For each watt consumed in data processing (a search on the net for instance), another half watt is required for cooling the microprocessors. That explains Google’s race for cheap electricity. In 2006, American data centers used more power than televisions sets. Energy supply is so critical for the data processing industry that Microsoft will build its next unit in Siberia.
> story about Google in Harper’s
> and about Microsoft’s Siberia project, in Kommersant
Related columns:
- Infrastructure — Oil price vs. Moore’s Law TweetThe Internet runs on a simple equation: bandwidth and computer power are growing exponentially as their price keeps falling. Which is fine, since the demand is also surging the same way. There is one glitch though. More Internet traffic means more data centers across the globe and more electricity to power and to cool millions [...]...
- The Cloud, according to IBM TweetImagine the entire internet fitting into ONE (big) computer. That is IBM’s vision as defined in its Kittihawk Project. As for now, the biggest computer in the world is controlled by – you guessed it – Google. It assembles roughly a million of pizza-box-size PC, in dozens of datacenters across the world (this is called [...]...
- Emerging economies — Knowledge vs. Infrastructure TweetTechnology is spreading to emerging markets faster than anywhere else. Soon, there will be more internet users in China than in the United States. In India, the phone subscriptions are growing by 8 million a month, and the country produces more engineers that the US. But outside modern urban centers, the lack of reliable infrastructure, [...]...
- Infrastructure — Vulnerable/Reliable Internet TweetTen days ago, two undersea telecommunication cables were cut offshore Alexandria, Egypt, causing major disruptions in Egypt and India. Conspiracy theories are blooming. India displayed its vulnerability to such incidents with its huge computer and telecom outsourcing industry. Big call centers managed well, not small businesses. > story in the Christian Science Monitor > conspiracy [...]...
- Cloud 2.0 TweetLast July, I wrote about Google’s goal: Sink Microsoft by deploying Cloud-based Google Apps and, as a result, destroy the Microsoft Office money machine. Today, we’ll take another look at Google’s strategy and at Microsoft’s response with its just released Office 2010 which combines desktop and on-line apps. First, the Cloud Gospel according to Google. [...]...
