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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Kingston Technology Adds Apple Mac Compatibility to DataTraveler Vault Privacy Edition Secure USB Flash Drive





256-Bit AES Hardware Encrypted Drive Now Available to Mac Users

Fountain Valley, CA -- (April 27, 2009) -- Kingston Technology Co., Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, announced today that its DataTraveler® Vault – Privacy Edition (DTVP) USB Flash drive is now compatible with Apple® Mac® operating systems (OSX 10.4x – 10.5x).

“Our DataTraveler Vault – Privacy Edition has been popular with enterprise and government customers who use Windows-based systems and are looking for a safe and secure way to transport portable data,” said Mark Akoubian, Flash memory business manager, Kingston®. “We are happy to add Mac support to this 100-percent secured drive so the Apple community can be assured they have an on-the-go storage solution that is the best on the market at safeguarding data.”
Data onboard the DTVP is secured by hardware-based, on-the-fly, 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). The drive has fast data transfer rates and is protected from brute-force attacks by locking down after 10 unsuccessful login attempts. After lockdown, a reformat is necessary to make the Flash drive operable again. For additional protection, the DTVP is made of aluminum and is waterproof up to a depth of four feet.

Kingston DataTraveler Vault – Privacy Edition

Part Number MSRP (U.S. only. Prices subject to change.)
DTVP/2GB $ 110.00
DTVP/4GB $ 177.00
DTVP/8GB $ 308.00
DTVP/16GB $ 502.00
DTVP/32GB $ 910.00

Compatibility Table

Operating System File Transfer Password Protection/Data Encryption
Mac OSX 10.4x-10.5x Yes Yes
Windows Vista® Yes Yes
Windows XP (SP1, SP2, SP3) Yes Yes
Windows 2000 (SP4) Yes Yes
Kingston DataTraveler Vault – Privacy Edition Features/Specifications
• Fully Supports Macintosh OS
• Full Encryption: 100 percent of stored data is protected by hardware-based, 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
• Fast: data transfer rates of up to 24 MB/sec. read and up to 10 MB/sec write*
• Secure: drive locks down and reformats after 10 intrusion attempts
• Enforced Password Protection: complex password is user set with minimum characteristics to prevent unauthorized access
• Easy to Use: no admin rights or application installation required
• Guaranteed: five-year warranty with 24/7 customer support
• Durable: aluminum casing
• Waterproof: protects against water damage**
• Dimensions: 3.06" x 0.9" x 0.47" (77.9 mm x 22.2 mm x 12.05 mm)
• Capacities***: 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB
• Compatibility: designed to USB 2.0 specifications
• Operating Temperatures: 32º F to 140º F (0º C to 60º C)
• Storage Temperatures: -4º F to 185º F (-20º C to 85º C)

* Speed may vary due to host hardware, software and usage
** Up to 4 ft.; conforms to IEC 60529 IPX8. Product must be clean and dry before use.
*** Please note: Some of the listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. For more information, please consult Kingston’s Flash Memory Guide at Kingston.com/Flash_Memory_Guide.

About Kingston Digital, Inc.
Kingston Digital, Inc. (“KDI”) is the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the world’s largest independent manufacturer of memory products. Established in 2008, KDI is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, USA. For more information, please visit www.kingston.com or call 800-337-8410.

article source: www.kingston.com-press release

World's First EAH4890 Series Graphics Cards by ASUS



ASUS, world-leading producer of top quality graphic solutions, has today introduced the ASUS EAH4890 Series—the world’s first graphics cards to utilize Voltage Tweak technology. With this innovation, users will be able to boost GPU voltages via the SmartDoctor application and enjoy up to an amazing 15% in performance improvement. For users who are looking for a graphics card offering astounding graphical performances even on default settings, the ASUS EAH4890 TOP will enable an 8% performance boost, delivering exhilarating gaming experiences.
EAH4890 TOP/HTDI/1GD5

“Gaming has been the segment which has made the graphics card industry more challenging and has helped to raise the performance bar for graphics cards. At ASUS we take pleasure in providing state of art technology that evolves with every new chipset.” commented Mr. Vinay Shetty – Country Head – Component Product, ASUS (India) on the launch of this latest graphics card from ASUS. He further added, “By launching the EAH 4890, ASUS offers a unique Voltage Tweak technologywhich raises GPU voltages from 1.312V to 1.4V in ASUS EAH4890/HTDI/1GD5, allowing GPU and memory clock performances to be boosted from 850MHz to 950MHz and 3900MHz to 4600MHz respectively.”

Up to 15% Performance Boosts with Voltage Tweak Technology
Equipped with the Voltage Tweak technology and SmartDoctor application, the ASUS EAH4890/HTDI/1GD5 raises GPU voltages from 1.312V to 1.4V, allowing GPU and memory clock performances to be boosted from 850MHz to 950MHz and 3900MHz to 4600MHz respectively. Such unprecedented performance upgrades help raise the EAH4890’s 3DMark Vantage Extreme Preset score from 4612 to 5300—an unbelievable 15% speed improvement when compared to any other reference designed board*. Gamers can now feel the adrenaline rush afforded by true-to-life graphics performance, only with the ASUS EAH4890 Series.

Enjoy 108% Performances under Default Setting
The EAH4890 TOP offers a guaranteed increase of its GPU and memory clock performances from 850MHz up to 900MHz and 3900MHz up to 4000MHz respectively. With such extraordinary performance increases, the EAH4890 TOP’s 3DMark Vantage Extreme Preset score is raised from 4612 to 4980—an astonishing 8% improvement in speed when compared to any other reference designed board*. This default 8% improvement is the perfect platform for gamers looking for extreme gaming performance right out of the box. So get ready to feel the adrenaline rush of gaming like never before—only with the ASUS EAH4890 TOP!
SmartDoctor for the Most Powerful Overclockability
ASUS garners yet another world’s first with the ASUS SmartDoctor—an overclocking utility capable of tweaking the GPU voltage on the EAH4890 Series. Now, with just a mere few clicks, the ASUS SmartDoctor will deliver astounding voltage boosts and performance upgrades—all without the hassles of re-flashing the BIOS at the risk of damaging the cards, or groping blindly for a overclocking button at the back of the chassis.

ATI Stream Technology
The EAH4890 Series also incorporates the ATI Stream technology, which utilizes the massive parallel processing power of AMD graphics processors to deliver new capabilities that go beyond the traditional usage scenarios of graphics rendering and video processing. This enables better balanced platforms capable of running demanding computing tasks faster than ever. Along with leading third-party industry partners and academic institutions worldwide, AMD is building a complete ATI Stream computing ecosystem, one that delivers the performance, applications, software and tools necessary to turn AMD's low-cost application acceleration vision into reality.

Note:
* Performance Configuration
PCI-Express 16X:
MB: MaximusExtreme Rev:2.00 BIOS: 0802
CPU: Intel Core™2 Extreme 3.00GHz (QX9650)
Memory: 2048MB (DDR3 APACER 1333 1024M * 2)
HDD: WD SATAII 300 1600AAJS
DVD-ROM: LG DVD-GSA-H55N
- Overclocking capabilities may vary when using different cards
- The 3DMark Vantage score was obtained using Extreme Preset
Specifications
Model
EAH4890 TOP/HTDI/1GD5
EAH4890/HTDI/1GD5
Graphics Engine
ATI Radeon™ HD 4890 graphics
ATI Radeon™ HD 4890 graphics
Video Memory
1GB GDDR5
1GB GDDR5
Engine Clock
900MHz
850MHz
Memory Clock
4000MHz (1000MHz GDDR5)
3900MHz (975MHz GDDR5)
Memory Interface
256 bit
256 bit
DVI Max. Resolution
2560 x 1600
2560 x 1600
Bus Standard
PCI Express® 2.0
PCI Express® 2.0
DVI Output
DVI-I (Dual Link) X2
DVI-I (Dual Link) X2
HDCP compliant
YES
YES
HDTV Output
YES
YES
HDMI Output
YES (via adapter)
YES (via adapter)
D-Sub Output
YES (via adapter)
YES (via adapter)
Software Bundled
ASUS utilities and drivers
ASUS utilities and drivers

•Specifications are subject to change without notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more details.
•PCB color and bundled software versions are subject to change without notice.
•Brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.


"I'm sure this innovative idea of ASUS will surely bring excitement to the gamers around the world!"

Monday, April 27, 2009

Who's your bet Pacquiao vs. Hatton?


soure of photo: solarsports

We all know that Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao also known as the pound for pound boxer king his fight with Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton is fast approaching, only few more days are left and it's gonna be another historical day in the boxing world.

Manny's fans same with Ricky's fans can't wait any longer for their fight thus ticket were sold out already. But of course their fight is still unpredictable we really don't know who's gonna make it in the boxing arena. Both fighters are great they do have different styles and techniques. So for you to share your stand for Manny and Hatton's fight on May 3, 2009 i created a poll for you decide who's gonna win.


Thursday, April 23, 2009

G1 Android phones rising!

T-Mobile USA has sold 1 million G1 Android phones, six months after launching the product.

T-Mobile corporate parent Deutsche Telekom revealed the number as part of its earnings announcement earlier this week, as spotted by Telephony Unfiltered. The G1 was released in October and accounts for about two-thirds of all the 3G phones running on T-Mobile's network.

It's an important milestone for both T-Mobile and Google, and a little surprising that it went undiscovered for several days. Android phones are also available in other parts of the world, but both Google and T-Mobile have put a ton of weight behind their efforts in the U.S. They have yet to capture the public's attention the way the iPhone did when it was originally released: Apple sold 1 million iPhones in about two months, and 1 million iPhone 3Gs in its first weekend.

The news comes as a recent report from AdMob shows that Android now owns about 6 percent of the U.S. smartphone market as measured by operating systems. That puts it in fourth place, behind the iPhone, the BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile phones, in that order.

G1 Android phones is really on the rise though they still have a long way to go to beat Apple's iPhone, but I'm pretty sure they working on it, let's wait and see for their next innovation.

article source: cnetnews.com

Monday, April 20, 2009

Earth Day 2009!

Earth Day Celebration..

Tomorrow is the big day for all of us because we will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2009.

So, let’s do something better for the Mother Earth, join the Earth Day Network you can register through this link

Share your most interesting act of green moment....

HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE!

The Release of Windows 7-Updates!

Just got this information from www.itvoir.com. For those who are excited about the release of Microsoft Latest operating system-Windows 7, here a news about it.

With the reports citing the release of Release Candidate of Microsoft new operating system, Windows 7 around the corner, it is expected that new operating system will arrive before the earlier tentative launch dates.

The market watchers are expecting it to arrive sometime in this summer. Release Candidate is the final version that is launched before the operating system and final copy is more or less the same with minor changes, if done.
The updates are based on blog posts as nothing official has been announced so far. The insiders suggest that Release Candidate can hit by early May, thus confirming the arrival of final operating system by summer 2009.

The grapevine has that May 5 can be assumed as launch date for Release Candidate but yet it is also not confirmed. The only fact that supports this buzz is admittance by Microsoft that OEM partners like Dell already have RC copies.
Windows 7 release would prove to be a litmus test for Microsoft following Vista's fiascos.

Source: itvoir.com

ASUS has announced the use of Linux OS in thier Smartphones

ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated (ASUS), Taiwanese Netbook PC pioneer has announced that it will use a Linux-based operating system in one of its first two Smartphones.

According to the company officials, both Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform and the open-source Linux-based LiMo platform will be used in the phones being co-developed with global positioning device specialist Garmin.

Besides Smartphone the company used Linux on its line of low-cost netbook PCs when they were launched in 2007. Hence it will be the second time Asustek is launching a product based on the Linux operating system, which operators and manufacturers like because its licensing fees are typically much lower than other systems.

The company has not declared the launch date of the new device, but sources said that Asus will begin shipping the first LiMo phones in June.

Source: itvoir.com

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Top 10 Beautiful Beaches in the Philippines

Hey! guys, I know you have so many plans for this summer like having a summer class/activities such as sports, dancing or singing, etc. But there is one which i'm sure you are excited that is to go to a beach or a beautiful place where you can spend your time with your family and friends. You know, relaxing and having a lot of fun.

So, i gathered here the most beautiful beaches in Philippines where you can absolutely enjoy your vacation.

By the way Philippines have more than 7,000 islands comprising the archipelago.

Here are the ten best beaches in the Philippines that are definitely worth sunbathing in.


1. BORACAY ISLAND

Characterized by its fine sand and crystal clear waters, Boracay comes as a no-brainer in this list. Currently it is still the most famous and the most visited beach in the country; the destination of foreigners and Filipinos alike during summer. Boracay locals work hard to maintain the island's prestige as the number one summer getaway in the Philippines. Now highly commercialized, the island not only boasts of its beaches, but is also packed with bars, hotels, shopping areas, and other establishments. Boracay satisfies those urbanites who do not want to get away from the conveniences offered by the city, yet are longing for a relaxing summer by the beach.

Map of Boracay
More about Boracay

2. BACUIT ARCHIPELAGO, PALAWAN


Palawan has always been a favorite getaway to the adventure-hungry traveler, for the province offers not only heavenly beaches, but also possesses breathtaking vistas and exciting biodiversity. One of these places is the Bacuit Archipelago in El Nido, inarguably one of the best beach landscapes in the world. Also awaiting the audacious traveler are features such as Miniloc Island's Big Lagoon, the most photographed sight in Palawan; and Matinloc Island's Secret Beach, only accessible by swimming through a keyhole slot.

Trivia: The American reality game show Amazing Race shot one of their episodes in Bacuit.

3. PANGLAO ISLAND, BOHOL

Panglao Island is a recent favorite among bakasyonistas, for who will not be enticed with some of the Philippines' clearest waters, paired with rich marine biodiversity and sands as fine and white as Boracay's? More importantly, Panglao Island is rarely visited by the volume of people that troop to Boracay, so your dream of a quiet summer by the beach can become a reality.

4. PAGUDPUD, ILOCOS NORTE

Pagudpud is hailed as the “Boracay of the North,” sans the gazillion tourists. The secluded Maira-ira Beach brings the vacationer a most sought-after relaxation, as there are hardly any visitors on these fantastic shores. One can also see a view of the Bangui Windmills, the magnificent power generators situated in Bangui Bay.

5. SIARGAO ISLAND

Siargao, a rare gem found in the province of Surigao del Norte, is steadily gaining popularity as one of the best surfing destinations in the world. Cloud 9, the venue for the yearly surfing competition called Siargao Cup, boasts of waves that can rival those of Hawaii's. Less adventurous tourists can enjoy the sand strip in General Luna, while spelunkers can explore the island's tunnels and caves.

6. MALAPASCUA ISLAND, CEBU

Until recently, this stunning island north of Cebu was not even on the municipal map. Now, Malapascua Island is hailed as one of the country's best beach destinations. It offers the curious tourist white-sand coasts, great food, and a no-fuss, low-key approach to tourism. Divers will surely be spoiled with the fascinating wreckage beneath the marine sanctuary of nearby Gato Island, as well as a rare treat of the appearance of the thresher shark off Monad Shoal.

7. NORTH PANDAN ISLAND, MINDORO OCCIDENTAL


Although Mindoro usually brings to mind the famous Puerto Galera, it is North Pandan Island that takes centerstage in our list. This tropical island gives the relaxing tourist complete escape from the busy city life. The island's laidback lifestyle together with the white sand beaches, prime diving spots, and sumptuous buffets are real treats for any vacationer. The costs are not too pricey, so even the traveler with the strictest budget can enjoy a good vacation.

8. CORON ISLAND, PALAWAN

Hailed as the most beautiful island of the Calamian group in Palawan, Coron Island gives tourists the best of inland and coastal swimming and diving experiences. Its main attractions are Lake Kayangan and Lake Barracuda, which are crystal-clear lakes filled with interesting features. The island also boasts of white sand beaches already typical of the coastlines of Palawan.

9. CAMIGUIN

Camiguin is a volcanic island located north of the main island of Mindanao. Because of its location, Camiguin is often overlooked as a tourist destination. But little do people know that this volcanic paradise offers some of the Philippines' best sceneries. Aside from its powder-like white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, one can enjoy the island's beautiful geography, which include the active Mount Hibok-Hibok and the scenic Katibawasan Falls.

10. ROMBLON ISLAND

Romblon is the must-see destination for one who has a taste for remote yet beautiful places. North of Boracay Island, Romblon boasts its own set of idyllic beaches, but with a more relaxed and simplified atmosphere. It is also a historic province, with its capital, also called Romblon, the site of 17th century fortifications, churches, and lighthouses.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Nine tools that let you randomly browse the Web

Hey, guys specially those Web fanatic check this out an article i got from CNet.News.com.

Digg's release of a pervasive, software-free toolbar last week brought with it a sweet little surprise: the capability to jump to a random site or story that was recommended by other Digg users. For a site that's run entirely by its community, this puts the power of browsing in the hands of an algorithm that does the deciding for you. Digg wasn't the first site to do this, though. So what are some other tools that let you randomly explore the Web? I've put together a few of my favorites below.



StumbleUpon: Calling StumbleUpon just a random site generator may not be fair. While it does a great job of taking you to random sites, most of its links have been vetted by a large user base of people who go through and weed out some of the bad or outdated stuff. It's also got a built-in recommendation engine that will tune its "stumbles" to your tastes as you give sites a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down.
In addition to being able to use the site with a special toolbar that remains no matter what site you're on, you can get a similar experience right from StumbleUpon's site, which brings with it a software-free toolbar. You can also access StumbleUpon for sites, and video on various gaming consoles, including the Nintendo Wii, for which StumbleUpon coded a special version of the site to work with the Wii's remote and your living room's TV set.



Mangle: Next to StumbleUpon, Mangle is one of the oldest sites on this list, having launched in early 2002. While it's not much to look at, it does a good job of letting you randomly hop to big sites, personal pages, images, and even maps. You can access all these verticals either through bookmarks, or by installing Mangle's browser toolbar, which also throws in the option to show random sites that match up with keywords you've entered. Worth noting, however, is that the toolbar hasn't been updated in a while, so it won't work with the latest version of Firefox.



Delicious Randomizer: Delicious may be all about organization (which some people take to an obsessive compulsive level), but it's also got a wild side. It has a random links feature that will take you to a link that's either recently been created or bookmarked by another Delicious user. You can click on it again and again, and it will give you random results based on the pulse of the site. To do it, just save this link to your bookmarks toolbar or bookmarks list.



DiggBar: Digg's software-free toolbar has a large, orange random button, which as you might guess, takes you to a random page. Where Digg differs from some of the other services on this list though, is that all stories or sites it takes you to have been featured on the front page of Digg.com. This may keep you from finding some real undiscovered gems, but for the casual user you at least know you're being taken to something worthy of a quick look.



Rolling the dice takes you to a new site based on topical sites you've visited recently.
Google Toolbar: Users with the Google Toolbar installed can add on a special random page button that goes to a random site recommended by Google based on your past browsing history. It looks at what you've been searching for, and pulls up 50 related links, which it cycles through at random whenever you click the button. You can also hop to one of its suggestions by choosing from a drop-down menu, although the first option is way more fun.
If you don't feel like giving Google more of your browser than it already has, you can accomplish the same thing with this Firefox add-on, which also feeds from the same list.



Minthink: Minthink generates a random site to go to with the press of a button. What's nice about this one compared to some of the rest is that if you're accessing it from its standard site, you can preview what the URL is before you click on it. However, if you're a Firefox user and feeling bold, there's an extension, and a script for Ubiquity that will take you directly to the site without you knowing what it is first.



That Random Website: This one may not be well and truly random since it's working off a database, but the folks behind it were smart enough to see the success of the Million Dollar Homepage and go for something similar by selling off slots at $1 a pop (which goes to charity). Every time you visit it or hit the refresh button in the browser it'll take you somewhere new, along with the option to hop back to That Random Website's homepage which makes it feel like a Web ring of yore.

Random Website: (not to be confused with That Random Website) lets you click on a giant face to be hurtled towards a new site. You can also add any of your own URLs to its database, which will go out to other users after being approved by its creators. There's no fancy toolbar, but you can save its bookmark, which will open up a random site in a new browser tab.
Web-O-Random is another service on that list that isn't the prettiest, but it makes up for it with neat AJAX tricks. It will load up random pages in a frame on the bottom of the page with slick fades. It also has a carousel of alternate links if you want to control your destiny a bit more. Technology demo aside, I ran into some problems with it spitting out pages that either weren't alive anymore, or weren't in English, which may not be a problem if you've got Google Translate handy.

article source:CNETNEWS

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Intel, GE CEOs to announce health tech alliance

On Thursday, General Electric CEO and Chairman Jeff Immelt and Intel CEO Paul Otellini will jointly announce an alliance related to health care technology.
Both companies are expected to make sizable investments targeting in-home health care. Intel, for its part, is currently offering an "Intel Health Guide" device that allows clinicians to monitor patients in their homes and manage care remotely.
Intel has been devoting more R&D dollars to health care as evidenced by participation in pilot programs, which the chipmaker announced last year.
Intel has taken part in programs run by Aetna, Scan Health Plan, Erickson Retirement Communities, and the Providence Medical Group in Oregon.
Intel is already partnering with the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association.
GE is active in the health care field as a major supplier of diagnostic systems.

article by Brooke Crothers

source link:cnet

Google uncloaks once-secret server



Google for the first time showed off its server design.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Updated at 4:08 PDT with further details about Google's data center efficiency and shipping containers modules.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--Google is tight-lipped about its computing operations, but the company for the first time on Wednesday revealed the hardware at the core of its Internet might at a conference here about the increasingly prominent issue of data center efficiency.
Most companies buy servers from the likes of Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, or Sun Microsystems. But Google, which has hundreds of thousands of servers and considers running them part of its core expertise, designs and builds its own. Ben Jai, who designed many of Google's servers, unveiled a modern Google server before the hungry eyes of a technically sophisticated audience.


Google server designer Ben Jai
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Google's big surprise: each server has its own 12-volt battery to supply power if there's a problem with the main source of electricity. The company also revealed for the first time that since 2005, its data centers have been composed of standard shipping containers--each with 1,160 servers and a power consumption that can reach 250 kilowatts.

It may sound geeky, but a number of attendees--the kind of folks who run data centers packed with thousands of servers for a living--were surprised not only by Google's built-in battery approach, but by the fact that the company has kept it secret for years. Jai said in an interview that Google has been using the design since 2005 and now is in its sixth or seventh generation of design.
"It was our Manhattan Project," Jai said of the design.

Google has an obsessive focus on energy efficiency and now is sharing more of its experience with the world. With the recession pressuring operations budgets, environmental concerns waxing, and energy prices and constraints increasing, the time is ripe for Google to do more efficiency evangelism, said Urs Hoelzle, Google's vice president of operations.

"There wasn't much benefit in trying to preach if people weren't interested in it," said Hoelzle, but now attitudes have changed.
The company also focuses on data center issues such as power distribution, cooling, and ensuring hot and cool air don't intermingle, said Chris Malone, who's involved in the data center design and efficiency measurement. Google's data centers now have reached efficiency levels that the Environmental Protection Agency hopes will be attainable in 2011 using advanced technology.
"We've achieved this now by application of best practices and some innovations--nothing really inaccessible to the rest of the market," Malone said.




The rear side of Google's server.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Why built-in batteries?

Why is the battery approach significant? Money.

Typical data centers rely on large, centralized machines called uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)--essentially giant batteries that kick in when the main supply fails and before generators have time to kick in. Building the power supply into the server is cheaper and means costs are matched directly to the number of servers, Jai said.
"This is much cheaper than huge centralized UPS," he said. "Therefore no wasted capacity."
Efficiency is another financial factor. Large UPSs can reach 92 to 95 percent efficiency, meaning that a large amount of power is squandered. The server-mounted batteries do better, Jai said: "We were able to measure our actual usage to greater than 99.9 percent efficiency."


Urs Hoelzle, Google's vice president of operations
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

The Google server was 3.5 inches thick--2U, or 2 rack units, in data center parlance. It had two processors, two hard drives, and eight memory slots mounted on a motherboard built by Gigabyte. Google uses x86 processors from both AMD and Intel, Jai said, and Google uses the battery design on its network equipment, too.
Efficiency is important not just because improving it cuts power consumption costs, but also because inefficiencies typically produce waste heat that requires yet more expense in cooling.
Costs add up
Google operates servers at a tremendous scale, and these costs add up quickly.
Jai has borne a lot of the burden himself. He was the only electrical engineer on the server design job from 2003 to 2005, he said. "I worked 14-hour days for two and a half years," he said, before more employees were hired to share the work.
Google has patents on the built-in battery design, "but I think we'd be willing to license them to vendors," Hoelzle said.
Another illustration of Google's obsession with efficiency comes through power supply design. Power supplies convert conventional AC (alternating current--what you get from a wall socket) electricity into the DC (direct current--what you get from a battery) electricity, and typical power supplies provide computers with both 5-volt and 12-volt DC power. Google's designs supply only 12-volt power, with the necessary conversions taking place on the motherboard.


Google's data center efficiency has been improving gradually.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

That adds $1 or $2 to the cost of the motherboard, but it's worth it not just because the power supply is cheaper, but because the power supply can be run closer to its peak capacity, which means it runs much more efficiently. Google even pays attention to the greater efficiency of transmitting power over copper wires at 12 volts compared to 5 volts.
Google also revealed new performance results for data center energy efficiency measured by a standard called power usage effectiveness. PUE, developed by a consortium called the Green Grid, measures how much power goes directly to computing compared to ancillary services such as lighting and cooling. A perfect score of 1 means no power goes to the extra costs; 1.5 means that half the power goes to ancillary services.
Google's PUE scores are enviably low, but the company is working to lower them further. In the third quarter of 2008, Google's PUE was 1.21, but it dropped to 1.20 for the fourth quarter and to 1.19 for the third quarter of 2009 through March 15, Malone said.
Older Google facilities generally have higher PUEs, he said; the best has a score of 1.12. When the weather gets warmer, Google notices is that it's harder to keep servers cool.


An excerpt from a video tour Google presented of its data center containers. Like conventional data centers, Google's shipping containers have raised floors.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Shipping containers
Most people buy computers one at a time, but Google thinks on a very different scale. Jimmy Clidaras revealed that the core of the company's data centers are composed of standard 1AAA shipping containers packed with 1,160 servers each, with many containers in each data center.
Modular data centers are not unique to Google; Sun Microsystems and Rackable Systems both sell them. But Google started using them in 2005.
Google's first experiments had some rough patches, though, Clidaras said--for example when they found the first crane they used wasn't big enough to actually lift one.
Overall, Google's choices have been driven by a broad analysis on cost that encompasses software, hardware, and facilities.
"Early on, there was an emphasis on the dollar per (search) query," Hoelzle said. "We were forced to focus. Revenue per query is very low."
Mainstream servers with x86 processors were the only option, he added. "Ten years ago...it was clear the only way to make (search) work as free product was to run on relatively cheap hardware. You can't run it on a mainframe. The margins just don't work out," he said.
Operating at Google's scale has its challenges, but it also has its silver linings. For example, a given investment on research can be applied to a larger amount of infrastructure, yielding return faster, Hoelzle said.


A diagram of a Google modular data center
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

source:CNET

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