What is Google up to?

[maro25]

"The probable answer lies in one of Google's underground parking garages in Mountain View. There, in a secret area off-limits even to regular GoogleFolk, is a shipping container. But it isn't just any shipping container. This shipping container is a prototype data center. Google hired a pair of very bright industrial designers to figure out how to cram the greatest number of CPUs, the most storage, memory and power support into a 20- or 40-foot box. We're talking about 5000 Opteron processors and 3.5 petabytes of disk storage that can be dropped-off overnight by a tractor-trailer rig. The idea is to plant one of these puppies anywhere Google owns access to fiber, basically turning the entire Internet into a giant processing and storage grid."

http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20051117.html

so guys what od you think?

 

[temi]

Facinating

 

[dmscs]

They are a clever bunch at google. I think that conspiracy theories will be bounding all over the place about this one.

My opinion if I were in their shoes would be to use the "device" as a mobile "datacenter" backup device. So if one of the many Google Data centers gets attacked by either commercial or other terrorst factions then they have an alternative that they can hook up next to the smouldering building. Contingency!

I see it as a kind of slightly larger scale 200gb hdd in a portable USB caddy.

Of course if you favour the conspiracy theory then put your tongue in cheek and read the headline below.

"Google develops databank of all American DNA in secret deal with Government!"

Insiders at Mountain view have become increasingly concerned by a secret location that has been off limits from their normal working ay of life at the Googleplex. Major concerns arose when a number of high ranking Government Officials have been seen attending closed door meetings. One such insider dubbed "Googlebloke" revealed that ruhmours are raging in the company about the secret development of an application to catalogue all American DNA/Gene pool information for a top secret military deal that was finalised last fall.
The information leaked to newsgroups is scetchy and .........................

Do we care? Let the giant get on with it.

 

[Jess]

and googlenet will be born ........

 

[temi]

There is a season for everything, we are in Google season at present, I remember when AltaVista rule the waives, where are they today? In the dark corners of Yahoo empire.