Computers are getting smaller, but data centers are getting bigger

Image by: Techxilla

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It’s an overdone tagline, but one that resonates in the information age in which we live – thin is in.

Have you ever noticed that over the past decade, so much of the technology advancements made have been in the area of cramming more features into a smaller package? Desktops have stayed the same relative size, but the market for desktop computers has shrunk. No doubt that notebooks are getting smaller / thinner with Intel’s big Ultrabook push, and Apple’s MacBook Air, and smartphones and tablets are inherently small.  The amount of space consumers allocate to computers in the home is shrinking.

The catch: the amount of space allocated to computers to deliver the applications and content consumers crave is growing.

Last year, Emerson Electric Power released an infographic titled “State of the Data Center 2011” that indicated there are 509,147 data centers worldwide taking up 285,831,541 square feet – equivalent to 5,955 football fields.  And with  recent announcements:

• Apple planning second data center in North Carolina, costing $1.9 million (21,030 square feet)
• Savvis Plans More Expansions for 2012 (220,000 square feet)
• 40,000 square foot data center to be built in Tucson (40,000 square feet)
• NJVC® Opens Secure Data Center in Reno, Nev., to Support Growing Commercial Customer Needs (20,000 square feet)
• QTS Announces Completion of Richmond Data Center’s Security Infrastructure Installment (500,000 square feet)

And, this is just a small sample of the build-out that is happening…801,030 square feet small!

The fact of the matter is that as the devices we love get smaller, thinner, lighter and more powerful, the bigger, faster, more reliable, and efficient data centers get. So, when it comes to carrying less weight, using less space, and enjoying & doing more, it’s the thankless data center that makes it all possible.

How space saving is your computer setup?

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