Apple buys data center originally built for MCI reported in 2006.
Apple says NC data center will support iTunes and MobileMe this spring and As Carolina data center debut looms, Apple expanding in Silicon Valley too as reported in 2011.
Apple will invest $250M in new Oregon data center reported in 2012.
Apple to invest $1B in Nevada data center, business facilities reported in 2012.
Notably, there is a Rumor: Apple's iCloud to be powered by Microsoft, Amazon servers
"... Apple is said to have outsourced the "plumbing" of iCloud because its "core competence lies in 'building great consumer experiences,' so it didn't make sense for Apple to become a cloud provider," according to Clarke.
Another cited reason for maintaining two providers is that Apple hopes they will be forced to keep up with each other on "reliability, new features, security, and price." The iPhone maker is looking to avoid becoming "hostage" to one supplier..."
"... Sources suggested that iCloud is running on "the full Azure service – the Windows Azure compute and controller part and SQL Azure storage which hosts tables, queues and flat files." User data will reportedly be stored in multiple locations across the three companies' servers. As is to be expected, a multiple-provider hosting solution would come with its own set of challenges, as Apple may have to work across platforms, utilizing custom software to manage requests and keep track of data..."
Futhermore, Apple career postings indicate:
"... position is focused primarily on SUN/Oracle server support with a second focus on IBM/AIX servers. You should also understand SAN, RAID and file system technology (IBM, SUN, Xserve RAID's, etc.)..."
I have been wondering what the sudden explosion of interest in data centers is regarding at Apple. This isn't just the data center in Maiden, North Carolina. As we know, Apple is constructing data centers in Hong Kong; Prineville, Oregon; and Reno, Nevada.
Hong Kong ("unprecedented scale") groundbreaking rumored in 1Q2013 Newark, CA (108,000 square feet) acquired in 2006 Maiden, NC (500,000 square feet with 184,000 square feet of actual data center floor space) Prineville, OR (projected for 338,000 square feet) Reno, NV Santa Clara, CA (estimated to be to about 11,000 square feet of data center floor space) seven year lease signed in April 2011
[S]Additionally, a mysterious company has been courting officials in Altoona, Iowa. Notably, one of the proposed zoning amendments would allow the operator of the data center to use on-site generation from solar panels, fuel cells and wind energy; a configuration thus far only used by Apple and eBay. Interestingly, this would easily be the second largest data center in the world.[/S]
[S]Altoona, IA ??? (350,000 square-foot building and two buildings at 380,000 square feet total of 1.4 million square feet)[/S]
Most people get by with the free 5GB Apple gives you. For those who actually need more you can buy it.
In my opinion, a unique service offering would be if Apple would provide iCloud backup of AirPort Time Capsule included in the price of the AirPort Time Capsule. Assuming most of the data is applications (from the mac App Store), music, movies and television (from iTunes) the actual cost should be low. An easy backup service for iOS on AirPort Time Capsule with redundant iCloud storage would be nice as well. An excellent add-on service could be iTunes Movie Match and iTunes Television Match for media which isn't from iTunes. I could be mistaken but this seems like a multi-billion dollar opportunity to make the AirPort Time Capsule a mainstream device.
I drive past this construction everyday to get to work in Reno. The building site is on the north side of HWY 80. The Truckee River is on the south side of 80. The buildings sit at the floor of "mountains"/ hills"" that may have run off..but I am sure that is being taken into consideration. I have lived here for 13 years and have never seen any standing water on that side of the highway. This used to be a prime "target shooting" area which has now been closed off. Cattle were "free range" here and large stock tanks needed to be out there for water.
If you "google" Tracy Clark Station... you can see the power plant and water collective area off the Truckee..it is almost "across the street" ( south side of 80) from the Apple site. So is the Waltham-Pedigree dog food factory. The area is also known as Patrick, NV.
As in Free iCloud Backup for the size of your iPhone, i.e 16Gb iCloud for your 16GB iPhone
That would be incredibly stupid. And Greenpeace would be all over it. Why on earth would you back up data that can be re-downloaded because Apple already has backups? I'm completely missing your point...
Comments
Nothing he predicts has ever come to pass.
Apple surely has some massive plans:
Apple buys data center originally built for MCI reported in 2006.
Apple says NC data center will support iTunes and MobileMe this spring and As Carolina data center debut looms, Apple expanding in Silicon Valley too as reported in 2011.
Apple will invest $250M in new Oregon data center reported in 2012.
Apple to invest $1B in Nevada data center, business facilities reported in 2012.
Notably, there is a Rumor: Apple's iCloud to be powered by Microsoft, Amazon servers
"... Apple is said to have outsourced the "plumbing" of iCloud because its "core competence lies in 'building great consumer experiences,' so it didn't make sense for Apple to become a cloud provider," according to Clarke.
Another cited reason for maintaining two providers is that Apple hopes they will be forced to keep up with each other on "reliability, new features, security, and price." The iPhone maker is looking to avoid becoming "hostage" to one supplier..."
"... Sources suggested that iCloud is running on "the full Azure service – the Windows Azure compute and controller part and SQL Azure storage which hosts tables, queues and flat files." User data will reportedly be stored in multiple locations across the three companies' servers. As is to be expected, a multiple-provider hosting solution would come with its own set of challenges, as Apple may have to work across platforms, utilizing custom software to manage requests and keep track of data..."
Futhermore, Apple career postings indicate:
"... position is focused primarily on SUN/Oracle server support with a second focus on IBM/AIX servers. You should also understand SAN, RAID and file system technology (IBM, SUN, Xserve RAID's, etc.)..."
I have been wondering what the sudden explosion of interest in data centers is regarding at Apple. This isn't just the data center in Maiden, North Carolina. As we know, Apple is constructing data centers in Hong Kong; Prineville, Oregon; and Reno, Nevada.
Hong Kong ("unprecedented scale") groundbreaking rumored in 1Q2013
Newark, CA (108,000 square feet) acquired in 2006
Maiden, NC (500,000 square feet with 184,000 square feet of actual data center floor space)
Prineville, OR (projected for 338,000 square feet)
Reno, NV
Santa Clara, CA (estimated to be to about 11,000 square feet of data center floor space) seven year lease signed in April 2011
[S]Additionally, a mysterious company has been courting officials in Altoona, Iowa. Notably, one of the proposed zoning amendments would allow the operator of the data center to use on-site generation from solar panels, fuel cells and wind energy; a configuration thus far only used by Apple and eBay. Interestingly, this would easily be the second largest data center in the world.[/S]
[S]Altoona, IA ??? (350,000 square-foot building and two buildings at 380,000 square feet total of 1.4 million square feet)[/S]
In my opinion, a unique service offering would be if Apple would provide iCloud backup of AirPort Time Capsule included in the price of the AirPort Time Capsule. Assuming most of the data is applications (from the mac App Store), music, movies and television (from iTunes) the actual cost should be low. An easy backup service for iOS on AirPort Time Capsule with redundant iCloud storage would be nice as well. An excellent add-on service could be iTunes Movie Match and iTunes Television Match for media which isn't from iTunes. I could be mistaken but this seems like a multi-billion dollar opportunity to make the AirPort Time Capsule a mainstream device.
Edited for clarity
What's not useful? Skepticism when reading a rumor site?
Oracle very recently forged an alliance with Microsoft on cloud infrastructure so that still makes sense.
I drive past this construction everyday to get to work in Reno. The building site is on the north side of HWY 80. The Truckee River is on the south side of 80. The buildings sit at the floor of "mountains"/ hills"" that may have run off..but I am sure that is being taken into consideration. I have lived here for 13 years and have never seen any standing water on that side of the highway. This used to be a prime "target shooting" area which has now been closed off. Cattle were "free range" here and large stock tanks needed to be out there for water.
If you "google" Tracy Clark Station... you can see the power plant and water collective area off the Truckee..it is almost "across the street" ( south side of 80) from the Apple site. So is the Waltham-Pedigree dog food factory. The area is also known as Patrick, NV.
Bev
UH OH!
That would be incredibly stupid. And Greenpeace would be all over it. Why on earth would you back up data that can be re-downloaded because Apple already has backups? I'm completely missing your point...