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Sun To Unveil Project Blackbox
Posted by
Zonk
on Tue Oct 17, 2006 09:33 AM
from the working-in-a-cave dept.
from the working-in-a-cave dept.
this great guy writes "A year ago, Google's secret plans for a portable data center in a shipping container were being revealed by Robert X. Cringely. Sun Microsystems is about to officially unveil its 'data center in a box' concept. Project Blackbox will involve the full-scale production of data centers in 20-foot-long cargo shipping containers." From the article: "The idea eliminates several major hurdles facing data center customers: finding an appropriate site, arranging the servers and cooling mechanisms in the most efficient manner, and waiting for construction to be complete. The company is touting energy efficiency as a crucial benefit of the confined space, as its patented cooling features can more accurately target hot spots than in giant warehouses. The box can hold hundreds of servers and save thousands of dollars per year in energy costs, the company said."
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Microsoft Mulling Portable Data Centers 137 comments
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Stanford Gets First Sun Blackbox 124 comments
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[+]
IT: Sun to Create Underground Japanese Datacenter 131 comments
Kurtz'sKompund writes with word of a Sun project in Japan, one that's taking a somewhat non-standard approach to data center construction. To save on power, heating, and water costs, the consortium is going to be building their center in an abandoned coal mine. The outpost will be created by lowering Blackbox systems into the ground; estimates on savings run to $9 million annually in electricity alone.
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I have a Vision (Score:5, Interesting)
*shudder*
Seriously, I could see this being useful for the military. You simply air-drop the container, and *BAM* instant command and control. It would save the Army IT guys tons of time in getting the field systems deployed. It seems like it would also be good for portable sites like construction work. Unfortunately, I can't really figure out what you would need that much horsepower for. We're talking about a datacenter capable of supporting massive web server, remote application, and database needs.
Those sorts of applications are usually fixed at secure locations. Why would you want to deploy them onsite? Laptops are usually sufficient for the work, and a collaboration server or two can easily be deployed in the existing office trailers. Wifi solves the wiring problem, soooo.... I'm not really getting this.
On the bright side, the cargo container looks cool.
Re:I have a Vision (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I have a Vision (Score:4, Insightful)
Is a laptop easier to steal than the old desktop chained to your desk? Yes. It's not so much about giving it less security, it's that a mobile unit is inherently a lot easier to steal than a fixed installation. I imagine time would be of essence as most companies that need a datacenter would notice quite quickly that it was missing. Cut the alarms, break up the locks, hook up the truck and when you're ready to go the whole datacenter is rolling before you know what hit you as opposed to start tearing down server racks. I suppose you could fix this by locking it down until you have a permanent installation, but then most of the point seems lost to me. If you're doing a once-over job on cooling and organizing then traditional datacenters do just fine. Stuff I see this as useful for is the type "Yes, I know we're moving next year when the new site is done, but we need more capacity now. Find me a cheap way to deploy it now but move it next year." That sort of implies you won't be embedding it in concrete any time soon.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Looks like corporate espionage is about to get a lot more interesting.
Not to mention the smuggling capability to get new tech to rogue states.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Only if you are silly enough to leave it on the container hauler chassis.
Once on the ground, you'd need a rollback, a Landoll trailer, rough-terrain forklift, or a very large commercial wrecker and a flatbed.
20-footers can be placed with a common commercial rollback (they don't need to be delivered on a trailer), and if desired they can be locked to anchors on the ground. Just pot the anchors (containing
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Anyone have any ideas on this? I'm genuinely curious how this would work logisticall
Re:I have a Vision (Score:5, Insightful)
If you're main datacenter is in The Planet down in Tx and you want a presence in the EU without the cost of a datacenter you can drop one of these off at the local telco peering point and wham! instant local presence. Later when traffic dictates you could consider upgrading to a full datacenter.
On a completely tangental note:
Beowulf cluster anyone?
-nB
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Martin
Re:I have a Vision (Score:5, Interesting)
Today there is a dearth of quality data center space. A well-executed container-based system that allows for various equipment to be installed inside, and that can be pre-configured in a wharehouse and literally "dropped" into place (have you ever seen how they deliver containers in parking lots...) is a great infrastructure solution.
The biggest challenge is finding ways to make it scale from an application standpoint, and really maximizing the energy benefits. My company was going to use heat pipes to the chips to free-cool servers; the problem is that a solution like that doesn't meet most IT organizations needs. (Could work for a Google, but not Citibank.)
Parent
Re:I have a Vision (Score:4, Interesting)
you can drop one of these off at the local telco peering point and wham! instant mindblowing beaurocracy (please hold while I con...)
On the other hand, if your relocating your datacentre to India, where your support staff are now located....
Parent
Re:I have a Vision (Score:5, Interesting)
It seems to me that Blackbox would be a boon for companies like HP. Companies can start with whatever IT infrastructure they need, be it a Blackbox or some organic collection of UNIX and Wintel stuff. When they've grown to the point that in-house IT infrastructure management costs more than it's worth*, HP trucks in a Blackbox. The client company moves data and does a test switchover. Then the HP Blackbox gets moved to the local datacenter and the real switchover occurs.
*There are days when I question if IT infrastructure management ever costs more than it's worth, but it's at least useful to recognize the reality that some CxO will draw that line in the sand...
Parent
Re:I have a Vision (Score:5, Interesting)
Continuity Of OPerations... also known as your disaster plan. If you leased however many of these you would need to replace your existing datacenter (possibly on some pro-rated insurance plan), you would have a great turnkey COOP alternative. You could even have them trucked out to your designated COOP site and test your plan, then return them to the company after the test...
It's also a business opportunity, if you look more closely...
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I suppose that really would work well with the whole "borg cube in the desert" thing. You configure your container, and the COOP provider slots it into place at their disaster site.
Still, a borg cube? *shudder*
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At 80kW, it is about $1M, and includes generator, UPS, and cooling. I forget if it is a 40' or 53' trailer, but you end up with just 8 rack-equivalents.
It's hard to believe that Sun has made a better solution in a smaller space, although the picture makes it look like the powe
Sun: Data Center is doomed (Score:5, Funny)
Now they've put in a box for burial?
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Having accumulated a couple of years in tent cities, I'd much prefer living in a container (that could have held gear and goods when deployed) instead of a rapidly deteriorating, smelly tent. Rather than having to build wooden walls and floors as is standard practice for tents, a container is turn-key ready. It is far more resistant to fire and weather, and can be turned into a stout bunker with sandbags, revetm
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Do you mean airdropped or just airlifted (parachute vs slingload under a helo)? I saw plenty slingloaded, but never saw anything but "soft" material airdropped.
Tell me about it. I spent my "garrison" time in Afghanistan playing plumber an
Hmm... (Score:3, Funny)
Obligatory question from IT (Score:2)
Obligatory... (Score:2)
Now that we've got that out of the way, I'd say this was an excellent way of delivering computing power. It's like a Webhost-in-a-box.
I wonder how much these things cost and how much power they consume? I'd read the article but I'm an engineer and never read instructions.
Security? (Score:5, Insightful)
Talk about industrial espionage and theft opportunities though:
"Hey buddy, what's that on the back of your truck?"
"It's YouTube, I just picked it up out of a parking lot down the street"
"Cool, I was just looking around for a container of MySpace myself"
Re:Security? (Score:5, Insightful)
If all else fails, make a stand that they lock into on the parking lot. Those containers really are built for security and durability.
Parent
Imagine... (Score:5, Funny)
Black box details... (Score:5, Funny)
Just 1 Question (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Hopefully your corporation has a few underutilized interns lying around. Place one of them near the Blackbox, with a sleeping bag, a bottle of water and a cellphone (to call for help), and you are good to go.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Are there some options? (Score:3, Funny)
Sounds like Sun is doing a MS (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Ideas are dime a dozen! You can have an "idea" for a perpetual motion machine, but that doesn't mean you can sit on it. Execute something and then patent it!!!
Gosh, aren't we already sick of bozos patenting "idea" of 'doing an auction... uh.. using a computer' ? How'd google be any different if they did the same ?
And BTW, Google couldn't have pulled off execution of the idea. It isn't like you shove a truck load of white boxes in there and expect them to magically work given the heat outputs (except if
Life Imitates Sci-Fi (Score:2)
possible uses? (Score:2)
Open Computing Environment (Score:5, Interesting)
Though if they can get Greenpeace into the act, maybe they can manufacture them biodegradable. Then just dump them into the sea currents for distribution around the world. Probably stay pretty cool, and no charge for rent.
Re:Open Computing Environment (Score:4, Informative)
Covering a house's entire roof in solar panels is barely enough to power several computers. Never mind hundreds of ultra-densely packed systems, needing heavy-duty cooling.
You've got a snowball's chance is hell (get it?) of getting the necessary power out of a few solar panels mounted on the container.
You have a much better chance, though, if you PACK this thing with portable cells, and have someone set them up, around the site. Though, you're definately going to need someone to stay around, keep people and animals away, and regularly clean sand, dirt, and leaves off the panels, or they won't last long.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Besides, there is actually lots of incident solar power. Even just the roof of a floating container is 8'x40' = 320ft^2 = 30m^2. Insolation in the tropics is about 1KW:m^2 at noon, probably about 400W:m^2 considering nights and weather. So each container gets over 10KW. Even 15% effi
Miltary already does this (Score:5, Interesting)
Imagine a containership full of those boxes (Score:2)
It might have uses (Score:4, Informative)
Well, now that I think about it you would really need to have a problem that must be solved on site and requires a lot of CPU power and a lot of bandwidth, and not so much need for imediate portability. Otherise you would use a semi-portable dish on the top of a truck to get some 12mb down and say 4mb up (depending on which side of the globe your on) to link you to a stationary data center. In this way you expose your assets a whole lot less and you are far more mobile.This of course assumes weather will not get in your way (which it does).
Maybe the modular datacenter that happens to have bay doors is a good application, assuming your problem is big enough to warrent purchassing equipment by the bussload... as you need it.
Nope, I changed my mind. When it comes down to it, I just don't see the potential for this super-product as its descibed here.
Maybe quick geographic redundancy might be a seller...
APC Beat them to Market (Score:3, Informative)
Internet Archive in a cargo container (Score:4, Informative)
--Pat
It's a Data Center AND a Data Mover (Score:4, Interesting)
A sun insider just told me... (Score:3, Funny)
Data Centers as Toasters (Score:4, Interesting)
I can see a market for this, as part of a package deal.
Keep in mind Sun is probably not going into the business of selling just any ole data center, they're gonna be selling you a "Sun Certified & Supported Data Center To-Go". Arrange for delivery, plug the color coded cables into the color coded sockets, flip the switch, and for US$50,000 down & US$10,000 a month you've got yourself a fully managed outsourced onsite data center.
Need redundancy? Stick one over in the parking garage, should something happen to the primary it's twin is a few hundred yards away with everything duplicated. Have a backup site in case of catastrophe? There's a discount, just sign here, the minute your primary site goes offline Sun will see to it your hot spare is up before the skeleton staff knows what happened. Need an additional data center? As part of the introductory package Sun will guarantee delivery, complete with data, within 24 hours anywhere in the 48 contiguous states.
Heck turn these into complete turnkey blackboxes and simply sign service level guarantees with Sun. Pay US$10,000 month for so many cycles, so much storage, all managed and backed up, completely overseen by Sun. All you do is supply the footings, power, ventilation, and 24 hour access for their technicians. The savings in support staff alone would cover it all.
Now all of these numbers are joke ones, but turning data centers into toasters, why not? Sun has been pushing pay-for-the-cycles-not-the-boxes for years, but folks want things onsite. So here it is. Standard. Efficient. Low-investment. Just sign the lease and pay the monthly bill and everything will be taken care of.
Re: (Score:2)
--==PHENOMENAL==--
--==COSMIC==--
--==POWERS!==--
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
If you stack them, they make great big buildings [containercity.com] too.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
They are 9'6" tall and MUCH more desirable for a dwelling!
http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis/taz/h/high_cube.jpg [tis-gdv.de]
http://www.proboxinc.com/productsp.htm [proboxinc.com]
Lotta pics and parts:
http://www.tandemloc.com/ [tandemloc.com]
BattleBox
http://www.geocities.com/strategicmaneuver/battleb oxes.htm [geocities.com]
Sea Box (food for thought)
http://www.seabox.com/id-2 [seabox.com]