Over the past year or so I’ve argued that a better gauge for measuring processor performance is through metrics like the SPEC suite. Furthermore, I’ve mentioned that watts should also be increasingly taken into account (e.g., MIPS/Watt, FLOPS/Watt).
I have also discussed the emerging trend of packing systems into every denser proximities — even noting that IBM has modeled these details in a program called Project Kittyhawk.
The above screenshot is an image from a spiffy new datacenter firm based out of Las Vegas. The thing that caught my eye was the watt per sq. foot density.
While I am hardly the expert on this matter I am curious to know what Google and IBM are range their systems are balanced around. While their numbers may be a bit different, one should also take into consideration that firms like Google typically install OTS white-boxes whereas IBM is all about custom tailored server cabinets (designing every little divet and screw).
My bet is that SuperNAP (Switch Communications) is a boutique shop somewhere in between: OTS technology that is entirely homogeneous. A bit different than RackSpace for sure, but I bet the players will consolidate within the next decade bringing about those digital factories in the clouds.
I am curious to know what energy source is providing them electricity. Perhaps they are a new owner of solar tracking photovoltaic farm. After all, Las Vegas - like much of the southwest - gets a lot of solar radiation each year.
See also: Turning the Moon into a Black Body Object
Via The Register