Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#21

Post by mjolk » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:33 PM UTC

numbsafari wrote: post #6

Something similar is being outfitted in Portland, ME. http://www.pressherald.com/news/Clues_emerging_about_mystery... The OP is a much better article (The Press Herald is garbage). My original guess for the barge-building in Portland was a ocean-based prison facility for the government to use for interrogations. But it's seeming like the floating data center idea is much more likely.

This is somewhat of a tangent, but how is the tech scene in Portland, ME? It's my hometown and I've had thoughts at various times about returning and setting up shop.

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#22

Post by xd » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:33 PM UTC

How do you get a patent for a "floating data center"..

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#23

Post by us0r » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:34 PM UTC

cargo8 wrote: post #7

Very interesting... Any chance that this will mean the Govt can't subpoena data from this data center if it is floating far enough from the US coast? Or does it not matter because clearly the US will be the closest harbor?

If you are doing business in the US you will play their rules.

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#24

Post by tlarkworthy » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:35 PM UTC

nostromo wrote: post #9

I was Googling to find what a boat-based wave-powered generator would look like, and I found this interesting diagram: http://www.greenpatentblog.com/2011/12/08/fraunhofers-mobile...

I don't think wave power is deployed successfully yet[1]. The cooling would not be a leap of technology though.

[1] Its under development http://www.pelamiswave.com/ but I don't think its finished yet.

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#25

Post by chc » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:36 PM UTC

joezydeco wrote: post #19

apaprocki wrote: post #14

There are actually 4 "vessels". Look at the names -- using binary :) BAL0001 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE & REPAIR LLC 2010 Freight Barge 2164.0 249.6 BAL0010 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE 2011 Passenger Barge (Inspected) 2520.0 260.1 BAL0011 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE 2011 Passenger Barge (Inspected) 2520.0 260.1 BAL0100 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE 2012 Freight Barge 2164.0 249.6

FYI, "Buy N Large" was the fictional Costco-like store from Pixar's WALL-E.

I kind of doubt that these two names are related except that they both derive from the same common idiom.

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#26

Post by us0r » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:36 PM UTC

joezydeco wrote: post #12

How does the data get to/from the platform? Microwaves? Can that work from a slightly moving platform? My wacky guess would have been off-shore offices for employees that can't get H1Bs.

How does data get from the EU to the US? Or APAC to the US?

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#27

Post by dmix » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:37 PM UTC

fibbery wrote: post #20

Great article. It's nice to see journalists do actual investigative work, even if it is for something like this. Today's "journalism" seems to be all link-bait opinion pieces mixed in with copy-pastes from twitter.

Agreed I'm just as much impressed with the level of investigative work done here as with the actual data center. Well done CNET.

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#28

Post by enjo » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:37 PM UTC

cargo8 wrote: post #7

Very interesting... Any chance that this will mean the Govt can't subpoena data from this data center if it is floating far enough from the US coast? Or does it not matter because clearly the US will be the closest harbor?

It has to connect to the U.S. somehow. So they can still subpeona data moving through the switch.

There's going to be a cable connecting this to the mainland, which one could argue means the ship is moored to the U.S. coastline?

Might be a fun legal battle.

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#29

Post by ISL » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:37 PM UTC

joezydeco wrote: post #12

How does the data get to/from the platform? Microwaves? Can that work from a slightly moving platform? My wacky guess would have been off-shore offices for employees that can't get H1Bs.

I'd guess fiber-optic cable.

Re: Is Google building a hulking floating data center in SF Bay?

#30

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Oct 25, 2013, 8:37 PM UTC

apaprocki wrote: post #14

There are actually 4 "vessels". Look at the names -- using binary :) BAL0001 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE & REPAIR LLC 2010 Freight Barge 2164.0 249.6 BAL0010 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE 2011 Passenger Barge (Inspected) 2520.0 260.1 BAL0011 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE 2011 Passenger Barge (Inspected) 2520.0 260.1 BAL0100 BY AND LARGE LLC * * C & C MARINE 2012 Freight Barge 2164.0 249.6

[deleted]