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Aerial Footage of Apple's North Carolina Data Center

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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30,716


Data Center Knowlege points to a brief YouTube video posted late last week reportedly showing aerial footage of Apple's massive new data center being constructed in the town of Maiden, North Carolina.

It's plenty big, as illustrated by this aerial video posted to YouTube (apparently taken by an area realtor) of the 500,000 square foot facility. The new $1 billion data center will be nearly five times the size of Apple's existing 109,000 square foot Newark, Calif. facility, and is seen as a key component of Apple's cloud computing strategy.
Click to expand...

Apple agreed to locate in North Carolina in June 2009 after the state offered $46 million in tax incentives and officially announced the location, about 40 miles northwest of Charlotte, a month later. Apple's exact plans for the facility, among the world's largest, remain unknown, although cloud computing has been seen as a possible focus.

Article Link: Aerial Footage of Apple's North Carolina Data Center
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/22/aerial-footage-of-apples-north-carolina-data-center/
I

itsbarry

macrumors newbie
May 14, 2009
23
0
When will it be complete? I really think that Apple is going to make a search engine. Feel free to call me crazy, but that's what I think.

:apple:
 
SkippyThorson

SkippyThorson

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2007
1,669
937
Utica, NY
itsbarry said:
When will it be complete? I really think that Apple is going to make a search engine. Feel free to call me crazy, but that's what I think.

:apple:
Click to expand...

Pointless. Google's cornered the market. Between Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask, etc etc, how many do we need? It's not like I need one for every day of the week. I use Google, and it gets the job done, and that's that. It can't be improved at the moment. It is what it is.

I feel like cloud computing is the most logical idea for this center. Things would be so much less of a hassle if the Operating System, applications, files, etc were all cloud based. Less weight to machines, less moving / breakable parts, more power to dedicate to the immediate system as all it's doing is manipulating files on a server... It all just makes more sense. One day, I think that's where we'll be heading.

I for one, want to work there. It looks like a great place. Then again, key words, 'looks like'.
 
SwiftLives

SwiftLives

macrumors 65816
Dec 7, 2001
1,356
341
Charleston, SC
itsbarry said:
When will it be complete? I really think that Apple is going to make a search engine. Feel free to call me crazy, but that's what I think.

:apple:
Click to expand...

As much as Apple likes to control their content, I'm not sure why they'd want to get into the search engine business, since Google pretty much has a significant lead. That's not usually Apple's M.O.

My guess is that it has something to do with a future attempt at application hosting. That would explain the size.
 
I

itsbarry

macrumors newbie
May 14, 2009
23
0
SwiftLives said:
As much as Apple likes to control their content, I'm not sure why they'd want to get into the search engine business, since Google pretty much has a significant lead. That's not usually Apple's M.O.

My guess is that it has something to do with a future attempt at application hosting. That would explain the size.
Click to expand...

Google's "size" means nothing when they can make their search engine the default search on the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Safari (Mac/PC). They'd get about 15-20% of the market. It'd have to be user friendly, useful, well designed, and still load fast. It'd fit well with their new advertising division.

I don't think they'd beat Google, but it'd probably do better than Bing.

:apple:
 
Doctor Q

Doctor Q

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 19, 2002
39,782
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Imagine the data bandwidth going into and out of that building! Probably a bit of an electricity bill too once it's in full operation.
 
Peace

Peace

Cancelled
Apr 1, 2005
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Space The Only Frontier
Doctor Q said:
Imagine the data bandwidth going into and out of that building! Probably a bit of an electricity bill too once it's in full operation.
Click to expand...


Yup. and the area is going to have an influx of HVAC people since it must stay cool.

I'm guessing the median income of a AC/HVAC person just went up in that area.
 
rdowns

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
itsbarry said:
When will it be complete? I really think that Apple is going to make a search engine. Feel free to call me crazy, but tha:Dt's what I think.

:apple:
Click to expand...

You're crazy. :D

Google has a larger market share in search than Apple does in MP3 players. How are all those iPod killers doing?
 
WildCowboy

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,390
2,825
libertyforall said:
So how do North Carolinians feeling about that $46 Million Apple corporate welfare?
Click to expand...
It seems to be the cost of doing business to get Apple to spend $1 billion there. Don't think that North Carolina was the only location under consideration, but they were able to put together an incentive package that worked for Apple, and the boost to the economy will more than make up for it.

So, to offer a partial answer to your question, I have no problem with it. One down, another 9 million+ to go...
 
rdowns

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
libertyforall said:
So how do North Carolinians feeling about that $46 Million Apple corporate welfare?
Click to expand...

I'd say they would be as happy as pigs in **** given the facts.

Apple is committed to investing $1 billion there over the next 9 years. That spending will create about 2,000 jobs. Jobs =tax revenues.
 
M

MacFly123

macrumors 68020
Dec 25, 2006
2,340
0
WOW! How long has it been? That seems to have gone up REALLY FAST! :eek:

SkippyThorson said:
Pointless. Google's cornered the market. Between Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask, etc etc, how many do we need? It's not like I need one for every day of the week. I use Google, and it gets the job done, and that's that. It can't be improved at the moment. It is what it is.

I feel like cloud computing is the most logical idea for this center. Things would be so much less of a hassle if the Operating System, applications, files, etc were all cloud based. Less weight to machines, less moving / breakable parts, more power to dedicate to the immediate system as all it's doing is manipulating files on a server... It all just makes more sense. One day, I think that's where we'll be heading.

I for one, want to work there. It looks like a great place. Then again, key words, 'looks like'.
Click to expand...

Please don't let this happen! :mad: The LAST thing I want is for everything I do on my computer to be controlled and stored by someone else! MAJOR security and privacy risks!

I am fine with complimentary cloud based services like Apple does now, but NOT everything being taken from me and going to the cloud! Apple has expressed several times that they don't like that method. Steve Jobs himself has said that several times. So hopefully they will continue on that path and let ME keep my programs and data and content to MYSELF! :rolleyes:
 
guzhogi

guzhogi

macrumors 68040
Aug 31, 2003
3,735
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Wherever my feet take me…
MacFly123 said:
WOW! How long has it been? That seems to have gone up REALLY FAST! :eek:



Please don't let this happen! :mad: The LAST thing I want is for everything I do on my computer to be controlled and stored by someone else! MAJOR security and privacy risks!

I am fine with complimentary cloud based services like Apple does now, but NOT everything being taken from me and going to the cloud! Apple has expressed several times that they don't like that method. Steve Jobs himself has said that several times. So hopefully they will continue on that path and let ME keep my programs and data and content to MYSELF! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I feel the same way. Computers have so much power today, why not use it? I like the shared thing a bit. I use MobileMe to sync contacts between my home & work computers, but that's it.

If everything goes cloud based, what happens if your internet access goes down? You wan't be able to access your files.

Also, looking at the whole iPhone/iPad thing & Apple censorship, I don't want to get into the situation where Apple says "Sorry, you can't use that kind of program / file." Especially if it ends up in them taking away all your access & files.

The last thing I worry about if we go all cloud computing is what happens to pro apps like Final Cut & games like Crysis (I know, not a Mac game, but you get the idea). These things are pretty intensive & not able to run well if done entirely over the internet.

I don't know what this'll be used for, but I'm hoping maybe a thing for the iTunes store. I remember when the iPhone 3G came out how it crashed the system. Maybe a search engine, but as many have said, there are so many other search stations w/ Google being so big.
 
mrrydogg

mrrydogg

macrumors regular
Sep 2, 2007
164
3
Bay Area
Multi-Purpose?

Seems by the video this could be a multi-purpose building, possibly a shipping hub too? There are a lot of freight doors on the side which leads me to believe they will be doing a lot of shipping/receiving. I'm no expert, so I may be way off base, but I can't imagine a server farms needs that kind of freight operation.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
D

dead76

macrumors newbie
Sep 18, 2008
18
0
mrrydogg said:
Seems by the video this could be a multi-purpose building, possibly a shipping hub too? There are a lot of freight doors on the side which leads me to believe they will be doing a lot of shipping/receiving. I'm no expert, so I may be way off base, but I can't imagine a server farms needs that kind of freight operation.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. Was just about to post that. Cloud-computing doesn't need this many delivery bays. This is more then just server site.
 
1

1999ncsu

macrumors newbie
Apr 19, 2007
23
0
libertyforall said:
So how do North Carolinians feeling about that $46 Million Apple corporate welfare?
Click to expand...

There is lots of unemployment in the area. While most still won't work for Apple (or Google), I hope that other companies will take notice and decide on Western NC.

I am pretty happy. Also shocked that Google and Apple are now in the area.
 
L

LeoFio

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2008
183
12
New York
libertyforall said:
So how do North Carolinians feeling about that $46 Million Apple corporate welfare?
Click to expand...

$46 million is nothing compared to the $1.37 billion in incentives given to AMD-or GlobalFoundries- for a chip fab in upstate NY. Benefits outweigh the costs here, just as they will down there. It's an investment, not welfare (these companies don't need the money-the money is given to them as an incentive to come to a particular area).
 
DaBrain

DaBrain

macrumors 65816
Feb 28, 2007
1,124
1
ERIE, PA
dead76 said:
I totally agree. Was just about to post that. Cloud-computing doesn't need this many delivery bays. This is more then just server site.
Click to expand...

Could be a lot of ebooks to scan?--)))

Also why not an east coast hardware distribution center along side all the cloud activities that will take place from here. ;)
 
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