Apple may double North Carolina data center to 1M square feet

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
While the exact purpose of Apple's 500,000-square-foot data center in North Carolina remains unknown, a new rumor says the company is already considering expanding the server space to a million square feet.



Citing anonymous sources at Apple, John Paczkowski of Digital Daily reported Friday that Apple is currently eyeing a major expansion to its server farm in Maiden, N.C. The report stressed that Apple is currently considering the expansion, suggesting it may not come to fruition.



Apple first announced the location of its secretive massive data center in July 2009. The company has has hired staff for the $1 billion facility, but its exact purpose remains unknown.



Paczkowski speculated that the massive server farm could be a central component of Apple's business strategy going forward, as evidenced by the release of the new MacBook Airs on Wednesday. Chief Executive Steve Jobs indicated the new notebooks are the "future" of the entire MacBook line, as the new lightweight MacBook Air models sport only flash memory inside, with no spinning hard drives.



On the low end, the entry-level 11.6-inch model has just 64GB of internal flash memory for $999. If Apple's data center were to offer cloud-based iTunes, or expand MobileMe's iDisk or Gallery services, the report speculated, "even the 64GB Air might seem like an attractive option to the high-end user."



"Saving to disk is slowly becoming a fixture of the past and, as Apple's recently rejiggered Apple TV business model demonstrates, streaming is the future," the report said. "Which makes perfect sense, when you think of the MacBook Air as the future of the notebook."



Even if doubling the size of the server farm also doubles its $1 billion total cost, it would be an easy investment for Apple, which recently revealed it has $51 billion in cash and investments. This week, Jobs said his company plans to use its war chest for big moves, including major acquisitions, but not "stupid" ones.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 115
    applappl Posts: 348member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    While the exact purpose of Apple's 500,000-square-foot data center in North Carolina remains unknown, a new rumor says the company is already considering expanding the server space to a million square feet.



    Citing anonymous sources at Apple, John Paczkowski of



    My guess: App stores.
  • Reply 2 of 115
    At least this thing is in the US and not outsourced to another country.
  • Reply 3 of 115
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by appl View Post


    My guess: App stores.



    It would take a lot of apps to require such a huge data farm...



    This will be for cloud storage.
  • Reply 4 of 115
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Holy Cow Batman!
  • Reply 5 of 115
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by appl View Post


    My guess: App stores.



    Yep, for all those shelves they'll need for the boxes. Just kidding ... I know you mean servers.
  • Reply 6 of 115
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wurm5150 View Post


    At least this thing is in the US and not outsourced to another country.



    It would be really nice if some part of Apple's manufacturing were to come back to the US wouldn't it.
  • Reply 7 of 115
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    It would be really nice if some part of Apple's manufacturing were to come back to the US wouldn't it.



    yes, it would give us nice warm fuzzies... until we see the price of Apple products quadruple.
  • Reply 8 of 115
    It would be nice if Apple offered a Mozy Carbonite type service.
  • Reply 9 of 115
    desarcdesarc Posts: 642member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    It would be really nice if some part of Apple's manufacturing were to come back to the US wouldn't it.



    this may happen IF/WHEN the manufacturing can be done start to finish via robotics. there's no way apple is going to pay Joe the high school dropout his $30/hour union wage to do the same thing a Chinese worker will do for $30/week. at that point, Apple would be laying of 40,000 overseas to hire 40 in the states.
  • Reply 10 of 115
    lets call it what it is.

    APPLE TELECOMM.
  • Reply 11 of 115
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OllieWallieWhiskers View Post


    yes, it would give us nice warm fuzzies... until we see the price of Apple products quadruple.



    It might not be as bad as you think with SJ and his team designing the production facility from the ground up. Apple always learn as they go and they must have learned a lot about fabrication and production these last few years. Sadly all they have done thus far is teach the Chinese manufacturers these new techniques. I see no reason why certain production lines could not be almost totally automated and run here in the US. I am not saying this employs as many people but it certainly would result in many jobs that wouldn't exist otherwise. Anyway here's hoping!
  • Reply 12 of 115
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    It would be really nice if some part of Apple's manufacturing were to come back to the US wouldn't it.



    They could start digging for their own rare earths, since china seems to hold them back.
  • Reply 13 of 115
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    Apple should start planning one in East Texas and then can it based on the legal extortion that goes on there.



    $600,000,000 for a fistful of nothing.
  • Reply 14 of 115
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by maccherry View Post


    lets call it what it is.

    APPLE TELECOMM.



    Apple Total Telecommunications. ATT ?
  • Reply 15 of 115
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by maccherry View Post


    lets call it what it is.

    APPLE TELECOMM.



    haha. they are building a data center on the east coast... not setting up cell towers around the world.



    way to think big though... I suppose they could just buy AT&T
  • Reply 16 of 115
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hill60 View Post


    Apple should start planning one in East Texas and then can it based on the legal extortion that goes on there.



    $600,000,000 for a fistful of nothing.



    They should at least by a court house and judge there
  • Reply 17 of 115
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OllieWallieWhiskers View Post


    haha. they are building a data center on the east coast... not setting up cell towers around the world.



    way to think big though... I suppose they could just buy AT&T



    Apple think outside the box, it will be run using the Moon as a base
  • Reply 18 of 115
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    I think it's quite obvious it's for the Mac App Store.
  • Reply 19 of 115
    mj1970mj1970 Posts: 9,002member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wurm5150 View Post


    At least this thing is in the US and not outsourced to another country.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips


    It would be really nice if some part of Apple's manufacturing were to come back to the US wouldn't it.



  • Reply 20 of 115
    mj1970mj1970 Posts: 9,002member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    Apple always learn as they go and they must have learned a lot about fabrication and production these last few years.



    Yeah, and they have learned that outsourcing it all to China is a much more effective use of resources.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    it certainly would result in many jobs that wouldn't exist otherwise.



    It already does.





    You ought to read the book "The Choice", it might be rather enlightening.
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