Slashdot Mirror
Apple May Build Oregon Data Center Next To Facebook's
1sockchuck writes "Apple may build a huge new data center next door to the Facebook server farm in rural Prineville, Oregon. Slashdot has previously noted the potential that Prineville could become a data center mecca due to its climate, which is ideal for using fresh air to cool servers. The scenario could mirror the trend in rural North Carolina, where both Apple and Facebook have built data centers. It's always been likely that Apple will need at least one other large data center complex to provide backup capabilities for the facility in North Carolina."
Guards, a few low end staff to swap out the data media when needed 24/7, gardeners so the landscape looks pretty for a congress critter media event, a few smart admins to cover all the real time error reports (off site is fine).
No need for on site engineers, plumbers, electricians, technical staff, admins - just swap out the media and look at id's at the gates.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
They would just be hiring grunts. The NC Apple data center only has about 50 employees, as the only on-site people they need are techies to keep the servers up. Data centers themselves are capital-intensive but require little in the way of permanent labor beyond the skeleton crew, as the only big labor pushes would be construction and whatever you bring in if you overhaul the systems.