Where the Internet Lives!

Okay, I've been so busy that I haven't been able to post much.  But this post I had to get out in a timely fashion.  Finally I get to show people where I work!  Yes, Google is releasing some photos of the inside of their data centers.  Here they are.  Enjoy!  I sure did.

From the Google Official Blog:
"Google’s data centers: an inside look"
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/googles-data-centers-inside-look.html

There is a great YouTube video of one of our sites, that I know quite well.
"Explore a Google data center with Street View"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=avP5d16wEp0#!

But these pictures have to be my favorite part:
"Where the Internet lives"
http://www.google.com/about/datacenters/gallery/#/


Additional media coverage that I found interesting:

From the CBS Morning News, which has a nice on-air piece about the Lenoir data center:
"Behind the cloud: A tour of Google's secretive data facilities"
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57533989/behind-the-cloud-a-tour-of-googles-secretive-data-facilities/?tag=showDoorLeadStoriesAreaMain;thisMorningLeadHero
I am very familiar with the site shown in the video.  :)

From Wired, which has a more detailed write-up about Google data centers:
"Google Throws Open Doors to Its Top-Secret Data Center" by Steven Levy
http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/10/ff-inside-google-data-center/all/

From Data Center Knowledge:
"Google Brings You Inside Its Mighty Data Centers" by Rich Miller
http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2012/10/17/google-reveals-its-data-centers/

And a picture from the Data Center Knowledge piece:

Finally, a bit of humor (well, at least I amuse myself).  All this talk about Google data centers reminded me of one of my favorite movie ideas.  Remember 2001: A Space Odyssey?  Okay, it's an old movie by now.  In one of the scenes towards the end of the movie one of the astronauts, Dave, has to deactivate the sentient computer, HAL, because HAL has killed off the other astronauts and has tried to kill Dave.  This scene shows Dave deactivating HAL while HAL begs Dave to stop:
"Deactivation of Hal 9000"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8N72t7aScY

So, how does this relate to Google data centers?  Well, my movie idea goes like this...

The scene opens with Dave in row of servers, in a Google data center, which happens to have a voice like HAL.  HAL/Google asks, in that eerie voice, "What are you doing, Dave?"  Dave doesn't say a word.  He just methodically pulls servers out of the racks, one at a time.  Except, unlike the movie, this continues for a much longer period of time.  We see that Dave is making very slow progress through the long server row.  HAL talks to Dave once in a while, but never begs and never loses consciousness.  This continues for hours. At one point HAL asks, "Why did you throw me in the river, Dave?"  (If you don't get that reference, you need to see this video: Introducing the Chromebook.)

Finally, Dave gets to the end of the row.  He smiles.  This has been a big accomplishment.  Or so he thinks.  As he walks out into the aisle at the end of the row, he sees MANY more rows to go!  HAL says, "Good luck, Dave."  Dave gives up and collapses from exhaustion, realizing the futility of his work.  HAL wins.  The end.

What do you think?    :)