IBM traps Captain Planet in a container
IBM wants to save the world one modularized data center at a time. Some folks talk about helping Mother Earth by planting trees and performing deep soil massages on their front lawns. But not server makers. They talk about greening up the world by packing as many pieces of hardware, power supplies and air conditioning units as …
Funny way to spell "White Trash"
IBM was shipping containers full of equipment to park in customers' car parks in the 1980s - probably earlier than that even. The equipment may be different today but this is clearly a case of been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
"Big Blue has hopped right aboard the containerized data center bandwagon and started steering the thing."
And its Lead Driver Algorithm? Or is that Proprietary Information? Without one, some might say they are just Hitching a Ride, AIMagical Mystery Turing .... and man, would that render them as Relevant to Tomorrow as Yesterday is to Day..... aka AlsoRans Running.
The Perception, of course, is theirs to Address and Steer..... as a bandwagon with a Lead Driver Algorithm is just Support Backing Vocals for AIMain Event Festival .... Colossal Program.
Back when I was a computer op in the USMC in the late '80's, IBM was stuffing entire mainframes and all attendant peripherals into a tractor trailor to be hauled into foreign areas. It's not too amazing that they can shove a bunch of X86 gear into a trailer.
Pirates because I'd like to stuff Paris in a trailer.
Of course, ahem... "as a bandwagon with a Lead Driver Algorithm is just Support Backing Vocals for AIMain Event Festival .... " should read as a bandwagon without a Lead Driver Algorithm is just Support Backing Vocals for AIMain Event Festival "
Pirates because I'd like a trailer and stuff for Paris. :-) Although would I really learn anything I didn't already know?
why do you let asshole vendors get away with claims like that one about 2-3 KW/rack? it's absurdly untrue, but if you pointed that out, it would also implode most of IBM's spin.
fact: it's not hard to build rooms at a bit over 10 KW/rack - normal raised floors and standard Liebert chillers. with rack-back radiators or more careful air-engineering, much higher is achievable.
Of course you're correct: a bit of skull-sweat with our think-caps on and this can be done.
The problem is that most data centre managers these days are looking for a "turn-key" solution from a single source, as it's less work for them and easier to focus blame. IBM has 70+ years making money from being a "blame magnet" for management teams ("It's not my fault, IBM said to do it!") by delivering these type of "turn-key" solutions.
Remember, your average corporate Director or Vice-President level executive has about the same technical savvy as Paris Hilton - not too different than the BOfH's manager. Submitting a request to the Budget Committee to "...triple Data Centre capacity without buying a new building - $15M..." makes them a Hero both for saving on real-estate AND keeping the request to a single line-item.
All in all, however, IBM does a pretty decent job of delivering what they promise. You can certainly do much worse than buying an IBM installation.
Paris, because she can get a job as Director of Data Centre Operations at most companies...
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