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Google Considers Sea Based Solution

RangerLG   on 15 September 2008 - 17:02 · 39 comments & 14065 views

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Google may take its battle for global domination to the high seas with the launch of its own “computer navy”. The company is considering deploying the supercomputers necessary to operate its internet search engines on barges anchored up to seven miles (11km) offshore. The “water-based data centres” would use wave energy to power and cool their computers, reducing Google’s costs. Their offshore status would also mean the company would no longer have to pay property taxes on its data centres, which are sited across the world, including in Britain.

In the patent application seen by The Times, Google writes: “Computing centres are located on a ship or ships, anchored in a water body from which energy from natural motion of the water may be captured, and turned into electricity and/or pumping power for cooling pumps to carry heat away.

Graphic: How the Databarges Would Work
View: Full Story at the Times Online

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(3 replies) #1 GreyWolfSC on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:07
It also means they may not be subject to any privacy or copyright laws... Don't be evil, huh?
#1.1 PureLegend on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:13
I don't really think that's fair. You can't assume I'm a criminal if I row my boat out to international waters and start using satellite internet.
#1.2 GreyWolfSC on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:23
(PureLegend said @ #1.1)
I don't really think that's fair. You can't assume I'm a criminal if I row my boat out to international waters and start using satellite internet.


You missed the "may" part. I'm not assuming they are doing it for any reason.
#1.3 Ogmius on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:27
(GreyWolfSC said @ #1)
It also means they may not be subject to any privacy or copyright laws... Don't be evil, huh?


I was thinking the exact same thing

EDIT : I checked online looks like its 12 miles, so 11 miles would put them within the jurisdiction of whatever nation/state's waters these "Floating Super Computers" are swimming in

Last edited by Ogmius on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:40
#2 hjf288 on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:16
You could literally sink google
(2 replies) #3 lylesback2 on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:30
The Pirate Bay to follow suit, haha
#3.1 / -Razorfold on 15 Sep 2008 - 19:14
(lylesback2 said @ #3)
The Pirate Bay to follow suit, haha


They take over google.
#3.2 Airlink on 16 Sep 2008 - 01:20
(/ -Razorfold said @ #3.1)
(lylesback2 said @ #3)
The Pirate Bay to follow suit, haha


They take over google.

Arrrr. Arrr, I say. Arrrr.
#4 vetneufuse on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:50
So guess I'm not the only one that thought international waters was just get around laws... *LOL*... and just think! they just started or build (or are building?) a transcontentential data line also! though the ocean!
(2 replies) #5 trashpickinman on 15 Sep 2008 - 17:50
I understand how they will power the ships. But what are they going to do for a network connection? Satellite? I can't see an ocean to shore based microwave or even laser connection through the air will work in choppy seas, and laying fiber on the ocean floor sounds really expensive. Maybe they'll just run some cat5 through some "water wings" all the way out?
#5.1 Ogmius on 15 Sep 2008 - 18:10
I understand how they will power the ships. But what are they going to do for a network connection? Satellite? I can't see an ocean to shore based microwave or even laser connection through the air will work in choppy seas, and laying fiber on the ocean floor sounds really expensive. Maybe they'll just run some cat5 through some "water wings" all the way out?


naa they'll use those spagetti tubes you buy @ toys r us, held together with duct tape, and some dude siting on one end with a flashlight and someone on the other side with a clipboard

Last edited by Ogmius on 15 Sep 2008 - 18:19
#5.2 / -Razorfold on 15 Sep 2008 - 19:15
(trashpickinman said @ #5)
I understand how they will power the ships. But what are they going to do for a network connection? Satellite? I can't see an ocean to shore based microwave or even laser connection through the air will work in choppy seas, and laying fiber on the ocean floor sounds really expensive. Maybe they'll just run some cat5 through some "water wings" all the way out?


Well fiber on the ocean floor already exits lol. So they could possibly use that.

Running cat5 wouldn't be the smartest of ideas lol.
#6 ajua on 15 Sep 2008 - 19:09
What are they going to do with "pirates"?

If they are within a county's jurisdiction, that's fine. But if they are moving away just to avoid it, that's a whole other story.
#7 Defiantly on 15 Sep 2008 - 19:56
Why does this sound like a really bad idea?
#8 Glendi on 15 Sep 2008 - 20:28
Oh finally no more stupid accuses towards YouTube.
(2 replies) #9 hotdog963al on 15 Sep 2008 - 20:28
They better watch out for Ballmer's Fleet
#9.1 draklin on 16 Sep 2008 - 12:15
Captain, Microsoft off the port bow!
#9.2 Krome on 16 Sep 2008 - 15:05
(draklin said @ #9.1)
Captain, Microsoft off the port bow!

LMAO... good one
(1 reply) #10 Slacker on 15 Sep 2008 - 20:49
does this mean that I can't get my gmail during hurricanes?
#10.1 Airlink on 16 Sep 2008 - 01:24
Not if they set up out in the South Atlantic. There's only ever been two recorded hurricanes in the whole history of the South Atlantic Ocean, and only one of those made land-fall.
#11 Slacker on 15 Sep 2008 - 20:49
oh, even better.... "you sunk my google-ship!"
#12 digitalsoft on 15 Sep 2008 - 21:04
I think this is a great idea...though probably not for a company such as google.
(1 reply) #13 lars77 on 15 Sep 2008 - 21:05
Hopefully they don't end up floating out near Somalia, else they'll be dealing with actual pirates.
#13.1 chooser on 16 Sep 2008 - 00:21
I'm sure they'll hire security. Or just use the Google Secret Police.
#14 BrainDedd on 15 Sep 2008 - 21:19
Wait ... it's not April 1st ...
(2 replies) #15 Berto on 16 Sep 2008 - 00:47
".....for cooling pumps to carry away."

What the hell is that? So they will use the cold water of the oceans to cool off the vast array of servers they have which would then carry all the warm water back into the ocean and raise the temperature of the immediate vicinity around the barge to XX degrees? Would it not affect the ecosystem around the barge and, after a long term effect of the combined barges around the world, the entire ecosystem of the ocean itself? I mean the global temperatures are already increasing steadily.
#15.1 Airlink on 16 Sep 2008 - 01:31
The heat energy has to go somewhere, and unless you put the computers in space it really doesn't matter where you situate the heat sinks. From a global perspective it matters very little what location you chose to situate at. Just don't set up on top of an ice shelf or a glacier.
#15.2 predator001 on 17 Sep 2008 - 13:37
(Berto said @ #15)
".....for cooling pumps to carry away."

What the hell is that? So they will use the cold water of the oceans to cool off the vast array of servers they have which would then carry all the warm water back into the ocean and raise the temperature of the immediate vicinity around the barge to XX degrees? Would it not affect the ecosystem around the barge and, after a long term effect of the combined barges around the world, the entire ecosystem of the ocean itself? I mean the global temperatures are already increasing steadily.


i suspect the sun heats the sea a lot more than a few boats will...
#16 Brandon on 16 Sep 2008 - 04:02
better idea. Move to greenland. Open windows. Free A/C
#17 leojei on 16 Sep 2008 - 05:25
It's kindda scary to put most if not all of the data in a single place, like, a million things could happen to this on-water data center, such as natural disaster such as hurricane, tsunami, or some attacks like pirates, terrorists (yah something like I could sunk the entire google... physically), or hacking with physical hijacking, etc....
#18 WarLuigi on 16 Sep 2008 - 06:48
Well i for one applaud the move. Google is going GREEN .
#19 Mikeyx11 on 16 Sep 2008 - 07:05
This sounds good, but as leojei said, a million things could happen to the offshore data centres. It would be nowhere near as hard for a rogue country to knock out the number 1 internet resource with just a few torpedos or something. Based inland, there is more security, and I'm sure there are other ways they could green up their data centres. Also, any cables between the ships and land could easily be cut, causing the same problems.
#20 noPCtoday on 16 Sep 2008 - 07:34
undersea is perfect for super conductors: low temperature, high pressure, low interfere. I look forward for Google to develop some undersea super conducting data lines to replace current fiber. it will be much more efficient and cheaper..
(3 replies) #21 plastikaa on 16 Sep 2008 - 09:16
They are only 7 miles off shore which puts them no where near international waters as that is a few hundred miles of the coast. Although they wont have to pay property taxes - sureley they will have to pay every other form of tax out there? and surely that cannot be enough saving to warrant their decision - unless they are going for the green approach.
#21.1 RangerLG on 16 Sep 2008 - 12:53
Actually, international waters is only 12 miles off shore.
#21.2 ir0nw0lf on 16 Sep 2008 - 14:35
(RangerLG said @ #21.1)
Actually, international waters is only 12 miles off shore.

12 nautical miles, which is ~13.8 statute miles.
#21.3 plastikaa on 16 Sep 2008 - 21:21
12 nautical miles is actually only classified as terrotorial waters .... international waters is much further out, and generally countries have jurisdiction of up to 200 nautical miles.
#22 kezzzs on 16 Sep 2008 - 11:57
I for one welcome our new Google Overloads of the sea

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