In February, Microsoft completed an
innovative research project of testing and operating a data center from the
ocean floor. The idea of bringing data
centers underwater was developed by the noticeable increase in popularity that
the Microsoft cloud, Azure, has been accumulating since the inception of cloud
systems. Microsoft developed a server
rack that contained the power of 300 PCs and stored in a water-tight steel
cylinder. The capsule was located 30
feet below the oceans surface in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of California
and controlled from the Microsoft campus throughout the duration of the 105-day
trial.
Data centers control everything we
do on the Internet from streaming videos to sending emails, but these centers
are running off of thousands of different computers that produce a great deal
of heat in a limited space. Therefore,
these centers utilize a lot of electricity because they are constantly running
the air conditioning to keep the computers at low temperatures in order to
avoid data servers from crashing as a result of overheating. By placing data centers underwater, Microsoft
can eliminate some of the electricity costs because the ocean floor is cold and
can keep the capsule at a temperature that will allow for continuous
functionality.
The Internet is almost viewed as a
basic necessity in today’s society, due to the high level of dependency we have
on smartphones and what they provide us.
However, with so many people utilizing the cloud and data servers
continuously, the speed of the connection can tend to suffer. Underwater data centers would allow Microsoft
to increase the amount of data centers in certain areas, especially since most
people live near bodies of water. With
the increased number of available data centers would come a potential increase
in how quickly Microsoft customers can access their data from Azure.
Microsoft is still analyzing the
environmental effects of the underwater data centers, but these innovative hubs
hold a lot of potential for change. The
capsules for these data centers are manufactured from recyclable materials,
which leads Microsoft to believe that this will lower the carbon footprint of
data centers compared to land-based ones.
Data centers can also be very loud, but through the trial Microsoft
noticed that the noise diminished when near shrimp and crabs. However, due to the hot and loud conditions
associated with data centers it is possible that they will have a deadly effect
on ocean life.
Three things that the article
overlooked include the research gathered during the trial, how many prototypes
they made, and how long it took to develop the capsule. All three of these aspects are important to
understand the technology used and implemented in order to design such a unique
piece of technology that has the ability to disperse so much data. Microsoft is on to something revolutionary,
and I hope to follow up on this idea in the future to see how far they can take
this underwater data center and improve their cloud data access.
Work Cited:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/01/technology/microsoft-plumbs-oceans-depths-to-test-underwater-data-center.html
http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/01/technology/microsoft-underwater-data-center/index.html
This is a very interesting innovative alternative for data centers!
ReplyDeleteIf this project is a good turn out, I am curious if other companies will follow. Although this is a great alternative, I feel like there is a lot of risk involved with this project. If these data centers undergo problems while underwater, that puts a lot of data at risk! There is also a lot of environmental risk associated with putting these data centers underwater. As you mentioned, the hot and loud conditions associated with data centers could have deadly effect on ocean life. The sound these machines would make would travel very far under water, which could interfere with the sound waves marine life uses to communicate with one another. I think this is a great idea for now, but if many companies follow in lead with this alternative, I think the environmental effects could really become an issue. I am curious to see where this project goes from here!
An underwater data center is a very interesting concept and can be an alternative to land data centers. However, I too am concerned with the effect this may have on the environment. Since it is giving off a lot of heat it will be increasing the water temperature. This in turn will be changing the natural habitat of ocean life and the results could damage the ecosystem and perhaps even cause some fish species to become extinct. Another concern is what will happen if the capsule sufferers damage or needs repair? Will it be easy to repair, can it be lifted out of the water and disposed of properly or would it just be left there to decay? I believe more research needs to be done on this type data center to make sure it is cost effective and good for the environment.
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