[geeks] Some interesting info on Google servers

[Sheldon T. Hall]

quoth Lionel Peterson ...
> On Apr 2, 2009, at 2:09 PM, "Jonathan C. Patschke" 
> <jp at celestrion.net>  
> wrote:
> 
> > On Thu, 2 Apr 2009, Cody Swanson wrote:
> >
> >> From one of the blogs I read, some interesting information on  
> >> Google's
> >> datacenter tricks. I like the per machine ups systems, it's a  
> >> solution
> >> that would scale quite well.
> >
> > Quoth the article:
> >
> >  "One of the keys to Google's extraordinary efficiency is 
> > its use of a
> >  custom server with a power supply that integrates a battery,  
> > allowing it
> >  to function as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The design  
> > shifts
> >  the UPS and battery backup functions from the data center into the
> >  server cabinet"
> >
> > IBM did that at least thirty years ago.  On some 
> > mainframes, it was  just
> > enough battery to keep memory state, but I believe some smaller AS/ 
> > 400s
> > had enough battery to keep the system running.

I've often wondered why someone hasn't made some sort of "UPS" module that
goes between the PS in a PC and all the things that use power.  It would be
all-DC, so how tough would it be?

-Shel