[geeks] Some interesting info on Google servers

[James Fogg]

>>  "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.
>
> A lot of people besides IBM did it too.
>
> Data General minicomputers and several others had UPS backup for parts
> of the system, usually enough to maintain CPU and memory state, and
> run the diagnostic processor.

Around the time that the 80386 machines were on the market there was a
backup card for PC's. It sat on the ISA bus and had a cable that you
plugged into the motherboard power connector. You then plugged the PC
power supply into this card. Since there was no AC conversion it was small
and didn't generate much heat, 2 slots wide as I remember. It used the ISA
bus to control a shutdown if power wasn't restored before battery
exhaustion.

I thought it was very clever.

-- 
James -
Certified autodidactic polymath and proud of it!