Comments on: With Plenty of Cheap Electricity to Spare, Iceland Courts Server Farms http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/04/11/with-plenty-of-cheap-electricity-to-spare-iceland-courts-server-farms/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: dskirnir http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/04/11/with-plenty-of-cheap-electricity-to-spare-iceland-courts-server-farms/#comment-32414 dskirnir Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:13:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=36455#comment-32414 I might imagine Server Farm security will be privaftized to some degree by the very corporate customers of the island. Something far larger in scale than the security guard at the front desk, but less than island wide to begin with. However given a large enough data industry might allow for a Navy and Airforce. With a corporate logo. Privatized or not I do agree with the island having de facto haven status. There could be ancillary industry growth in conjunction with data related ventures. Perhaps the Swiss would be willing to subcontract security like they do for the Vatican? -ds I might imagine Server Farm security will be privaftized to some degree by the very corporate customers of the island. Something far larger in scale than the security guard at the front desk, but less than island wide to begin with.

However given a large enough data industry might allow for a Navy and Airforce. With a corporate logo. Privatized or not I do agree with the island having de facto haven status.

There could be ancillary industry growth in conjunction with data related ventures.

Perhaps the Swiss would be willing to subcontract security like they do for the Vatican?
-ds

]]> By: Talisker http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/04/11/with-plenty-of-cheap-electricity-to-spare-iceland-courts-server-farms/#comment-32413 Talisker Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:24:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=36455#comment-32413 Another interesting feature of Iceland is that its government has broken away from the international banking/austerity consensus, and generally shows an admirable commitment to democracy and free speech. It could become a safe haven for data which more powerful governments might wish suppressed -- the Switzerland of data centres, if you will. Unlike Switzerland (which is armed to the teeth) Iceland has no armed forces other than a small coast guard. If the Icelanders go down the data haven route, they might want to consider the possibility of someone trying to shut them down by force majeure. Another interesting feature of Iceland is that its government has broken away from the international banking/austerity consensus, and generally shows an admirable commitment to democracy and free speech. It could become a safe haven for data which more powerful governments might wish suppressed — the Switzerland of data centres, if you will.

Unlike Switzerland (which is armed to the teeth) Iceland has no armed forces other than a small coast guard. If the Icelanders go down the data haven route, they might want to consider the possibility of someone trying to shut them down by force majeure.

]]>