Mark Zuckerburg writes:
I’m proud to share that Facebook’s sixth data center is now under construction in Clonee, [Co. Meath] Ireland. This will be our second European data center, after Luleå in Sweden.
Data centers deliver all of Facebook’s services to you. They’re some of the most complex machines ever created.
Clonee Data Center will be one of the most advanced and energy efficient data centers in the world. It will feature the latest server, storage and network designs developed through the Open Compute Project, and will be powered by 100% renewable energy.
One interesting engineering detail is that we’re cooling the facility with outdoor air, but because this is near the Irish Sea we’ll be using an indirect air cooling process to filter the salt from the air.
We’re glad to be investing in Ireland, to become a part of the Clonee community, and to continue building the massive infrastructure that connects our global community.
Zuckerberg shows off plans for Irish Facebook data centre (Silicon Republic)
‘data centre’ me hole. they’re building terminators in there i tells ya.
No Justice, no peace…
“One interesting engineering detail is that we’re cooling the facility with outdoor air”
They can leave the windows open!
Major reasons for data centers being here is because we don’t have earthquakes, volcanoes, extreme weather events. Not too hot, not too cold, we’re just right. Goldilocks porridge, that’s us.
We also have extremely low levels of lightning and a very stable power grid.
Also we never challenge multinationals and will let them do whatever they want with people’s data.
Or expect them to pay tax…
when the machines take over, they’ll find us a handy start.
This might be relevant, although it is Microsoft taking on the US Government:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/09/microsoft-court-case-hotmail-ireland-search-warrant
Is it not that the US have no authority to get the data once it is on our shores? Also we have no obligation to give it to them?
It is, as it almost always is, considerably more than one thing.
But it still needs to be maintained at a constant mean temperature, with no fluctuations.
This is really great news for the construction industry and the subsequent IT positions.
Probably not that many IT positions, but good news anyhow.
Even just one person off the live register a good thing! There will be 150 long-term positions. That could mean a couple of hundred kids have a better standard of living, local growth in the Clonee area, better infrastructure, etc.
150 long terms positions sounds extremely optimistic, given the levels of automation of a modern DC. Once it’s built out, there’ll probably be less than 20 full time staff, I would guess.
I’m not disagreeing with you; I’m just saying that it isn’t going to be on the same scale as a Dell factory or Google’s offices in D4, anything like that.
This is pretty cool.
I heard on the radio this AM that it was eventually going forward, after planning objections from locals were successfully appealed. Anyone know what grounds they were objecting on? DCs are pretty low-impact, really, compared to virtually any other industrial activity I can think of.
So tell me now, which PR/Lobby company do you work for?
You need to phrase your comments better so as not to be so bloody obvious.
lol. link’s in the profile there, take a look.
One interesting engineering detail is that we’re cooling the facility with outdoor air, but because this is near the Irish Sea we’ll be using an indirect air cooling process to filter the salt from the air and the odour from the nearby meat processing plant.
I would pay extra if my internet smelled of sweet sweet bacon.
Google do the same thing with their DC here. They’re actually quite good about working out environmentally friendly ways to cool.
This is excellent, question on the 100% renewable, how will this be achieved?
Will it be a case of being hooked up to the grid but funding a reciprocal amount of renewable energy resources or having a whole host of windmills or sumfink?
I’m betting that it will be possible to power itself, given ideal conditions, but it will also be hooked up to the grid for the days where there is a shortfall.
So like, breezy sunny summer day, full capacity.
The other 363 days there will be some draw on the grid.
As we all know, all things computer and internet develop and change at a very fast rate.
So is there a plan to repurpose these facilities when data centres will fit in a small van they inevitably become obsolete?
Thanks for finding a potential negative Tish! I suppose that, given all technology becomes obsolete eventually, we shouldn’t bother, ha?
I think they have a lease on a small van.
This is the cloud. Its on the ground and in a big warehouse.
Most companies have servers that chew up power and require additional heat control in rooms so its a particular headache for small and growing companies.
The cloud allows them to scale up without the need for additional hardware on site.
That won’t be any time soon (if ever).
While the technology gets smaller, the demand increases at an even greater rate so we’ll be looking at more and more data centres being built, not fewer.
arguably you could fit tens of thousands of human ‘batteries’ in there, you know, when the machines take over.
I have no doubt Facebook have future-proofed their decision. Plus they have an expanding city centre-based workforce. Think about it.
The buildigns are essentially large sheds with relatively large spans. ‘Re-purposing’ them would be fairly easy, should your inital premise be correct.
Still working on ideas for what to do with all the empty houses for when human beings become beings of pure thought and energy. I reckon we should stop building them now in any case.
The footprint of the equipment becomes smaller, but the demand for capacity still grows. So you just serve bigger, faster & more with the same space.
I suppose it will take another 20 years before we find out the deals done and the actual cost of this to the Irish people.
“But the jobs… The jobs…”
The jobs will be minimal post construction. Just a few nerds looking after a warehouse full of servers.
What has Clonee to offer, if one moved there… anyone?
It’s not a bad little village, Dunboyne is nicer though imo.
Hollystown & Kilbride up the road are nice too.
Cheers Bertie… I’ll stop being lazy and look ’em up :)
You can buy me a pint if you move out this way ;)
Jaaz this place is full of hidden culchies.
Mick n all.. Who’d a thought.
A lot of Hot Air, it will be gone in 5 years, obsolete, incidently where’s the 100%
renewable energy going to come from…..not many wind farms around Clonee
and there won’t.
How will datacentres become obsolete?
because…the Illuminati …and stuff
My work is tendering on this – asked me if I’d be willing to relocate to Meath for 3 months and stay at my parents house.
Ehhhhhhh…
get your Mum to rent to you and charge it to the company, your Dad needs to drive you back and forth to the job, and you charge it to the company… EVERYONE EARNS.
don’t be a selfish pryk now
Ah Clonee; not quite Meath, not quite Dublin. Traditionally Meath, but with a Dublin 15 postal address for most residents and Dublin Bus too. Meath County Council keeps a low profile, like they do in any other south Meath town, not even bothering to cut grass in green areas.
Unless there’s rates to be collected, in which case it’s DEFINITELY DEFINITELY MEATH.
Or back in the day when you got in a taxi, it was DEFINITELY Dublin.
Tried making that argument for Ashbourne back when they could refuse “country jobs”, often won. The 01 area should be the only definition!
It needs a grass roof, blend with surroundings.
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Him still on paternitt leave and all. Hope he remembers to put down the baby to make the post.
Like like etc.
Does Mark Zickerburger reply to messages on Facebook often?
I was thinking of asking him if Enda Kenny has sweaty palms, to settle an argument. I bet he does, but my friend reckons his palms are probably the only parts he has that are not sweaty.