Data Center Knowledge

Mapping Google’s Data Centers

Posted By Rich Miller On April 11, 2008 @ 11:26 am In Google | Comments Disabled

Pingdom has adapted some of the information from our Google Data Center FAQ [1] to produce a map [2] of Google data center locations around the globe. It’s a fascinating visualization of the company’s network of data centers and peering hubs. The map of North America is interesting because network latency is among the criteria for Google’s data center site location, as we noted in the FAQ:
Google needs lightning-fast response time for its searches, and prizes fast connections between its data centers. While big pipes can help address this requirement, some observers believe Google carefully spaces its data centers to preserve low latency in connections between facilities.

Do the blank spots in the map indicate areas of future expansion for Google, or simply regions where demand hasn’t yet reached critical mass? Or are these “holes” in the map already served by Google data centers that are so secret that no one knows about them? Have a look [2] and decide.

About Rich Miller [3]

Rich Miller is the founder and editor-in-chief of Data Center Knowledge, and has been reporting on the data center sector since 2000. He has tracked the growing impact of high-density computing on the power and cooling of data centers, and the resulting push for improved energy efficiency in these facilities.

Article printed from Data Center Knowledge: http://www.datacenterknowledge.com

URL to article: http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2008/04/11/mapping-googles-data-centers/

URLs in this post:

[1] Google Data Center FAQ: http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2008/Mar/27/google_data_center_faq.html

[2] produce a map: http://royal.pingdom.com/?p=276

[3] Rich Miller: http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/author/richm/

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