The Soaring Costs for New Data Center Projects

miller60 writes "The cost of building a quality data center is rising fast. Equinix will spend $165 million to convert a Chicago warehouse into a data center, while Microsoft is said to be shopping Texas sites for a massive server farm that could cost as much as $600 million. Just three years ago, data centers were dirt cheap due to a glut of facilities built by failed dot-coms and telcos like Exodus, AboveNet and WorldCom. Those sites have been bought up amid surging demand for data storage, so companies needing data center space must either build from scratch or convert existing industrial sites. Microsoft and Yahoo are each building centers in central Washington, where cheap hydro electric power from nearby dams helps them save on energy costs, which can be enormous for high-density server installations."

Re:esp banks...

[blueturffan]

Most of this is for SOX.

White Sox or Red Sox?

Re:Detroit?

[vertinox]

Some of these firms should really start looking at warehouses in Detroit.

Do bullet proof vests come included?

Humble Suggestion.

[pavon]

As we know worker moral is important, and considering the traditional living arrangements of your standard computer geek, it stands to reason that they should build their data center in the most awesome basement [triggur.org] ever built! Hey, one can dream can't he? To the batcave!

Re:Detroit?

[Anonymous Coward]

if you loose power, you will loose paying customers

loose - the opposite of tight
lose - to not win

Example: I guess Texas lose in the spelling stakes eh Bubba?

Re:Seems to me they should target Rust Belt/non-me

[Pollardito]

I wonder if anyone has run feasibility studies on building datacenters in abandoned underground facilities?

enough already with the elaborate plans to turn your room in your parents' basement into a fortune 500 company!

Re:I don't buy it.

[ceejayoz]

Microsoft is willing to spend years and years waiting for the Xbox to become properly profitable, so it wouldn't be particularly surprising.

Re:Seems to me they should target Rust Belt/non-me

[Frozen Void]

Clearly a case of Intelligent Design.