Microsoft opening data centre... in Siberia?
- November 26, 2007 2:04 PM |
- By Pete Nowak
By Peter Nowak, CBCNews.ca
Regular readers of the blog know that we here like our conspiracy theories, and suggestions thereof. In that vein, how's this for one: Microsoft is building a data centre in Siberia. Yes, that's right. Siberia. Why would Microsoft pick a place that's synonymous with isolation to build a data centre?
According to a report by Russian daily Kommersant, Microsoft is building a data centre to house 10,000 servers in Irkutsk (pop: 593,604), the largest city in Siberia. Microsoft Rus chief executive officer Birger Sten said the company chose the location because of its proximity to stable energy supplies. While he didn't specify how much the development will cost, Sten said a similar data centre in Dublin, Ireland (pop: 1.6 million) will cost about $500 million U.S.
The Kommersant story is sketchy on further details of the plan, but says unnamed market players have called it a "fantasy" and that there is no need for that kind of storage capability in the region.
There may be something to that. Given that the closest cities to Irkutsk are the sprawling techno-hubs of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia (pop: 1 million) and Wulumuqi in Northeastern China (pop: 2.6 million), you have to wonder what sort of demand there is in the region, and why Microsoft would look to plop so much money down there?
What could a technology company do with the kind of privacy provided by somewhere like Siberia? Let's allow our imaginations to run wild, shall we?
About the Authors
- Tara Kimura
is a multimedia producer for CBCNews.ca.
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Comments (5)
Hmmm
It's probably cheap, isolated and cold. If they are going to be running a large mainframe they could save on cooling using the Siberian weather conditions. More sustainable.
I agree with Ryan. His solution is very logical.
If I were to imagine though lets see..
Perhaps microsoft is expanding their horizons into secret ninja training facilities. Why not have such a facility under a large mainframe. Then microsoft can plan their final blow on Macs. The ninjas could slip into peoples houses at night without being noticed and take away all macs. Microsoft could then claim "Sure our computers can get viruses but at least they don't vanish completly."
Then again, Ryans answer is more likely.
I am a Canadian living and working here in Siberia and am sort of surprised by this decsion. I would suggest that more that 90% of all software in this whole country and surounding regions are pirated. Maybe just maybe Microsoft is positioning itself to launch some kind of software killing statagies to combat all of the theif that occurs here. Oh by the way Mr. Gates this was typed on a Mac. Long live apple.
With Alex on this one, but I don't see why they'd go through all the trouble, just let MACs run as they are, they'll crash by themselves..
But the ninjas, nice touch, hah.
New apple product, the iGone.
New apple slogan: Rotten to the core.
Booja.
Why Siberia? It's politically stable, diversifies Microsoft's server locations, has abundant cheap energy, and will likely be in a low-tax zone. It's not likely to be hit by green taxes that will be phased in in places like California and Oregon. Server farms use huge amounts of energy...