Where Internet: 10 super data centers

We've learned that data is stored in "the cloud" is a collective metaphor for the technology underlying the thousands of services. However, the data centers, through which we have the opportunity not to take up space on the hard disk of the computer can be called the most fortified and resource intensive structures of our time. Each of them is a fortress with servers that consume as much energy as a small city. We chose the 10 greatest, beautiful and "clean" data centers, each of which is a real work of art engineers.

Digital Beiijing, Beijing, China

11-story building a data center in Beijing was built for the 2008 Olympics architectural Bureau Studio Pei-Zhu. It has combined functions of an information center and technical management of the Games. In addition to the impressive computing power, it is interesting architectural decision of the building. Concrete cube as if floating on the smooth water surface, and its walls are cut of light channels, reminiscent of a barcode. In addition, the architects had the task to make the centre an embodiment of the concept of "Green Olympics". Internal and external lighting uses only led bulbs that use 60% less electricity than normal, and a special glass wall prevents the penetration inside heat, reducing cooling costs. After the closure of the sports in the Digital Beijing has launched an interactive Museum of contemporary technologies.

Data center Apple, maiden, North Carolina, USA

Apple is constantly reducing the energy costs and reduces the harm that data centers of the company cause to the environment. According to reports Apple since 2013, 100% of their data centers and 94% of the offices working on renewable energy sources. The company continues to move to more independence from suppliers of electricity. The data center in Maiden is surrounded by 400 000 square metres of solar panels that generate 42 million kilowatt-hours per year. This is enough to provide electricity to 60% of the servers and cooling systems, and the remaining energy produces a nearby station operating on biofuel.

Data center Citigroup, Frankfurt, Germany

In 2008, when it was built the data center of Citigroup in Frankfurt, he was considered the "greenest" in the world. Citi Data Center became the first building in Germany, which received platinum LEED certification. This means that the building combines the efficient use of energy, water, light and air, it is comfortable for employees, well integrated in transport infrastructure and has minimal impact on the surrounding area.

Besides all this, data center, designed by Arup Associates, and even looks nice: one of the facades is covered with real grass (it collects rain water), the complex is full of greenery and there is even internal parks for employees.

Data centre Telehouse West, London, UK

The British company Telehouse leases server capacity to those companies who do not need their own data centers. Telehouse important for data security and absolute reliability of the equipment, but also the environment the company's representatives are also thinking. Next to the data center, located in the Docklands area of London, there is no place for solar panels or wind turbines, so that Telehouse buy electricity. Since 2011, 100% of this energy SmartestEnergy supplies is a company specializing in the repurchase and delivery of renewable energy so that all equipment in Telehouse West runs on the energy of the British sun, wind and waves.

Data center Telefónica, alcalá de Henares, Spain

In alcalá de Henares on a plot size of eight football fields, the largest telecommunications company in Spain, Telefonica, has built a data center, which provides its cloud services in Spain, England and Germany. There are servers that are rented — they take tens of thousands of square meters. It is the largest in Europe and third largest in the world data center. The building has already received LEED gold certified, assuring the highest quality and reliability services data center. The building structure consists of several modules, each of which is non-volatile.

Data center eBay, Phoenix, USA

"If we are here, says Dean Nelson, senior Manager of eBay, responsible for building the data center in the Arizona desert — we can anywhere." Indeed, to build a data center to be properly cooled, one of the hottest places in the country was a risky idea. Usually servers are functioning normally at temperatures from 18 to 26 degrees above zero Celsius, but the engineers eBay managed to make it so that the data center can run even at +46. Inside the data center is so hot that the cooling water can be used, which temperature reaches 28 degrees, and still it will cool the equipment. But the most innovative design, which is used at this facility, containers, reminiscent of the cargo, in which is placed the equipment. The efficiency of such a container reaches 95%, which means that almost all the energy directed to it from the power plant, spent on maintaining the server and not on cooling.

Data center Google, Hamina, Finland

In processing and storing data, Google has no equal: the data centers of this giant of the Internet industry scattered around the globe, and almost all of them correspond to "green" standards. However, the data center, located in the Finnish town of Hamina on the Baltic sea, deserves special attention. A portion of the servers located in a former paper factory and the second in the restored engine room, once designed by the great Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Google spent $ 350 million on the purchase and renovation of these buildings — this is a record amount, because the construction, for example, the data center Telefonica Alkali cost 200 million. For cooling it uses the icy waters of the Gulf of Finland that this will require the building of paper mills, because paper production also uses enormous amounts of water.

Data center Verne Global, Reykjavik, Iceland

Data center Verne Global in Reykjavik carmaker BMW uses for theoretical and empirical research. It was here, on a supercomputer, calculated the aerodynamics of new cars and analyzes the results of the crash tests. Moving the supercomputer from Germany to Iceland, the company reduced carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere from 3570 tonnes per year to zero. Managed by geothermal and hydroelectric plants that feed the new center: one geyser produces 10 megawatts of clean energy, and in the vicinity of Reykjavik is full of geysers. Such production, on conviction, the company does not harm the environment. Power the data centre is also available for rent any company wanting to reduce your carbon footprint and save money.

Data center Hewlett-Packard, Billingham, United Kingdom

The harsh climate of the North of England and winds of the North sea allow the data center Hewlett-Packard to work without air-conditioning most of the year, reducing costs by 40%. The air passes through two giant fan, then is filtered and chases to the floors, maintaining a constant temperature of +24 °C. This system was first used here, and although it increased the construction costs by 6%, in four years of operation these costs are paid off. The same offshore wind supply company electricity: wind turbines are nearby all year round, reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere more than doubled. In addition, rainwater from the roof is collected and used in the humidifiers, and all the walls inside the data center are painted white to reduce the need for artificial lighting.

IBM data center, Syracuse, USA

IBM data center on the campus of Syracuse University in upstate new York is the result of the experiment of the famous technology companies. The IBM has agreed to allocate funds to build and provide equipment if designers can reduce power consumption by half compared with the conventional center of the same capacity. In 2009 the building was completed, which gave the University the opportunity to close the old IT centre, located in a 100 year old building. Feeds data center its own power plant running on gas and producing electricity with the help of 12 micro-turbines. This design was developed specially for this project, and its effectiveness is 60% higher than conventional gas-fired power plants.