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Google Announces Its First Latin-American Data Center
1sockchuck writes "Google continues to expand the global reach of its infrastructure. Today the company announced plans to build its first data center in Latin America, investing $150 million in a facility in Quilicura, Chile. Google cited growing Internet use in Latin America, and said Chile has reliable infrastructure and a business-friendly environment. Last year Google announced plans for three new server farms in the Asia Pacific region, as well as a new data center in Dublin. Over the past year, Google has invested more than $2.5 billion on servers and data centers."
While Chile is a Buddhist country, it's also hugely dependable on foreign aid and earthquakes. Why would Google want to do business there?
Chile is Roman Catholic, also not dependant at all on foreign aid.
We do have earthquakes, but most construction is resistant to it.
South America, much like Africa, is relatively poorly served in regards to local datacenters and backbone network connectivity compared to North America, Europe, and East Asia.
There's a large market there, so it makes sense that companies would start investing in local resources to serve that market.
The headline sounds as if Google was interested in the national language of the country rather than the geographical location, IT infrastracture, maintenance cost and other country (but not language!) dependent factors. One would think that Guyana or Suriname were also out of question because of this. Why not call it the first South American server instead since it is located, you know, in South America?
You can't backup the "cloud" with the "cloud". I think if you tried, Frost Giants would appear throughout the land and bring about Ragnarok. Of which, Google would ensure it was properly indexed, furthering the events of the end of the world.
sudo make me a sandwich
Chile is a nice sane modern country. For example it is the only Latin American member of the OECD. The last time I was there they had put in a new subway system - very nice indeed. Much less crime than Brazil. Strong currency too.
The reliable infrastructure is ok except when they are having an earthquake. The one in 1960 was a real beeeeotch for sure. 9.5 Mw. My wife was actually there when it happened. The tsunami from it was still 10m high and killed 142 people in Japan.
I think they are mostly recovered from the last big one a couple of years ago. Only 8.8 or so.
The scenery is magnificent. Coming into Santiago from the north on a overnight flight you get to see the sun on the slopes of Aconcagua (highest mountain outside Asia) and the rest of the Andean cordillera.
Latin isn't dead; it's just got a handful of national varieties: French, Spanish, Italian, Portugese, etc.
No, but voters do! Both candidates are vying for the Latin-American vote, so a Latin-American Data Center is a good political strategic move. They can sell Latin-American Data to both political parties! Listen to both of their speeches for signs of things that appeal to Latin-Americans' voters' likes in Google.
Additionally both candidates are after women voters. So the US Secret Service has taken a special interest in Latin-American women, just to be on the safe side.
I forgot, which candidates does Google own, again . . . ?
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
I was basing the comment on Google's published list of data center locations, which does not include Toronto, Dublin, or London.