back to article Barge off: Nautilus to bring floating datacenters to two new sites in US, France

A company that builds floating, sustainable datacenters has signed leases for two new 7.5 megawatt facilities, one in Marseille in France and another in Los Angeles, California. Nautilus Data Technologies claims to be able to have datacenters built to its design and operational within 12 months, and has facilities already …

  1. This post has been deleted by its author

  2. chivo243 Silver badge
    Headmaster

    well yes, but no?

    A key part of the company's datacenter architecture is its cooling system, which uses a combination of a closed loop system and water drawn from the environment to keep IT infrastructure operating within acceptable limits. This system is claimed to consume no water and requires 30 percent less power than alternatives.

    While I understand the first sentence, same concept keeps nuclear plants cool. But the second sentence seems to contradict the first?

    1. AbominableCodeman
      Devil

      Re: well yes, but no?

      Just throw the heat exchangers over the side and convince the local greens that converting their local harbour to a jacuzzi and that tropical fish are perfectly indigenous, is a good thing?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: well yes, but no?

      I hope they've remembered that the water off Marseille is salty. Nicely conductive, and great for corrosion.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: well yes, but no?

        Probably best to run some sort of closed loop fluid cooling with radiators rather than dump the servers in the deep blue sea then ?

      2. Jan 0

        Re: well yes, but no?

        >I hope they've remembered that the water off Marseille is salty. Nicely conductive, and great for corrosion.

        ... and full of microscopic larvae that will attach to any surface, appreciate a warm environment, and grow into a sessile zoo that will insulate the heat exchanger and slow the flow. I guess that there's an equilibrium point to be reached.

        Ah, a little googling suggests that you can use ultrasound to kill the larvae. (Not so good on a nuclear submarine trying to be stealthy, but ok for a floating data centre.)

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: well yes, but no?

          I'm not sure hard disks (real spinning rust) would take happily to strong ultrasound, though.

  3. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: DC Produces AC?

      I was hoping for pools full of electric eels

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

  4. that one in the corner Silver badge

    You remember when we said the DC was "down", well

    Thus vividly demonstrating the meaning of a "sunk cost".

    As we used to say, "Don't forget the diver".

    Hopefully, the backups are working "I go - I come back".

  5. vcragain

    Sounds fine - except that the people who are looking for something to destroy have a nice new target, sitting conveniently away from other stuff, so a nice torpedo can take out a giant portion of internet connectivity in one fell swoop !

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      But at least the pirates have to put some effort in, its not just some kid in a basement ripping off Lars Ulrich

  6. Power Dog
    Holmes

    Back-Up Power?

    Why is there no mention of back-up power. Did I miss it? Are they on a long tether from shore and just rolling the dice?

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Back-Up Power?

        "Perhaps the bow of the barge's hull is made of iron, insulated from the magnesium stern...?"

        The idea has potential.

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