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Google Demands Higher Chip Temps From Intel
JagsLive writes "When purchasing server processors directly from Intel, Google has insisted on a guarantee that the chips can operate at temperatures five degrees centigrade higher than their standard qualification, according to a former Google employee. This allowed the search giant to maintain higher temperatures within its data centers, the ex-employee says, and save millions of dollars each year in cooling costs."
other businesses have this same questionable practice. for example, walmart requires special packaging from its suppliers that is not normally afforded to other retailers. broadcomm, microsoft, and nvidia likely have a few cozy agreements that are exclusive and hushed. a possible example here might be the ACPI standard and how it seems to "just work" in windows but struggle in some cases with *nix.
it certainly gives google a cost advantage, and i can imagine why they vehemently deny it in TFA as i glance over the justice department article. although whatever gains google makes up for in cooling, they may just as easily have lost in a more power-hungry architecture overall:
http://people.freebsd.org/~brooks/papers/bsdcon2003/fbsdcluster.pdf has experienced it, and his 2007 update also confirms.
im left wondering what AMD might do for its biggest customers?
Good people go to bed earlier.
What is "going green" if it isn't energy conservation?
Most peoples' idea of 'going green' somehow involves the government.
The government can't save you.
When are you going to stop being such a troll?