Exclusive: First data center buildings up at Apple's Reno iCloud facility

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  • Reply 41 of 69
    This might be ready by the time of IOS 7 release then, maybe.
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  • Reply 42 of 69
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


     … You would have to excavate down to 20-30m before accessing cooler soil temperatures ...



     


    I don't see how this can be right.  30m is how far you dig to get free geothermal heating, not cooling.  It should be significantly cooler just a few feet below the surface and then start getting hotter about 15-20m down increasing the further you dig, no? I'm guessing the relative temperature on the surface is pretty hot in Reno, but the underground temperature should be the same almost everywhere. 

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  • Reply 43 of 69
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,657member


    Forget cooling and heating and how much power it uses.    This place looks like where they would make an old western.    How far is this from civilization?   Where do the employees go to eat?    And I thought working in New Jersey was bad. 

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  • Reply 44 of 69
    gazoobee wrote: »
    I don't see how this can be right.  30m is how far you dig to get free geothermal heating, not cooling.  It should be significantly cooler just a few feet below the surface and then start getting hotter about 15-20m down increasing the further you dig, no? I'm guessing the relative temperature on the surface is pretty hot in Reno, but the underground temperature should be the same almost everywhere. 

    Geothermal heating vents are pretty rare. Otherwise you generally have to go really far down to get any heat. Water wells can go hundreds of feet down and are nice and cool.
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  • Reply 45 of 69
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


     … You would have to excavate down to 20-30m before accessing cooler soil temperatures ...



     


    I don't see how this can be right.  30m is how far you dig to get free geothermal heating, not cooling.  It should be significantly cooler just a few feet below the surface and then start getting hotter about 15-20m down increasing the further you dig, no? I'm guessing the relative temperature on the surface is pretty hot in Reno, but the underground temperature should be the same almost everywhere. 



    Depends where you are. In most cases including where geothermal activity exists the regular water table temperature, even down to 120m is still 12º C.

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  • Reply 46 of 69
    zoetmb wrote: »
    Forget cooling and heating and how much power it uses.    This place looks like where they would make an old western.    How far is this from civilization?   Where do the employees go to eat?    And I thought working in New Jersey was bad. 


    Apparently, Reno Technology Park is only 15 minutes from Reno.

    700
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  • Reply 47 of 69
    zoetmb wrote: »
    Forget cooling and heating and how much power it uses.    This place looks like where they would make an old western.    How far is this from civilization?   Where do the employees go to eat?    And I thought working in New Jersey was bad. 

    Depends on if you consider Reno civilization. (Apologies to my cousin)

    Employees have to eat rattlers and cacti. On the plus side, its not New Jersey :D
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  • Reply 48 of 69
    froodfrood Posts: 771member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post


    Forget cooling and heating and how much power it uses.    This place looks like where they would make an old western.    How far is this from civilization?   Where do the employees go to eat?    And I thought working in New Jersey was bad. 



     


    Heating/cooling/employees eating.  Irrelevant.  No state taxes in Nevada!

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  • Reply 49 of 69
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Apple has been incorporated in NV for years. I don't think this data center has anything to do with income taxes as they don't actually collect any revenue through the the data center per se. Not sure. I think it has more to do with property tax incentives.

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  • Reply 50 of 69
    froodfrood Posts: 771member

    I think its a little of both.  Their other prime candidate for the data center also had no state tax.  Maybe Apple can claim all their iCloud revenues are made in the state now.


     


    The fact that Apple got Nevada tax payers to pay for nearly $100,000,000 of the price tag didn't hurt though.

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  • Reply 51 of 69
    timbittimbit Posts: 331member
    welshdog wrote: »
    Is it just me or does this land parcel look like it's in a low spot terrain wise? Like may be prone to flooding during some freakish weather event?

    Water cooling
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  • Reply 52 of 69
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member


    I really dont like these story telling me how much land Apple owns for its DC. I want to know how much Server Floor Space they have. How many server they could host. etc


     


    I think once completed, they could start offering free iCloud Backup to every iPhone.

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  • Reply 53 of 69
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Originally Posted by ksec View Post


    I think once completed, they could start offering free iCloud Backup to every iPhone.



    They… already do. image

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  • Reply 54 of 69
    I drove by the site in early August, and Apple's site on the north side of I-80 is well above the river on the south side of the Interstate.
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  • Reply 55 of 69
    Dan_Dilgerdan_dilger Posts: 1,584member
    mstone wrote: »

    And sales taxes, which Oregon doesn't have and which Nevada exempted for this data center. Compared to a +9% tax in CA, that adds a lot to construction expenses.

    But it's isn't, as trolls complain and as the local news reported, "paid for by locals." Taxes are paid by tax-payers. If a business is given a tax break to start a project it wouldn't otherwise start there, it means locals get economic activity that costs less than it otherwise would.

    Data centers involve a lot of initial construction but then run without creating a lot of jobs. But they also don't create traffic, send kids to school, send low paid workers to collect welfare/disability/Medicare (like Walmart), pollute, or generate garbage or other significant social costs.

    Snagging Apple means there will now be a $1 billion dollar facility at RTP that otherwise would be dirt. There are already other companies lining up to be situated next door to take advantage of the shared investment in roads, drainage, etc that Apple is building.
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  • Reply 56 of 69
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    This might be ready by the time of IOS 7 release then, maybe.

    Indeed, this might just be for 'Photostream, now with video'.

    I also don't understand how DED can write what data is being stored/served here. I think the number of assumptions being made in IT is way too large and happens way too often.
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  • Reply 57 of 69
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    They… already do. image



     


    As in Free iCloud Backup for the size of your iPhone, i.e 16Gb iCloud for your 16GB iPhone

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  • Reply 58 of 69

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


     


    I don't see how this can be right.  30m is how far you dig to get free geothermal heating, not cooling.  It should be significantly cooler just a few feet below the surface and then start getting hotter about 15-20m down increasing the further you dig, no? I'm guessing the relative temperature on the surface is pretty hot in Reno, but the underground temperature should be the same almost everywhere. 



     


    Maybe you're thinking of a heat pump? Anytime there's a significant difference in temperature between two "sources" you can use this difference to help with heating or cooling.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post


    Forget cooling and heating and how much power it uses. 



     


    I say forget these questions and ask why is Apple expanding so quickly? Sure they have had outages, but they're not nearly as common as people think and when everything is running Apples current users are being served well (I never have to wait to watch a movie on my Apple TV and whenever I purchase music or Apps they download quickly).


     


    With the Reno and Washington data centers coming online it appears Apple is greatly expanding their capacity. I doubt they expect their user base to double in the next year so it must be for additional services. I'm wondering if it's for TV since that's one area that would require a substantial increase in server capacity.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ksec View Post



    I think once completed, they could start offering free iCloud Backup to every iPhone.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ksec View Post




    As in Free iCloud Backup for the size of your iPhone, i.e 16Gb iCloud for your 16GB iPhone


     


    Say what? Any Apps you've bought aren't included. Neither is any music you purchase through iTunes or added with iTunes Match. Do you have a 16GB iPhone with only one or two Apps installed and they are generating 10+GB of data you need backed up?


     


    Most people get by with the free 5GB Apple gives you. For those who actually need more you can buy it.

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  • Reply 59 of 69
    Dan_Dilgerdan_dilger Posts: 1,584member
    philboogie wrote: »
    Indeed, this might just be for 'Photostream, now with video'.

    I also don't understand how DED can write what data is being stored/served here. I think the number of assumptions being made in IT is way too large and happens way too often.

    Apple has made public comment on what it's using the Reno iCloud site for. It's not an assumption.

    Assuming Apple is lying or that the article is making up crazy stuff is probably not very useful.
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  • Reply 60 of 69
    macbook promacbook pro Posts: 1,605member
    Apple has made public comment on what it's using the Reno iCloud site for. It's not an assumption.

    Assuming Apple is lying or that the article is making up crazy stuff is probably not very useful.

    I don't recall that. Do you mind linking?
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