Microsoft Wants To Take on Amazon in Connecting Satellites To the Cloud (cnbc.com) 8
Microsoft is looking to challenge Amazon in offering a service that connects satellites directly to the company's cloud computing network, according to documents the company filed with the Federal Communications Commission last month. From a report: The effort shows how the two largest providers of cloud infrastructure -- data centers in far-flung places that can host websites and run applications with a smorgasbord of computing and storage services -- regularly seek to one-up each other. That way, the companies can appear ready and willing to meet many of the needs of prospective customers. Microsoft plans to connect a Spanish imaging satellite to two ground stations -- both located in Microsoft's home state of Washington -- to show that it can directly download satellite "data to the Azure Cloud for immediate processing," the FCC documents said.
A ground station, sometimes called an earth station, is the vital link for transmitting data to and from satellites in orbit. Microsoft notably proposed to construct one of the two ground stations itself at its data center in Quincy, Wash. The FCC on Sept. 2 authorized Microsoft to perform proof-of-concept demonstrations of the service. The authorization gives Microsoft a six month license that allows for communications and imagery data downloads. The Spanish satellite, called Deimos-2, was launched into orbit in June 2014. The satellite is operated by a subsidiary of Canadian satellite imagery company UrtheCast and, for the tests, the Deimos-2 satellite will only be in range of Microsoft's antennas for "just a few minutes."
A ground station, sometimes called an earth station, is the vital link for transmitting data to and from satellites in orbit. Microsoft notably proposed to construct one of the two ground stations itself at its data center in Quincy, Wash. The FCC on Sept. 2 authorized Microsoft to perform proof-of-concept demonstrations of the service. The authorization gives Microsoft a six month license that allows for communications and imagery data downloads. The Spanish satellite, called Deimos-2, was launched into orbit in June 2014. The satellite is operated by a subsidiary of Canadian satellite imagery company UrtheCast and, for the tests, the Deimos-2 satellite will only be in range of Microsoft's antennas for "just a few minutes."
Oh great (Score:1)
...now even Zeta Reticulans can snoop into our private data.
Microsoft Update via DirecTV? (Score:2)
Here's a problem... whenever Microsoft issues a big patch, the Internet slows down. Everybody using the 'net, from web browsers to credit card processors feel it.
So, why not set up a consumer satellite broadcast data channel? This was tried by Sega in the past, but failed because it was foreign ownership and weak content. However, Microsoft and DirecTV are much more popular in today's world... so this could take a load off of the Internet. Think of PointCast's failure, it was a massive download that was fee
Re: (Score:2)
Microsoft's whole update process is a disaster and has been for over a decade. They know how bad it is but seem to not to want to fix it.
Rubbish. By taking away control of updates from the user they can now schedule everybody's update time precisely and thus avoid any bottlenecks in the network.
Re: (Score:2)
You mean bottlenecks in THEIR network.
Sure as fuck never helped my network any, ever.
Sounds great ... (Score:3)
Microsoft Wants To Take on Amazon in Connecting Satellites To the Cloud
Inter-connecting a network of satellite networks, that are literally in the sky -- like some sort of Sky Network, or Skynet -- with vast ground resources. Sounds great! Add this to Microsoft's recent DoD Jedi contract award and what could possibly go wrong?
[ ... insert M$ EEE jokes here ... ]]
Big improvement (Score:3)
It used to be hacking satellites was a pain because you needed to put up a big dish antenna. Doing it through the Internet will be much more convenient.