Data Center Innovations: Facebook’s Open Computer Project

Leave it to Facebook to take a direction that has not been taken ever before.  Facebook has done something revolutionary in the data center space that can rewrite the data center market in the days to come.
After open source software, the next thing is open hardware. With this aim in mind, and with the objective of collaboratively developing the most efficient computing infrastructure possible, Facebook has launched the Open Compute Project. What this means is that everyone has full access to the data center design specifications.

The Facebook team built a whole new data center at Prineville, Oregon, from scratch, which allowed them to let go of anything that did not contribute to energy efficiency. Some of the key innovations that came about from this project were:

– Use of 100% free air cooling
– Reduce the need for a central uninterruptible power supply
– Reduce the number of power transformers
– Use of a 480 volt electrical distribution system
The results of building a green data center? The Facebook data center with the Open Compute Project costs 24% less than Facebook’s existing facility and uses 38% less energy for the same capacity.
While the buzz in the industry is that not everyone is a Facebook and can have the means and flexibility to build a data center like that, it is also certain that this project will lead to changes and collaborations in the data center world with the common aim of creating energy-efficient data centers. Until the time you have the capacity to build a Greenfield data center, for more inputs on effective options such as collocation data centers, consult the experts at https://lifelinedatacenters.com/ today for a free quote, data center tour, and recommendation.

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.