Facebook Data Farm
First Ever Glimpse Into Facebook’s Massive Arctic Server Farm
Have you ever wondered where Facebook lives? There is no one line answer for that but we can start digging 70 miles from the Arctic circle, in Luleå, Sweden, where back in 2013 Facebook opened its massive data farm.
Located deep in the woods of northern Sweden, the server farm is designed with sustainability in mind. It’s powered by the renewable energy provided by the hydro-electric power plants installed on the surrounding rivers, while its clever design also utilizes the cold arctic air to make the whole system 10% more efficient and use almost 40% less power than traditional data centers. Opening up these impressive data centers is a necessity for huge companies like Facebook, Google and so on, to provide a stable data stream for users around the world while also storing huge backups in case of systems failure.
Photos of the secretive facility have been released by the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself, marking a step to the company’s very welcomed transparency policy: “Over the next few months, I’m going to start posting some rare photos of the most advanced technology Facebook is building around the world. “
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Mark Zuckerberg shared rare photos of Facebook’s massive data farm in Luleå, Sweden
It’s located deep in the woods of northern Sweden, 70 miles from the Arctic circle
Its clever design utilizes cold arctic air to cool down the array of servers which spans over the size of six football fields
Innovations like that make the whole system 10% more efficient and reduce the energy usage by almost 40% compared to traditional data centers
Funny enough, the data farm’s engineer, Jay Park, drew the first plan of this high-tech facility on a paper napkin
Now these enormous data centers are a necessity for huge companies like Facebook or Google to provide a stable data stream for users around the world and store huge backups
And if parts holding sensitive information are no longer usable, they’re torn apart to protect your privacy
Facebook aims to become more transparent: ‘Over the next few months, I’m going to start posting some rare photos of the most advanced technology Facebook is building around the world’ writes M. Zuckerberg
Facebook Showcases its 40 Million Square Feet of Global …
The Facebook data center campus in Altoona, Iowa. (Photo: Facebook)
Facebook has invested more than $16 billion in building and operating its data centers in the United States, the company said yesterday as it unveiled a new web site showcasing its global data center infrastructure.
The site maps the locations of the company’s 18 data centers, which upon completion will span 40 million square feet of data center space. along with 52 solar power arrays and 15 wind farms providing renewable energy to support its online operations, and 9 water conservation projects.
The company’s first cloud campus in Prineville, Oregon features its largest deployment of servers, with plans for nine data center buildings and 4. 6 million square feet of capacity. Facebook also has some of its largest concentrations of IT infrastructure in the Midwest, with plans for 4. 1 million square feet of data centers in Altoona, Iowa and 3. 6 million square feet in Sarpy, Nebraska.
The web site outlines 34. 2 million square feet of campus capacity in the U. S., and 5. 4 million square feet (499, 000 square meters) of global space planned for sites in Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and Singapore.
Facebook is following the the lead of other hyperscale operators in creating a dedicated web presence to provide information about its data center infrastructure. These large companies are often secretive about their data center operations, but in recent years have begun to recognize the value of demystifying data centers and educating community stakeholders about the benefits of these facilities.
As huge new data center developments generate headlines, providing ready access to information about these projects has become an important in working public officials, community groups and media seeking information about what the project will mean.
In 2012 Google offered a photo tour of its data centers titled “Where The Internet Lives, ” which was soon expanded into a dedicated web site offering details about its data centers, their energy efficiency (including detailed PUE reports) and has recently been expanded to include extensive information about data center careers and a podcast series about Google’s data infrastructure.
In about 2018, Amazon Web Services created an area of its web site offering high-level information about its data centers, with a focus on security and maintenance practices.
Earlier this year Microsoft offered the world a look inside its cloud data centers with a new virtual tour, an immersive experience that provides a walk-through of simulated data halls, network rooms, and operations equipment yards.
Facebook’s data center site features extensive information about the economic impact of their data centers in the communities where they are located, as well as their grant programs for local schools and non-profits. The site also includes extensive information about Facebook’s climate-focused initiatives on energy efficiency, sustainability and water conservation.
Central Oregon town to host largest Facebook server farm
PRINEVILLE, Ore. — Social media giant Facebook announced Thursday that it will add two new buildings to its campus in Prineville that will make it the largest in its fleet of data centers in the United two new buildings will add 900, 000-square-feet to the campus, expanding the 11-building campus to 4. 6-million-square-feet or the equivalent to nearly 80 football fields. Construction is poised to begin next month and should be complete by 2024. Two other buildings that were announced in June, will be completed in investment in the Prineville center is about $2 billion, the company said. Facebook opened the first data center in 2011 and employs as many as 1, 000 people. The campus is in a city with a population of 10, ineville Mayor Jason Beebe called the expansion “great news” and said he believes it will help attract other businesses to the community. “This latest investment into their site in Prineville is a continuation of the great partner they are for the City and the community, ” Beebe said. “The technical jobs that come with expansions like these are great, but there is not as much focus on the jobs that are created from the trade industries. Plumbers, electricians, construction workers, and many more trades are in high demand at sites like Facebook’s and it continues to add to the job market in our area. ”Facebook’s data centers have worked to be energy and water-efficient. The Prineville center is supported by two solar projects. It also has a water restoration project to overcome increasing water demands to cool the center. Typically data centers aren’t large employers for their size. They are drawn to the community because of Oregon tax breaks that provide tax exemptions, low power costs and stable weather. Apple also has a data center in area where the data centers are located is called an enterprise zone that gives businesses property tax exemptions for a period of years. For Facebook, it’s 15 expansion, while applauded by city and state officials, was not embraced by Rick Steber, a Prineville businessman. “I do realize there is a need for the services provided by Facebook and Apple centers, but it’s that old adage, not in my backyard, ” Steber said. “They are an eyesore when viewed from anywhere on the north side of Prineville. “The issue, like everything else in America, has people about evenly divided, for and against. I’m somewhere in the middle. ”
Frequently Asked Questions about facebook data farm
How many data centers does Facebook have?
The site maps the locations of the company’s 18 data centers, which upon completion will span 40 million square feet of data center space. along with 52 solar power arrays and 15 wind farms providing renewable energy to support its online operations, and 9 water conservation projects.Sep 15, 2021
Where is the Facebook server farm located at?
Facebook’s Prineville data center campus to expand to 4.5 million square feet. PRINEVILLE, Ore. — Social media giant Facebook announced Thursday that it will add two new buildings to its campus in Prineville that will make it the largest in its fleet of data centers in the United States.Mar 19, 2021
Where are the Facebook data centers?
As it continues a massive global expansion of its infrastructure, Facebook is rolling out a multi-story data center design featuring two floors of server rooms. The new design is being deployed in two new facilities at Facebook’s original data center campus in Prineville, Oregon.May 24, 2021
