constructing a mammoth 44-acre data center that will use geothermal and hydroelectric power exclusively.

The island nation has touted itself as the perfect data center location for some time, citing its money-saving renewable energy options. Jeff Monroe, CEO of Verne Holdings, stated:

What makes us unique is that we are able to offer our customers a cost effective, yet truly green solution to their data center needs by providing the benefits of Iceland’s 100 percent free cooling, renewable energy resources and predictable forecasting of energy pricing. Together, Verne Global and the Wellcome Trust are creating a powerful solution that enables data center users the opportunity to go green without paying a price premium.

The data center has the codename KEF001. The first spaces are expected to be available by mid-year. The facility will also be a bit unique in that it will provide direct access to three submarine cables, guaranteeing customers a very fast link to continental Europe.

Microsoft to build outdoor data center

In an effort to increase efficiency and reduce costs, IT companies will do anything to save a few pennies. Microsoft is ready to take things to a whole new level by building a data center with no walls or roof.

Such an outdoor server room would not leave the hardware exposed, however. Microsoft currently builds data centers by placing hundreds of server-laden shipping containers together in an open-floor building. The Redmond company thinks it can cut cuts even further by simply removing the building from the equation.

According to Debra Chrapaty, a leading figure in the company’s infrastructure plans, building a facility without walls and a roof would cut costs by a third and construction time in half.

The servers will still be protected by the shipping containers that enclose them, but my guess is a fence of some sort will need to be erected. Shipping containers are designed to sit on a ship’s deck exposed to the elements, so they should do a fine job of replacing an actual building.

Source | NY Times