Comments on: Will Your Next Furnace Be A Server Farm? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Joseph http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28662 Joseph Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:56:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28662 While stationed in Japan I lived in a house with some friends. We made one room in the house the computer room. During the winter we never had to heat that room as all our computer and media equipment kept it nicely comfortable as long as the doors stayed closed. While stationed in Japan I lived in a house with some friends. We made one room in the house the computer room. During the winter we never had to heat that room as all our computer and media equipment kept it nicely comfortable as long as the doors stayed closed.

]]> By: Brian Too http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28661 Brian Too Sat, 30 Jul 2011 23:40:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28661 Second try at posting. There is lots of work going on in server efficiency within Data Centers. So that is a very active area within computing. On the other hand, computers widely dispersed within homes, as a cloud-type virtual data center, is much less likely. Not only for the security reason cited above either. The companies doing this kind of work want physical control of that workspace. They want ease of access to the equipment, they want to know that the equipment is operating at the right temperature, they don't want fires & floods, and if those things happen, they want control to be able to do something about it. Here's some relevant links: http://www.infoworld.com/d/green-it/green-grid-offers-choices-measuring-data-center-efficiency-844 http://www.infoworld.com/d/green-it/energy-star-certification-data-centers-coming-in-june-372 http://www.infoworld.com/d/green-it/green-it-in-high-demand-among-it-buyers-200 Second try at posting.

There is lots of work going on in server efficiency within Data Centers. So that is a very active area within computing.

On the other hand, computers widely dispersed within homes, as a cloud-type virtual data center, is much less likely. Not only for the security reason cited above either. The companies doing this kind of work want physical control of that workspace. They want ease of access to the equipment, they want to know that the equipment is operating at the right temperature, they don’t want fires & floods, and if those things happen, they want control to be able to do something about it.

Here’s some relevant links:

http://www.infoworld.com/d/green-it/green-grid-offers-choices-measuring-data-center-efficiency-844

http://www.infoworld.com/d/green-it/energy-star-certification-data-centers-coming-in-june-372

http://www.infoworld.com/d/green-it/green-it-in-high-demand-among-it-buyers-200

]]> By: larry http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28660 larry Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:52:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28660 could the heat be used thrombe-wall style to create a breeze to cool a south wall in the summer? could the heat be used thrombe-wall style to create a breeze to cool a south wall in the summer?

]]> By: larry http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28659 larry Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:50:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28659 could cooling be done by creating a circulating wall in a thrombe style -- using the heat to generate preeze? could cooling be done by creating a circulating wall in a thrombe style — using the heat to generate preeze?

]]> By: Matt the Engineer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28658 Matt the Engineer Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:49:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28658 The solution is obviously multi-family buildings. Build a tall condo set on top of a data center. Having a central location removes the security issue, reduces the cost of networking, but still allows you to use the waste heat to heat up condos. @1 It's definately been done for offices, but offices don't need much heat. They generate loads from lighs (and computers!), and are generally only used in the daytime. The solution is obviously multi-family buildings. Build a tall condo set on top of a data center. Having a central location removes the security issue, reduces the cost of networking, but still allows you to use the waste heat to heat up condos.

@1 It’s definately been done for offices, but offices don’t need much heat. They generate loads from lighs (and computers!), and are generally only used in the daytime.

]]> By: G Wilkins http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28657 G Wilkins Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:14:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28657 I already do this to a very limited degree in my home: the computer room is relatively small and computers and monitors kick off a fair amount of heat; so in the winter time, if I'm going to spend a lot of time on the computer, I can keep the thermostat lower than one usually would and just hang out in the computer room all nice and cozy. I already do this to a very limited degree in my home: the computer room is relatively small and computers and monitors kick off a fair amount of heat; so in the winter time, if I’m going to spend a lot of time on the computer, I can keep the thermostat lower than one usually would and just hang out in the computer room all nice and cozy.

]]> By: Cybergor http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28656 Cybergor Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:51:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28656 I would be willing to do this in my home. I have the space for it, but I don't use a regular furnace to heat my house. Just a fireplace. If I could come to an agreement as to how the electricity would be paid, I would be all for it. I would be willing to do this in my home. I have the space for it, but I don’t use a regular furnace to heat my house. Just a fireplace. If I could come to an agreement as to how the electricity would be paid, I would be all for it.

]]> By: Thomas http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28655 Thomas Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:28:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28655 Surprised that there isn't a mention of using the heat to pre-heat water for commercial/industrial/personal uses. Surprised that there isn’t a mention of using the heat to pre-heat water for commercial/industrial/personal uses.

]]> By: GR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/26/will-your-next-furnace-be-a-server-farm/#comment-28654 GR Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:48:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30665#comment-28654 This is already done in many large server farms, using heat reclaim chillers to heat the supporting office space in the data center using the heat generated by the IT equipment. This is already done in many large server farms, using heat reclaim chillers to heat the supporting office space in the data center using the heat generated by the IT equipment.

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