Google Building Something on a Barge in San Francisco Bay
Maybe a floating data center, or a Google Glass store
The mystery surrounding a large structure built on a barge docked in San Francisco bay is deepening. Is it a floating Google data center? A floating Google Glass store? Or something else altogether?
On Friday, I reported exclusively that a company, very likely Google, has set up shop on Treasure Island, located between San Francisco and Oakland, and has been building a large structure made from shipping, or cargo, containers on a barge. Some evidence suggests it might be a floating data center, including the fact that Google itself has a patent for such a concept.
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They're in for a rude awakening when they run afoul of accusations that "your offshore datacenter is disrupting fish migration/contributing to the warming of the oceans/we hate progress but call ourselves progressives."
Okay maybe that last one wasn't an accusation.
Otherwise makes sense. They're already boxing datacenters in old shipping containers as UL-certified appliances. Can't be too hard to waterproof and float 'em. Plus you have a convenient source for liquid cooling.
"Google Planning Offshore Data Barges"
September 6th, 2008
..." this approach could be used to build 40 megawatt data centers that don't require real estate or property taxes."...
http://www.datacenterknowledge.....ta-barges/
Oh NOOOO! No RE or property taxes?! Not paying fair share?!
BTW, Page's yacht was tied up at Elison's AC Pier 80 facility for several weeks this fall. Nice looking boat!