Data Center Operators Double As Energy Brokers 35
mattOzan writes "When data centers first opened in the 1990s, the tenants paid for space to plug in their servers with a proviso that electricity would be available. As computing power has soared, so has the need for electricity, turning that relationship on its head: electrical capacity is often the central element of lease agreements, and space is secondary. While lease arrangements are often written in the language of real estate, they are essentially power deals. 'Since tenants on average tend to contract for around twice the power they need, Mr. Tazbaz said, those data centers can effectively charge double what they are paying for that power. Generally, the sale or resale of power is subject to a welter of regulations and price controls. For regulated utilities, the average "return on equity" — a rough parallel to profit margins — was 9.25 percent to 9.7 percent for 2010 through 2012.'"
Welcome to capitalism (Score:5, Funny)
Electricity is a scam! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Electricity is a scam! (Score:5, Funny)
AC power is a scam. First the electricity runs one way, then it stops and it runs the other way. They're selling you the same electrons over and over and over again.
One's not better even with DC power: no warranties that a closed circuit won't recirculate the same electrons over a certain period of time. Even worse, once you power on the device, they are taking the electrons which are stored by your device and just replace them with foreign ones in the same amount - how can you be sure the others have the same quality? Furthermore, the electrons that are stolen from you are used to carry the same heinous substitution on other unsuspecting customers.
Believe me, AC is much better - after powering off, you still do have the original electrons that the manufacturer of your device put in.
No-no-no-no... don't underestimate the importance of this fact!!!... For example: never-ever use the Monster Cables with DC current: they'll quickly lose their quality if you do it... and this for no other reason than you replace the original carefully nurtured and handpicked electrons... (shudders) God forbid: maybe even with ones "Made in China".