• Gizmodo
  • bestmodo
  • lifehacker
  • kotaku
  • Profile logout login

#containers

Gizmodo

Share Cancel
   
Upload an image | Add an image URL
×

logging in
  • FAQ. Include # before tag:
  • #tips,
  • #dealzmodo,
  • #rumors,
  • #broken,
  • #iphoneapps,
  • #apple,
  • etc.

New York, 2:28 AM
Mon Nov 16
16 posts in the last 24 hours

FR | IT | DE | SP | JP | AU | BR

Gizmodo Team

Tip your editors:
tips@gizmodo.com

Editorial Director:
Brian Lam | Email | Twitter

Editor:
Jason Chen
Email | AIM | Twitter

Features Editor:
Wilson Rothman
Email | Twitter

Senior Contributing Editor:
Jesus Diaz
Email | AIM | Twitter
Mark Wilson, Reviews
Email | AIM | Twitter

Contributing Editors:
Matt Buchanan
Email | AIM | Twitter
Adam Frucci
Email | Twitter
Sean Fallon
Email | Twitter
Jack Loftus
Email | Twitter
John Herrman
Email | Twitter
Dan Nosowitz
Email
Chris Mascari
Email
Danny Allen
Email | Twitter

Columnist:
Brendan I. Koerner

Interns:
Don Nguyen
Email
Chris Jacob
Email

Comment Intern:
Nick Ellenoff | Email

Heroes and Friends

Comment Account Questions:
Comments@gizmodo.com

SUBSCRIBE TO Gizmodo RSS

New: Breaking news and daily top stories via email
9515 Subscribers
Gizmodo
  • posts about #containers more →

    Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up

    Double-Lidded Jar Took Way Too Long To Exist

    Softflask Slips a Sip Through a Patdown

    Chinese Take Out Container Containers

    Leakproof Silicone Travel Bottles for Road Warrior Quaffers

    Biodegradable Containers
  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.
    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of shooga shooga
    10/01/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    Kudos for making a "green" data center, but what's with it being modular and transportable? Do they constantly relocate their data centers on a whim?
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski promoted this comment shooga was starred shooga was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    10/01/09

    @shooga: no but its certainly another advantage. In most applications that its a permanent data center, it makes upgradability on a wide scale MUCH faster than physically setting up a bunch of new racks if you either need to upgrade or expand a large data center.

    Think of it as a MASSIVE blade server. All you need is once set of generic industrial data/power/cooling connections that you hook up into the trailer and in less than a few hours you can have hundreds of new servers online. The trailer it's self is pre-wired for everything and is basically one whole data room.
     Reply
    Edited by Jim Topoleski at 10/01/09 1:59 PM Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of Nekrik Nekrik
    10/01/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    So, in the chance (or fact) that Google or Sun may have brought a similar tech to the world before MS did this (and that's not to say MS didn't do this in a better way), Microsoft should avoid doing anything vaguely related for fear of a bunch of dipshit assholes screaming about them not being 'The First'? Cause the 'I'm first' is so much more important than doing something 'good' or actually returning decent results?
     Reply
    Edited by Nekrik at 10/01/09 4:31 AM Nekrik was starred Nekrik was unstarred
    Image of Nekrik Nekrik
    10/01/09

    @Nekrik: hey, good point :).
     Reply
    TheLostVikings R.O.A.C.H. promoted this comment Edited by Nekrik at 10/01/09 4:36 AM Nekrik was starred Nekrik was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    10/01/09

    @Nekrik: No its more Microsoft can bring it out all they want, but they cant go around selling it like they are the first to do it since other companies beat them to it by years.

    Thats the problem I have honestly cause I am not a Sun fan personally. Its the fact that Microsofts own PR states its new and its the first time, when in fact its nothing of the sort and Tech blogs who dont know better are eating the Microsoft PR up.

    At least when Apple releases something they are clear on what is new and what is something that was done before, but Apple took a new take on (IE the iPod). Here Microsoft blatantly lied and said they did it first.
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of ItsMeMasih ItsMeMasih
    10/01/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    Wow... I could not have imagined an article about server farms would stir the extremists from each camp so much.

    All the gadget politics and die-hard affiliations aside, this is a very impressive feat. It saves MS tons of $$$ and takes advantage of the building's location to cut down on cost and energy. And even though it's 7x the size of Sun's server population, it takes just 4 people to set up!

    Don't crap on the article just because evil *insert stock symbol of choice* is doing it.
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment ItsMeMasih was starred ItsMeMasih was unstarred
    Image of Ellomdian Ellomdian
    10/01/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    I somehow suspect these may be Verrari boxes (sic?) and not just MS boxes. Kudos to MS for making this happen at scale, as it means that the tech can trickle down to smaller large data warehouses at a reduced cost.
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment Ellomdian was starred Ellomdian was unstarred
    Image of superberg superberg
    09/30/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    The best cooling system ever is a Chicago winter. :D Just leave the windows open from November through March.
     Reply
    superberg was starred superberg was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    09/30/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    Um Microsoft didnt create anything.

    Sun developed container based server units years ago. I remember reading about them in Wired when I was still in college back in 01-02.

    Just did some quick lookup, Sun first deployed their finalized Blackbox concept in 2006, meaning it beat Microsoft and Google by 3 years.
     Reply
    Edited by Jim Topoleski at 09/30/09 10:12 PM Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of Rosa Golijan Rosa Golijan
    09/30/09

    @Jim Topoleski: "While the modular, server-in-a-box approach might not get the stamp of revolutionary, the way Microsoft is approaching it is something worth paying attention to."

    It's about the way they're using it in their data center. :)
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan was starred Rosa Golijan was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    09/30/09

    @Jim Topoleski: True, but the MS ones hold nearly 7 times as many as the Sun Microsystems container based servers.

    So you know I'm not pulling it out of my ass:
    [www.sun.com]
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of ludwigk ludwigk
    09/30/09

    @Jim Topoleski: Google has a patent on portable data centers in shipping containers. I wonder what that means considering, as you say, Sun had this setup years before. Fight!
     Reply
    ludwigk was starred ludwigk was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    09/30/09

    @Rosa Golijan: But thats my point, it's NOT new, Sun has been selling theirs like this for years now. Not even the way they are using it is innovative, it's the EXACT same concept just scaled up because Microsoft has more money to blow than Sun.
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    09/30/09

    @ludwigk: [www.sun.com]

    Just because Google has a patent doesn't mean they can enforce it. Sun developed the concept, thus their version can be used as prior use and void Googles claims to it.
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of Rosa Golijan Rosa Golijan
    09/30/09

    @Jim Topoleski: They have something that's just as quick to set up/move? Similarly sustainable?

    D'you happen to have links handy? I'd like to include the info if that's the case.
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan was starred Rosa Golijan was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    09/30/09

    @Rosa Golijan: [www.sun.com]

    [www.sun.com]

    [www.youtube.com]

    Now I will admit the ability to use the location IS innovative, but its also particular to its deployment area and also a concept thats been done by other companies in their data center deployments.
    There is no way in hell being able to use the environment would be able to work in other areas like say Arizona, or Texas. Heck even NJ would not get cold enough in the winter to be able to pull off that type of environmental cooling
     Reply
    Edited by Jim Topoleski at 09/30/09 11:04 PM Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of Rosa Golijan Rosa Golijan
    09/30/09

    @Jim Topoleski: So, it's the same basic concept, on a much grander scale. It's kudos to Microsoft for managing to pull it off without losing sight of the economical aspects and actually expanding on those ideas by making this data center quite environmentally sustainable. They've made some good tweaks to the idea and it shows some great potential for further innovation, be it from Microsoft or someone else.

    Thank you very much for the links and the background info.
     Reply
    Edited by Rosa Golijan at 09/30/09 11:18 PM Rosa Golijan was starred Rosa Golijan was unstarred
    Image of 10pound 10pound
    10/01/09

    @Jim Topoleski: I remember that and to the best of my knowledge it never went anywhere outside of SUN. That may be the point of M$'s endeavor but BlackBox was originally developed and marketed to corporate and government customers. I just finished a large project where Sun was one of the partners. I asked one Sr Admin about BB and they said "wha?? oh that, no clue, think it died or something"
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski promoted this comment 10pound was starred 10pound was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    10/01/09

    @10pound: Um take a look at the links I posted. It most certainly did go beyond Sun. Just because some lackey you worked with doesn't know what you are talking about doesn't mean Sun hasn't been selling it for 3 years already.
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of CowZ CowZ
    09/30/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    How do you know if there aren't 100 illegal immigrants in those containers running them servers?
     Reply
    badhatharry promoted this comment CowZ was starred CowZ was unstarred
    Image of badhatharry badhatharry
    09/30/09

    @CowZ: Somebody get season 2 McNulty on this.
     Reply
    badhatharry was starred badhatharry was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked
    09/30/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    Oh, I see Microsoft is using white shipping containers. Is there any idea they won't steal from Apple?
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked was starred GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked was unstarred
    Image of Duckspwn Duckspwn
    09/30/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat: Nerd rage ensuing in 5,4,3,2...
     Reply
    Duckspwn was starred Duckspwn was unstarred
    Image of apollo89 apollo89
    09/30/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat: is there no stupid apple fanboy in the world?
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat promoted this comment apollo89 was starred apollo89 was unstarred
    Image of bucho54 bucho54
    09/30/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat: I heard that those containers were carved out of a single piece of steel! Thieves!
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat promoted this comment bucho54 was starred bucho54 was unstarred
    Image of ploopsy ploopsy
    09/30/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat: Apple stole the whole white look from the people that made my fridge.
     Reply
    Mike Zuniga: That was Unexpected promoted this comment ploopsy was starred ploopsy was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked
    09/30/09

    @bucho54: And I bet if you turn off the lights, you can see the Apple logo glowing.
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked was starred GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked was unstarred
    Image of taniquetil taniquetil
    09/30/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat:

    Pshh...Apple moved away from that tech years ago. Now they're using Unibody shipping containers.

    Unfortunately, they still haven't figured out how to open them once they're sealed.
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_JustAddLabCoat promoted this comment taniquetil was starred taniquetil was unstarred
    Image of ItsMeMasih ItsMeMasih
    10/01/09

    @taniquetil: they all ship with your very own Foxconn employee with a 5yr supply of food and water... you have to return it to the factory for replacement
     Reply
    Identity less than three promoted this comment ItsMeMasih was starred ItsMeMasih was unstarred
    Image of Identity (Metric) Identity (Metric)
    10/01/09

    @ItsMeMasih: Unless you accuse him of stealing and then he offs himself...

    too soon?
     Reply
    Identity (Metric) was starred Identity (Metric) was unstarred
    Image of apollo89 apollo89
    09/30/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    I hope Google is watching and listening.
     Reply
    apollo89 was starred apollo89 was unstarred
    Image of y3n0 y3n0
    09/30/09

    @apollo89: Google's been using them since 2005
     Reply
    y3n0 was starred y3n0 was unstarred
    Image of max11221 max11221
    09/30/09

    @y3n0: While the modular, server-in-a-box approach might not get the stamp of revolutionary, the way Microsoft is approaching it is something worth paying attention to because it might just be what'll help "meet the demand for cloud computing at scale."

    Reading is fundamental! NO ONE said MS is the first and only person to use containers..."THE WAY MS IS APPROACHING IT IS SOMETHING WORTH PAYING ATTENTION TO".....facepalm
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski promoted this comment max11221 was starred max11221 was unstarred
    Image of Jim Topoleski Jim Topoleski
    10/01/09

    @max11221: except the way Microsoft is approaching it is the exact same way everyone else has.

    Its NOTHING new, Microsofts PR is just making it seem like it is. The only thing they could possibly say is expandability, but again its simply because no one has dropped that much money to expand one that big. For MOST applications, there is no reason TO expand a data center to that size in the first place.
     Reply
    Jim Topoleski was starred Jim Topoleski was unstarred
    Image of Shisno Shisno
    09/30/09

    In reply to Microsoft's 224,000 Servers Fit Into 112 Containers and Only Take Four People to Set Up
    that is awesome
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment Shisno was starred Shisno was unstarred
    Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

Login

Enter your username and password.

Please enter a username.
Please enter your password.
logging in
Login via Facebook | Sign Up | Forgot Password?

Reset Password

Please enter your email address to have your password reset.

Please enter your email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
requesting password reset

Register

Registering will give you a user profile and the ability to add other users as friends. To become a commenter, however, you need to audition.

Want to know more? Consult the Comment FAQ and legal terms.

Please enter a username.
Please enter a password.
Please confirm your password.
Passwords are not identical.
Please enter a valid email address.
registration sent, waiting for reply

Submit Your Comment

You don't need to login to comment. Just enter your email address below.

See how your address will be displayed in the Comment FAQ.

Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
logging in

Login with your Facebook or Gizmodo account.

Sign up here.



  • Archives
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Legal
  • Help
  • Report a Bug
  • FAQ
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.