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 …

[chivo243]

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?

[AbominableCodeman]

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?

[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.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

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 ?

[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.)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: well yes, but no?

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

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: DC Produces AC?

I was hoping for pools full of electric eels

[that one in the corner]

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".

[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 !

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

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

[Power Dog]

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?

[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.