Apple's new data center: "ridiculously big scaling-up of business or a whole new thing"
Apple's new data center in North Carolina is amongst the biggest being built in the world right now. At over 500,000 square feet it is bigger than both Microsoft and Google's latest data centers and five times its current data center in Newark California (109,000 sq. ft).
The obvious question is: What will Apple do with this new space? Cult of Mac spent a few moments with a data center guru to get some answers.
It seems Apple could follow a couple of different courses:
- Apple currently hosts most of their users' MobileMe data. If MobileMe should grow in scope (bigger email boxes, more pictures and videos) it is going to need more space = bigger data center.
- Most of Apple's web and media content isn't hosted by them. It is hosted by 3rd parties like Akamai and 7digital. Apple could be trying to bring in some of this capability to reduce costs and gain flexibility
- Apple could be working on new Cloud tools that require not just bandwidth but also some databases and CPU cycles. We've heard that Apple is working on their own version of Google's Grand Central to bring to its iPods, iPhones tablets and other mediums via iChat.
- We've also heard that Apple is experimenting with moving iTunes libraries into the cloud as part of MobileMe. On one hand having everyone's music collection in the cloud would be incredibly complex. However, the most popular iTunes songs are on millions of different iTunes libraries. If Apple's system is capable of recognizing duplicates, it could save petabytes of space by indexing the music and pointing everyone's reference to one copy. In fact, Apple already stores most of the world's available music and videos in its iTunes library. Making symbolic links to purchased music would be easy. Apple also does a similar thing with iPhone apps. If you lose your iPhone, you can just redownload your whole application library. Fortunately, they control the rights to the iPhone apps. Media companies might not be so willing to let people redownload their music/videos. Also, users might not like to give Apple all of their music.
Some fun facts:
• Apple's existing Newark, CA., Data Center is around 109,000 square feet--the new one is over 500,000. That represents either a ridiculously big scaling-up of business or a whole new thing
• 500,000 square feet is among the largest centers being built in the world on a single site. Microsoft's new one in Chicago is around 400,000, in comparison
• "The companies that are building the biggest data centers tend to also have the biggest cloud ambitions"
• The choice of site location depends on cheap electricity and/or fast broadband pipes to the World. Rural North Carolina was chosen probably more for tax breaks and low-cost running rather than fast connectivity
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Comments (20)
I don't think it's much of a mystery now. It could be that they are planning on doing all of the above suggested.
I live in North Carolina and am wondering what the chances are of being able to take a tour of the new facilities!
...the secret killer feature of the HD gizmo is subscription-based media.
I live in North Carolina and am wondering what the chances are of being able to take a tour of the new facilities!
Yeah take a Snow Ball to Hell if it doesn't melt you can have your tour. One Snowball ONLY!
According to Dante, at least, hell is freezing, that is because Satan lives in the last circle of hell, and the last circle of hell is the furthermost point from God, therefore being deprived of his wisdom and warmth. So I the snowball would have a good chance to make it there. I will be picking up my snowball too, since I am dying to see what they will do there.
I wouldn't be surprised if the "iTablet" is cloud-based. Mobile Me could be extended with other applications for this. The tablet won't need much processor power just a fast browser that is equipped for cloud-based computing as is Safari 4. The iPhone allready is an example of light programs that get interesting because they tap into large databases and computing power in the cloud.
You could also imagine an analogy to 3G versus Wifi. On the road it's a cloud computer through 3G. At home you could use it on wifi as a remote control screen for your Mac at home so that you can have good processing capacity and your media libraries to carry around your house (couch, bed etc.)
Apple is going to add porn to itunes!
That would do it for sure lolololol
other than the ones put forth here was a commenter on another site who made the case that this center is for a App Store for Mac Applications - bigger apps need bigger servers - would spark Mac app development.
That won't happen until they figure out how to properly run the iphone's app store.
Right now Apple is in hot water with the FCC cause of how poorly it's being run.
I suspect that Apple's FCC issues are a flash in the pan. The App store is fairly new and is still working out the standards of quality apps it will sell at the store.
Why is the FCC involving itself in a retail application store? Where is the FCC's authority? Does the FCC have the authority to determine what briefs and panties that the local JC Penny sells? I don't think so. Why is it meddling here?
The question is about AT&T, which is a regulated monopoly, not Apple. Did AT&T use improper authority to pressure Apple into denying access of Google's Voice App to the Application store? If so, then Apple is a victim of coercion. Not a criminal.
The problem is that we don't know why Apple rejected Google Voice, not once, but many times.
if thats how apple pulls game developers to the mac platform then ill be damned.. neat trick !
Apple is one of those companies that are truly embracing cloud services. This allows Apple to do what they do best...Think Big!
Needed for iTunes subscription service?
Let's see what is known:
iTunes (+App Store etc) - Growth is exponential
MobileMe - Growth is linear (included space will probably double every 2 years)
iWork - probably linear with number of Macs sold
Next Big Thing - probably exponential
Other than that you think load balancing and failover from other centers.
They may predict their needs further out from when it is ready.
This list could be so long and each possible use could be probable.
I just hope it is the "Next Big Thing":-)
All these ideas are quite probable, Apple has always loved to talk about how cloud computing is the futre and it is! I am not sure but there is something boiling in Apple's basement and I can't wait until its served up to us on a nice platter.
between the lines ;).
Apple is going to directly compete with Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, ... in the iSPYonYOU market place.
If you do not know already, there are HUGE amounts of money in the SPY ON PEOPLE business. The patriot act under bush, the turn your neighbor in program under obama. Fact is, Governments pay big bucks for this info.
Apple now has its own set of tools for doing this. They just need a warehouse to 'warehouse it all.'
Face recognition, product registrations with MAC addresses etc. iChat contact lists, email lists, crash reports (amazing what gets sent in some of those), iTunes data (credit cards, buying habits, and rumored more buying habits when they release their version of google checkout/paypal). There are all sorts of things that can be sent to Apple when you do software updates. Huge amounts of log files sit on your computer. Add in wifi iPods and iPhones, and there's a whole new ball game of information.
So, how does it work? How does Apple get paid for this information? Simple. Not all Governments are allowed to collect data on citizens because of privacy. However, many of these Governments have decided the laws to be technicalities. As long as they are not collecting the data, then it is okay. So, they pay for access to the data. Privacy aside, most Governments are not equipped with the expertise to handle this business, and for them to do so, would raise questions in the public eye anyhow, defeating the purpose.
So, why do you think Google was started, and you honestly do not think that all their revenue comes from ads do you? That would make them the largest ad agency in the world by a land slide. Nope, it's pay per spy. Google Analytics, Gmail, Google Search, Google voice/grand central and more. Do you honestly think a guy left the intelligence service and joined Google early on because he thought 'hey, i want to be in an upstart search and advertising company?' Nope, the plan was there in the beginning.
Next time you hear people say 'Eric was on Apple's board stealing ideas' remember that Apple may have been doing the same. Also remember that Apple and Steve Jobs have a long time relationship with the Government, software development, and even have people like Al Gore on the board of directors. Apple is a huge supporter of 'social change' and other movements and they have the cash to back a lot of it up.
If it were up to me to guess, this data center will put Apple's cash reserves at 60 billion within 5 years.
There's a lot of money in data. If you only knew how to protect yourself. ;) Enjoy your day :D
You are simply not interesting or important enough to have garnered the interest of the gestapo. America is moving toward a Social Democratic state such as they have in Europe. But, it would take decades of Democrat Party efforts for us to become a NAZI state. A reaction has already setting in.
Mostly though, Obama's administration is paying off its Democrat Party faithful. They have been thwarted from being in power since 1994. America has had divided power since then, so some leftist dreams have been piling up. It seems as though Obama is following Jimmy Carter in that he will soon become a laughing stock. His popularity has plunged below 50%.
Don't get Obama wrong, he will try to be an agent of change. The problem is that the changes he wants to implement are not even close to his campaign promises and will destroy America lives and property. His foreign policy will persuade the world that we are weak, which is provocative. It won't take long before tyrants are kicking sand in our faces and stealing our girls.
yeah! another reason for more Yankees to move here!