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IBM Uses Roomba Robots To Plot Data Center Heat
judgecorp writes "IBM is using robots based on iRobot Create, a customizable version of the Roomba vacuum cleaner, to measure temperature and humidity in data centers. The robot looks for cold zones (where cold air may be going to waste instead of being directed to the servers) and hotspots (where the air circulation may be breaking down. IBM is putting the robots to commercial use at partners — while EMC is at an early stage on a strikingly similar project."
Roomba proves that robots can revolutionize domestic cat transportation.
Now they just need to provide a way for the cat to steer the darned thing and provide a more comfortable surface for the cat to sit on.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
Is a temp censor one who only blocks out offensive material for a short time?
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
Why can't you imagine this? One of these costs $130, off-the-shelf. They have eleven total, all around the world, which is $1430, off-the-shelf. Add in some more for the sensor setup etc ... maybe even double or triple it, if you're feeling generous. I imagine one guy can write a program that takes care of all of these. How much do your rack probes per data center cost? How much to install all of them? How much does the monitoring device cost?
Then, how long and how many people does it take to test them all regularly after they're installed? And how hard are they to install on an existing data center, vs dropping one of these on the floor, slapping some RFID stickers around, and walking away?
I imagine this is a trial run and IBM could probably come up with an even cheaper bulk solution if they need to. But it sure sounds like a lot less overall .. just the installation and maintenance probably makes it worth it, even if the price is more (which I doubt).
Don't think of it as a flame---it's more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage