Iceland's Data Center Push Finally Gets Traction 117
miller60 writes "Iceland is poised for the completion of its first major international data center project, after years of marketing itself as a potential data center mecca. Iceland offers an ample supply of geothermal energy and an ideal environment for fresh air cooling, but its ambitions were slowed by the global financial collapse. But now the huge UK charity Wellcome Trust has provided funding to complete a new data center in a former NATO facility in Keflavik."
What is the bandwith to iceland anyways? (Score:4, Insightful)
What is the bandwith to iceland anyways?
Re:Hilarious editors (Score:5, Insightful)
Do you have a need for datacenters? We do and I frankly could care less if our datacenters are located in the US and Iceland is an attractive location for the reason mentioned in the article. Geothermal power is plentiful and the climate keeps the cooling costs down, but there are some other factors to consider. Bandwidth is one, another is how much extra does it cost to design a facility to be more resistant to earthquakes as the vulcanization that offers those benefits of abundant geothermal power also means there is seismic instability.
There are other factors as well. Iceland has a small population. Do they have the local expertise? If not, how hard is it to get residency permits for foreign workers. What are the other associated tax laws and other legal differences in the area. Do they have different data laws than here in the US? Do these costs off set the energy cost savings?
I've been to Iceland a couple times to visit friends and like it there. They are used to constructing buildings to withstand earthquakes and they have an educated work force and middle of the rung when it comes to tax and other expenses. Our only huge concern I know was looking at the size of the population and wondering how many people in the entire country are familiar with Teradata. If not, we'd need to relocate a couple people at least for 3 - 5 years.
Re:What is the bandwith to iceland anyways? (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually no. Since it sits between Europe and North America, its a good place for a site or service that has users from both continents. You most likely already use sites that reside in Europe and we use sites that reside in US (like slashdot) anyway - its the middle ground.
Just don't use it for gaming servers.
Re:WikiLeaks & Iceland's Legislation (Score:3, Insightful)
Nor hard to reverse it when things go south.