« Eliza's world | Main | "Big" think »
Heavy metal cloud
April 18, 2008
I've looked at clouds from both sides now, and they're really freaking expensive. Google's capital expenditures, the lion's share of which go to building and outfitting data centers, soared to a record high of $842 million in the first quarter of this year, up from $678 million in the fourth quarter of '07, notes Data Center Knowledge. Should the company maintain its current pace of investment, its spending on data centers and related infrastructure will surpass $3 billion this year, a remarkable total.
Advertisement: Are you ready for "The Big Switch"? Nicholas Carr's new book "is the best read so far about the significance of the shift to cloud computing," says the Financial Times. The Independent says it's "lucid and mind-boggling." Order now from Amazon.com.
Comments
google's world is turning to real material, from virtual to concrete housing. Isn't that the straight way?
Posted by: irmgardartig ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.roughtype.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 18, 2008 11:10 AM
As Google uses the "cloud" more for services that aren't related to generating online ad revenue (Google Apps, etc.), will their spending on data centers start eating into their profits?
Posted by: Colin at April 18, 2008 12:18 PM
It's not totally unexpected; the increase could just be a blip due to Google Apps Engine outlay
Posted by: Philippe Bradley at April 18, 2008 01:26 PM
Would I be wrong to compare that firgure to the total IT expenditure?
Provided it makes sense, this investement should power cloud computing well enough to avoid most peope to invest in more powerful computer. That is not saving any computing power now — but couldn't is balance out and leverage these investment a great deal one day?
Posted by: Bertil at April 19, 2008 02:54 AM
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)
Work in progress:
The Shallows
Nick's new book:
"Future Shock for the web-apps era" -Fast Company
"Ominously prescient" -Kirkus Reviews
"Riveting stuff" -New York Post
Greatest hits
Avatars consume as much electricity as Brazilians
The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock's avatar
Flight of the wingless coffin fly
Other writing
The end of corporate computing
Nick's last book:
Order from Amazon
Visit book site