Microsoft plans Russian data center
As if the Microsoft vs. Google battle didn't already resemble a game of Risk, the software giant announced plans to move into Irkutsk.
The software maker confirmed Monday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the regional Siberian government, but said that it is too soon to say whether Irkutsk will be the site of a planned data center in Russia.
"Though Microsoft Russia is working on potential data center construction in Russia, we are still far from final site selection," the software maker said in a statement.
Microsoft has been on a building spree of late, recently announcing plans to move into Chicago, to go along with existing efforts in Quincy, Wash., San Antonio, Texas, and Dublin, Ireland.
Building all of these massive server farms is necessary, not only for the Windows Live effort, but also as Microsoft adds services components to other products, such as Office, SharePoint, and Exchange.
"All of the Microsoft product groups are going to have to have some online component to them," said Mike Manos, Microsoft's senior director of data center services. "One of the outgrowths of that has been the data center program." His role, he said, is making sure that the company's server capacity is not the "binding gate" to the company's expansion.
"You never want to have infrastructure be the reason you can't grow your business," he said in a recent interview.
Manos said that Microsoft has 35 different criteria when choosing a site, things like access to water and power, electricity prices and data fiber capacity. The company has created a heat map of the world, down to the local level.
"It literally colors the world from red to green," Manos said.
Each of the sites Microsoft has chosen so far has unique attributes, he said. In San Antonio, for example, the company makes use of recycled water. That's better for the environment he said, but is also green in another sense.
"Data centers consume a lot of water," Manos said. "Using gray or recycled water is not as expensive as using water out of the municipal system."
In Chicago, Microsoft's data center is being built at the site of a dilapidated warehouse. It's also being built by an outside company, Ascent, which had picked out the site and approached Microsoft about being one of several tenants. In the end, Microsoft negotiated to be the site's only tenant and to have control over how the facility is built.
"By and large, the movement forward is for us to build and operate our own (data centers)," Manos said. "Where it makes sense to lease we take a look at it. At the size and scale we are at, co-location doesn't make sense."
Another plus of Chicago, Manos said, is the ability to use the Windy City's frigid winter weather to provide natural cooling--a benefit that Siberia could certainly offer as well. As for the potential Irkutsk location, it has the added benefit of giving a new threat to Microsoft managers. Mess up, and you really might be sent to Siberia.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9oh3gqOEKU
Have Russia use Microsoft products so the security and bugs are
rampant. This is the way to Putin's downfall!
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_Europe_s_Spaceport/index.html
Whoaahhh.... there may not be safe either, read this story:
http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56533340
"Venezuela or Myanmar..."??? Some "axis" of evil - Huh!
Now, "All Your Base (Data Centers) Are Belong To Us"
When you have all your resources in one geographic location and that area suffers a problem (like fires in SoCal that severed fiber optic lines last month) or flooding in England over the spring and summer that took out many of their ISP's and data centers, it makes financial and logistical sense to have your resources in several physical locations.
Belated Happy Thanksgiving!
- Cryptic Coded C++ Content
- by Shannon Michael November 27, 2007 4:43 PM PST
- Calling computer cubefarm chainsaw
- Reply to this comment
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(10 Comments)consultant casualty.
CLM cause of current cash-flow controversy?
Career choices cloistered and censored?
CSVED of choice computer consultant contracts collapsed? Copyright conflicts causing concern
on current cybersquatting?
Considering cracking as a career?
Clan-members challenging co-existence?
Cease cat-mousing, chatting, cyberstalking
and configuring your chips and salsa.
Check-out the Cyberculture News classified column.
Careers: Computers: Contractors:
Computer Consultants: Ciberia: Cold!
Cybermediary cost... Si. Cinco C-notes.
Ciao!
Classified Content: Cryptic Code: C++ Microsoft Jobs Opportunities? >> Cyberculture News >> Shannon McPherson's Blog at ZDNet UK Community