Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cloud
    • Cloud

    Microsoft’s Project Natick Takes Cloud Computing Underwater

    By
    Pedro Hernandez
    -
    February 1, 2016
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      underwater cloud data center

      Water and IT equipment generally don’t mix. Nonetheless, that’s not preventing Microsoft from floating a cloud data center in the unlikeliest of places: the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

      Today, the Redmond, Wash., software giant took the wraps off Project Natick, an experiment in establishing an energy-efficient, low-latency cloud computing facility on the ocean floor. Last summer, Microsoft dropped a more than 38,000-pound, 10-foot by 7-foot container more than half a mile from the Pacific coast.

      Housing a server rack with the processing power of approximately 300 home PCs, the Project Natick vessel stayed underwater for three months. “Once the vessel was submerged last August, the researchers monitored the container from their offices in Building 99,” blogged Microsoft spokesperson Athima Chansanchai.

      Nestled in the company’s Redmond, Wash., headquarters, Building 99 is home to Microsoft Research. “Using cameras and other sensors, they recorded data like temperature, humidity, the amount of power being used for the system, even the speed of the current,” continued Chansanchai.

      While they evoke a floaty image, cloud data centers are typically situated on land. The tactic of placing servers under the water but near the shoreline could help cloud providers solve some of the challenges of keeping up with explosive demand for their services.

      “That’s one of the big advantages of the underwater data center scheme—reducing latency by closing the distance to populations and thereby speeding data transmission. Half the world’s population, Cutler says, lives within 120 miles of the sea, which makes it an appealing option,” wrote Chansanchai, citing a statistic provided by Microsoft Research’s Ben Cutler, the project manager behind the experiment.

      Another benefit to underwater data centers is reduced cooling costs.

      “Cooling is an important aspect of data centers, which normally run up substantial costs operating chiller plants and the like to keep the computers inside from overheating. The cold environment of the deep seas automatically makes data centers less costly and more energy-efficient,” Chansanchai stated. Microsoft is also exploring the possibility of using wave or tidal energy, raising the possibility of cloud services powered by renewable energy.

      Project Natick may also have an effect on data center planning. “This project also shows it’s possible to deploy data centers faster, turning it from a construction project—which requires permits and other time-consuming aspects—to a manufacturing one,” said Chansanchai.

      In a YouTube video from Microsoft, Cutler said the project’s goal is to “deploy data centers at scale, anywhere in the world, from decision to power-on within 90 days.”

      Suggesting that Microsoft is pleased with results of the pilot, the company is exploring an expansion of the project.

      “The team is currently planning the project’s next phase, which could include a vessel four times the size of the current container with as much as 20 times the compute power. The team is also evaluating test sites for the vessel, which could be in the water for at least a year, deployed with a renewable ocean energy source,” Chansanchai wrote.

      Pedro Hernandez
      Pedro Hernandez is a contributor to eWEEK and the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Previously, he served as a managing editor for the Internet.com network of IT-related websites and as the Green IT curator for GigaOM Pro.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×