Microsoft swims to ocean’s depth to test underwater data centre as environmental friendly cloud computing alternative.
In an effort to reduce data centre energy consumption and heat emission, Microsoft revealed Project Natick, an enthralling research initiative that could bring cloud computing infrastructure closer to big cities near large bodies of water by putting data centres underwater.
Microsoft’s vision is to see self-contain data centres placed hundreds of feet below sea level removing the biggest cost of running these operations on land — air conditioning. Using the naturally cold environments of the ocean, Microsoft hopes to help continue to boost the adoption of cloud computing by businesses around the globe.
“Project Natick reflects Microsoft’s ongoing quest for cloud data centre solutions that offer rapid provisioning, lower costs, high responsiveness, and are more environmentally sustainable,” Microsoft explains on the website for the project.
“During our deployment of the Leona Philpot vessel, sea life in the local vicinity quickly adapted to the presence of the vessel,” Microsoft says on the Project Natick website.
Now Microsoft is looking to advance the research by building larger capsules. According to John Markoff of the New York Times, people working on the project have begun developing three times as large as the first.
The project itself is still in the research stages, but it could be a forward-looking solution to deal with the rising energy demands at data centres.
For those who are excited / interested about it, here is the video on that. Have a look!
