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A Look At Google's Newest Data Center

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the hey-google-gimme-a-tour dept.

miller60 writes "Google doesn't allow the public inside its secret data centers. But a recent groundbreaking event at the company's new South Carolina data center provided glimpses of the exterior of the facility, which shows a design that has evolved since Google's Oregon data center made front page news. A new feature: an open, lighted area resembling a parking deck (containers?). Still missing: moats filled with sharks with friggin' laser beams on their head."

12 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. moats filled with sharks with friggin' laser beams by Finallyjoined!!! · · Score: 4, Funny

    Question1: Do laser beams work underwater?

    Question2: Assuming the affirmative to question one, how good is your average shark at aiming them?

    --
    If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
  2. Am I the only one that finds it depressing by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Funny

    Am I the only one that finds it depressing that it is an anonymous grey building. Something like a bond-villain's hideout in a volcano would be more appropriate for one of the world's information super hubs.

    1. Re:Am I the only one that finds it depressing by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Funny

      They only want you to think it's a faceless grey building. The real headquarters is here

      --
      No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  3. Ooooohhh.....ahhhhh.... by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Pictures of a big warehouse-like building! Amazing! Why, I've never seen one! Looks like a giant ... uhhhhhh.... box! w00t! Those pics are just sooo 1337!

    --
    My blog
    1. Re:Ooooohhh.....ahhhhh.... by eln · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Can we say we've reached the height of Google-worship when pictures of the exterior of a data center warrant a front page mention on Slashdot?

      Now, if there were pictures of the interior (you know, where the interesting stuff is), I could see wanting to feature it, but the outside of the building? This is like saying you have a big scoop about the internal working of the NSA and then showing a picture of their front gate.

  4. Re:moats filled with sharks with friggin' laser be by wjh31 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    aslong as you can put the main unit in a waterproof container, i dont see why not, but the water will diffuse the light more rapidly than air, especially if the sharks kick up a load of silt in their frenzy, so the range may be limited if the sharks are bad at aiming, they will just burn the skin, rather than focusing on one spot to burn a hole, but it may infact be preferable for the sharks to have their dinner 'fried off' rather than vapourised

  5. Google Maps Link by PearsSoap · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1669+Garrott+Avenue,Goose+Creek,+South+Carolina&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=43.713406,92.8125&ie=UTF8&ll=33.078849,-80.039606&spn=0.022691,0.045319&t=h&z=15&g=1669+Garrott+Avenue,Goose+Creek,+South+Carolina&iwloc=cent

    1. Re:Google Maps Link by SBacks · · Score: 5, Funny

      They don't even have streetview of their own building!

  6. slashdotted by socsoc · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obviously datacenterknowledge.com isn't hosted in a very robust data center...

  7. Re:moats filled with sharks with friggin' laser be by emj · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yes laser works underwater, Otters have better aim though, they also easily dodge lasers so expect no Otter battles..

  8. Re:moats filled with sharks with friggin' laser be by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...water will diffuse the light more rapidly than air

    I think in actual operation the sharks would poke their
    head out of the water (like Flipper the dolphin) to fire
    the laser. I'm pretty sure the sharks would require special
    goggles to aim accurately in the air.

  9. No, just normal... by neowolf · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Having worked in a few data centers over the course of my life... They are continuing the long-standing tradition of nondescript concrete/cinder block buildings that have hosted data centers for decades.

    Nobody, including Google, wants to advertise their data centers- they want them to look like ordinary warehouses or industrial buildings.

    It's pretty much required from a security standpoint, and is why Google is very secretive of its data center locations. You might even have a Google data center in the airport industrial park right down the street.

    Would you really expect a big steel and glass architectural wonder with "Google" emblazoned all over it? I would expect nothing more or less from a Google data center than a big ugly concrete box in an industrial park. They (big ugly concrete boxes) are easy to guard and air condition, and don't require a receptionist or PR staff.