The Microsoft initiative is named after Natick and could solve the problem posed by the increasing amount of data we handle.
We all have in mind an image of what a data center looks like: corridors and corridors full of servers where the content and information that we request from our computers or phones is stored.
What we don’t usually think about is the amount of heat that all these computers give off. Keeping a data center at optimal operating temperature is extremely expensive, and the companies in charge of doing so are constantly looking for ways to lower the associated costs.
Some server farms, for example, are installed in very cold areas of the planet . The problem is that the physical connection distance between servers and computers is important, especially for some specific uses such as video games. A signal delay can mean the difference between winning or losing a multiplayer game.
Natick seeks to solve the heat problem by submerging the data center in the ocean. A capsule with all the servers and connections is deposited about ten meters deep near the coast. Water temperature and underwater currents dissipate heat much more efficiently and economically than the powerful cooling systems required by servers on land. Every five years, the capsules will be collected to change components and repair defects.
Photo (Microsoft): Operators submerge one of Project Natick’s underwater data centers.
