When I think of how Google runs their search engine, I’m fascinated by how something so large can be so efficient. It’s hard to imagine anything but a virtual empire. However, the web-based giant runs severalelaborately designed data center operations across the United States and Europe. A quick look inside any one of these massive buildings gives you an idea of what it takes to manage the data of one the largest corporations on the planet.
Space
Google has been constructing data centers for over a decade and currently operates facilities in Oregon, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Iowa,Belgium, and Finland. Together, they create one of the most powerful networks in the world. The Iowa facility alone utilizes over 115,000 square feet.
Speed
Communication between facilities runs 200,000 times faster than your average residential Internet connection. I did a bit of research and learned that this is the case due to a combination of interconnected data centers and advanced fiber optics.
Efficiency
The buildings use thousands of high-tech fans and expansive piping networks to keep electronic systems from overheating.Like other modern co location centers, Google incorporate advanced security features, highly skilled staff, and even Eco friendly features. In fact, Google uses 50% less energy than most other data centers. Moreover, they have highly sophisticated methods for power backup in the event of an outage or natural disaster.
Google’s sheer size certainly warrants a complex operation, but smaller corporations are looking to vendors to host their data for them. Either way, there’s a lot of work that goes into each word you type into your favorite search engine.
To take a closer look at some high quality images taken inside the data center, head here.
