From ac17e467843e7c099d7149e3603ba2d1ea06995e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nico Schottelius Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2020 15:51:15 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] ++ dcl project --- .../u/projects/data-center-light/contents.lr | 105 ++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 105 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/u/projects/data-center-light/contents.lr diff --git a/content/u/projects/data-center-light/contents.lr b/content/u/projects/data-center-light/contents.lr new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dedb257 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/u/projects/data-center-light/contents.lr @@ -0,0 +1,105 @@ +title: Data Center Light +--- +subtitle: A clean and sustainable data center +--- +content: + +## Introduction + +The [Data Center Light](https://datacenterlight.ch) is our radical +different answer to challenges of the climate change and +centralisation. + +It is located in Linthal and is part of the [Digital +Glarus](/u/projects/digital-glarus) projects. + +## How Data Center Light came into existence + +Originally ungleich used to be a Linux/Unix/network consultancy +company. Over the years, more and more customers asking us whether we +provide a space to store their data and to run their applications. +Until the end of 2014 we politely declined and referred our customers +to other data centers or hosting providers. + +In 2015 however, we began to re-evaluate whether it is actually +feasible to build a data center in Glarus. + +## The three components of a data center + +If you consider to run a data center, there are three important +factors: + +* space - where to put your servers? +* power - how to power your equipment? +* connectivity: how to be reachable from the Internet? + +Our approach from the beginning was to avoid building new buildings, +because there are many empty buildings from the spinning and weaving +time here in Glarus. + +After looking around a bit, we found a nice old house, the [Digital +Chalet](/u/projects/digital-chalet), which we started to modernise +immediately and prepare it for a data center prototype.! + +The local power company, [TBGS](https://www.tbgs.ch/), a now long time +partner, offered us to help to get proper power connections into the +Digital Chalet. + +And as luck turned out, TBGS was also able to provide us with a direct +fiber line. Later we learned that this was actually not so much of an +"accident", but something we could have seen coming: + +The valley of Glarus was historically hosting spinning and weaving +companies, most of which used to have their own power plant. The power +plants are usually hydro power plants, supported by the river +[Linth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linth). Nowadays, there are also +some solar polar plants. + +Even after the spinning and weaving companies closed, the hydro prower +continue to run. As a grid provider, you need to measure the +production capacity to compensate the producers correctly. TBGS did a +smart move many, many years ago: instead of reading the data via a +slow copper line, they were smart and added fiber lines directly to +the power plants. + +And this is the reason why we were easily able to also be connected to +the fiber backbone. + + +## The growth of Data Center Light + +After our initial prototype in the Digital Chalet proved to be +working, we expanded to a bigger area in Linthal, the +[Linthpark](https://www.linthpark.ch/). This area hosts the historic +building of the **Spinnerei Linthal**, which are also modernised and +now provide us with space for running the Data Center Light. + + +## Why is named Data Center Light? + +The "light" refers to avoiding resource heavy and unsustainable +components. We employ the following mechanisms to avoid wasting +resources: + +* We only consume 100% renewable energy +* We don't rebuild, but use existing buildings +* We use modern, but used hardware where possible (not for disks/ssds + though) +* We don't cool our servers + +## How does a data center work without cooling? + +Instead of using high density racks and putting them next to each +other, we use the available space of the old factory +buildings. Instead of hosting 40 servers on one square meter, we host +one server on 4 square meters. We can do this, because factory halls +tend to be huge. And in Glarus, they are also available. + +## Products based on Data Center Light + +In the Data Center Light we offer + +* [Virtual Machine Hosting](/u/products/virtual-machine-hosting) +* [IPv6 only Virtual Machine Hosting](/u/products/ipv6-only-hosting) +* [Data Storage](/u/products/data-storage/) +* Colocation