Google, Microsoft Escalate Data Center Battle

miller60 writes "The race by Microsoft and Google to build next-generation data centers is intensifying. On Thursday Microsoft announced a $550 million San Antonio project, only to have Google confirm plans for a $600 million site in North Carolina. It appears Google may just be getting started, as it is apparently planning two more enormous data centers in South Carolina, which may cost another $950 million. These 'Death Star' data centers are emerging as a key assets in the competitive struggle between Microsoft and Google, which have both scaled up their spending (as previously discussed on Slashdot). Some pundits, like PBS' Robert X. Cringley, say the scope and cost of these projects reflect the immense scale of Google's ambitions."

Comments

Hmm... It's Slashdot so...

[gQuigs]

Microsoft's is to run Vista. While Google's is to save the world.

Re:Hmm... It's Slashdot so...

[DJCacophony]

I knew Vista's hardware requirements were high, but a $550,000,000 data center?

Re:Hmm... It's Slashdot so...

[Stephen Samuel]

Don't worry. You don't need to spend that much if you turn down the quality settings.

Re:Hmm... It's Slashdot so...

[dangitman]

This is Windows, so the only quality setting available would be zero.

and i quote

[macadamia_harold]

These 'Death Star' data centers are emerging as a key assets in the competitive struggle between Microsoft and Google

That's no zune...

Re:Non-local computing

[zCyl]

I don't like that myself, since it hurts reliability and autonomy in computing.

Don't worry, you can trust skynet. What could go wrong?

Death Star independent contractors

[MillionthMonkey]

A construction of a real Death Star data center would require a lot more manpower than Google or Microsoft has to offer. I bet there are independent contractors working all over these things: plumbers, carpenters, electricians, DBAs, MBAs, roofers, etc. In order to get one built quickly and quietly they'd have to hire anybody who could do the job. Do you think the average Google employee knows how to install a toilet main? All he knows is JavaScript and Knuth.

All these independent contractors in each Death Star data center are getting involved in a war between Microsoft and Google- a war they had nothing to do with.

No they both need those data centers

[Anonymous Coward]

Google needs a $600 million data center to serve its 300 million daily users, while Microsoft needs its $550 million data center to serve both of it's MSN Live Search users.

ObStarWars

[OldManAndTheC]

These 'Death Star' data centers are emerging as a key assets...

Better make sure to protect the plans for that data center...one well placed shot in an exhaust vent could take out the whole thing. Not much harder then hitting a womp rat with a T-16, from what I hear...

Re:Speaking as an independent contractor myself

[JoeCommodore]

This needs a rewrite:

I'm an engineer, and I can tell you that an engineer's politics come heavily into play when choosing jobs. Just three months ago I was offered a job working at one of the big information companies data centers, in a vast facility. And then I learned how screwed up the company's plans were. The money was right, but the risk was too big. So I passed the job onto a friend of mine.

While writing a C# script for some part of thier web portal my friend was hit by a flying chair, it was a leathal blow, and he died instantly. I'm still employed because I recognized the risks involved in working in a Death Star. Anyone working in a Death Star data center for Google or Microsoft is aware of the risks involved in that war. Whatever happens to them is their own fault.