The New Data Center Capital of America 162
crimeandpunishment writes "Move over Silicon Valley, here comes... Buffalo. Where the weather might actually be a big advantage. The recent opening of Yahoo's state-of-the-art data center, which uses the region's cooler climate and a high-tech 'chicken coop' design to dramatically lower energy costs is getting a lot of attention in the industry."
Buffalo, New York (Score:3, Informative)
For those who are curious, the article is about data centers in Buffalo, New York, and not one of the other many Buffalos in the USA.
Re:Buffalo, New York (Score:5, Informative)
So I'm confused as to why you think anyone would be confused.
They don't have NIAGARA FALLS though (Score:5, Informative)
So, per my subject-line above? Yes folks: We "upstate N.Y.'ers" can thank the GREAT Nikola Tesla for his creation of the Niagara Falls power turbine system (sends power as far as to NY City too, afaik/iirc)...
That cheap power? It was "part of the package" they used to attract YAHOO & others, along with tax incentives & plenty of cheap land: CHEAP electrical power via "hydro-power"!!!
APK
Yeah, right. (Score:5, Informative)
First off, where did they get that picture of a bunch of mini-tower machines on steel shelving, each with one Ethernet cable, one power cord, and one console connection, sitting on raised floor? That looks like clip art of some data center circa 1998. Here's the actual Yahoo data center in Lockport, [inhabitat.com] which, as you'd expect, is a big farm of 1U rackmounts. The "chicken coop" design is simply a low-cost prefabricated metal building with lots of ventilation grills. Looks like something ordered out of the Butler Buildings catalog.
Yahoo got $9 million in grants and 10 years of no taxes for this. Yet it will employ only 125 people. Probably less, once it's running.
Lockport is desperate. The big employer in town, Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems (formerly Harrison Radiator) had 6000 employees a decade ago. Now it has 2100, and has been threatened with closure several times.
better link (Score:3, Informative)
Re:yes...build it in an earthquake zone. (Score:2, Informative)
you have to be kidding me. the earthquake you linked happened in canada:
"The midday earthquake measured a magnitude of 5.0, and while centered 35 miles outside the Canadian capital of Ottawa, it sent tremors through Western New York and at least eight U.S. states. Locally, the rumbling rattled residents from Springville to Lewiston."
buffalo is hardly an active earthquake zone
Re:Buffalo? (Score:3, Informative)
Actually it's confused buffaloes as the animal, not Buffalonians.
On that matter, I hate confusing people.
Re:Buffalo? (Score:3, Informative)
A buffalo can be defined as either the animal, or a person who is buffaloed - hence a confused person.
Re:They don't have NIAGARA FALLS though (Score:2, Informative)
So, per my subject-line above? Yes folks: We "upstate N.Y.'ers" can thank the GREAT Nikola Tesla for his creation of the Niagara Falls power turbine system (sends power as far as to NY City too, afaik/iirc)...
That cheap power? It was "part of the package" they used to attract YAHOO & others, along with tax incentives & plenty of cheap land: CHEAP electrical power via "hydro-power"!!!
APK
I grew up in Buffalo. I know first hand that electricity there is anything but cheap. Most of the electricity produced at Niagara Falls goes east to NYC and points in between. This is because those areas will pay a higher premium for that "cheap" electricity. If YAHOO is getting cheap electricity it's because they aren't paying the going market rate for the area.
Re:What about... (Score:2, Informative)
Lockport's in Niagara County. We in Niagara County don't get the storms that bury Buffalo and especially the Southern Tier under 7 feet of snow every year like clockwork. Once Buffalo got stomped and Sanborn (where I went to college, just a couple miles west of Lockport) was still green.
-uso.
Re:Buffalo has good ping times (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not as cool as it used to be (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Why stop at Buffalo? (Score:3, Informative)
NYC and Boston are 7 and 8 hours away from Buffalo. You wouldn't be traveling to NYC to visit your data center in Buffalo.
Re:Yeah, right. (Score:3, Informative)