Amazon operates one of the largest data center network in the world. No wonder, they keep improving the technology at a brisk pace. One of the key challenges Amazon faces is that need to deploy new data centers quickly around the world.
Amazon has solved this problem. They have invented an inflatable data center, that includes an inflatable enclosure in which rack computer systems are installed and provide computing capacity. The inflatable enclosure includes an inflatable structure which is inflated based on cooling air discharged into the inflatable enclosure.
Traditionally, setting up a new data center, or expanding the existing capacity of a data center (in the form of additional servers, for example), is resource-intensive and takes many months to effect. Substantial time and resources are typically required to design and build a data center (or expansion thereof), lay cables, install racks and cooling systems. Additional time and resources are typically needed to conduct inspections and obtain certifications and approvals, such as for electrical and HVAC systems.
The inflatable enclosure is established more quickly than a fixed enclosure structure can be constructed, thereby enabling rapid deployment of computing capacity at the site.
The inflatable enclosure of a data center can be progressively expanded, over time, to progressively enclose additional space in which rack computer systems can be installed. As a result, the size of the inflatable enclosure can be tailored to correspond to the quantity of rack computer systems installed in the data center, and the enclosure can be rapidly expanded to enclose additional space as additional space is needed in which to install additional rack computer systems, instances of support infrastructure, etc. Because the enclosure is inflatable, expansion of the inflatable enclosure can be more rapid than expansion of an enclosure established by a fixed structure, as the expansion can include extending an inflatable structure across the additional space through which the inflatable enclosure is to be expanded and inflating the inflatable structure in the additional space.
With this technology, Amazon will be able to meet the growing demand of setting up new data centers and expanding old ones.
Publication number: US 20160374233
Patent Title: Inflatable Data Center
Publication date: 22 Dec 2016
Filing date: 2 Sep 2016
Inventors: STEPHANIE TOWNER; BROCK ROBERT GARDNER; GIORGIO ARTURO POMPEI;
Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.