It’s common sense not to want to get your technology wet, but Microsoft was like “Naw, we’re going to break the rules” and decided to dump over 800 of their data servers into the ocean off the coast of Scotland. Pretty rational, right?
Okay, that first paragraph might a bit hyperbolic… but what I’m actually talking about shows just how innovative Microsoft can be and that nothing will stop their drive (or dive) for progress. Project Natick was the company’s way of revolutionizing data centers. They took 12 racks of a total 864 servers, encased them in a large tank, and carefully lowered it over 100 feet to the sea floor.
But why would Microsoft want their data center underwater? It’s actually more sustainable for the environment than having data centers on land. Additionally, it can increase responsiveness for customers by keeping the servers closer to the people using the data off of them. But most importantly, it cuts cooling costs. Data centers are housing so much computing power that its bound to heat up with all that electricity bustling through it. Using seawater as a natural cooling process will help reduce those costs of cooling the centers. The hope is that, eventually, the data centers underwater will also be able to use sea water to convert into energy, making them even more eco-friendly.
The best part? Microsoft just started live-streaming the ocean floor via cameras on their data center, so if you would like a look at the sea life crawling around down below, that feature is specifically for you.
