Databases In Caves? A Unique Google Fiber Bid

An anonymous reader writes "Plenty of cities have submitted bids for the Google Fiber project, with most of their bids being centered around the attributes that could describe many communities. Yet one small midwestern town, with much less fanfare than the metropolitan bids, provided an unusual proposition for Google in their likely quixotic nomination. Quincy, IL, has an extensive series of underground caverns that could provide year-round temperature control, dedicated hydroelectric power, and security in the case of a terrorist attack."

Fantasic Idea!

[Kagato]

I don't know if they will be google fiber finalist, but they make a very compelling argument for being a data center. Kudos for using the competition as a backdoor into media spotlight.

no, caves suck

[circletimessquare]

1. they are hard to get to

2. they are hard to get supplies to and build in

3. they flood

4. they have air quality issues

5. and they ARE cool... until you put a bunch of servers in them, and then they heat up, and STAY hot, and are harder to cool than on the surface

the idea of servers in caves sucks

Re:no, caves suck

[FooAtWFU]

I was reading somewhere about the London Underground - how, when it opened, it was really nice and cool in the tunnels and everyone enjoyed a break from the summer heat... but a century of operations has heated the very bedrock, and now it's sweltering down there, and they're trying to figure out ways to effectively do air-conditioning in stations and on trains ... which can be tricky, since some of the tubes are so tight that there's not really anywhere for the waste heat to go. (They were talking about having the trains make blocks of ice while in other segments, and letting those melt while they're in the narrow under-the-river tubes).

Cave as a work environment

[lena_10326]

I've worked in the Kansas City caves and sat behind a desk on a computer for a while. It's fascinating for the first day but that ends quickly. The lack of sunlight and outdoor exposure really gets to drain on you week after week. Imagine getting up and going outside for some fresh air but when you go outside it's very dark, humid, claustrophobic, and the air is stale. It drives you nuts. Especially when you hear creaks and cracks all day in the dead of silence. I would not want to be an IT admin working in a cave.

Re:no, caves suck

[Swervin]

3. they flood

Depends on the cave. Of course, if you're going to build a dam a scant three miles away and vastly raise the water table, well, it's probably going to be a concern with this cave.

Dam is already there, they're just adding a hydro electric plant to it. Lock and Dam 21 [wikipedia.org]

Re:no, caves suck

[ErikLalande]

These caves don't flood. Monster food companies use them to store food in, and they are a mile from the river.

Re:Fantasic Idea!

[Anonymous Coward]

Proponents of underground houses cite the thermal properties of their structures as a benefit. NOT because it provides infinite cooling, but because the earth acts as a capacitor. The cave will be packed from floor to ceiling with servers, and the heat will go into the surrounding earth and stay there. After two months the limestone surrounding the data center will approach the heat capacity - they'll have to shutdown, and the surrounding rock will be radiating heat for a month.