Microsoft Unveils Wind Powered Virtual Earth 3D Data Lab

<p>With Earth Day just a week away, Microsoft unveiled its new wind-powered container-based data lab yesterday at its site in Boulder, Colorado. The containers house data processing servers used in the creation of the 3D city models featured in <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/virtualearth" target="_blank">Virtual Earth</a> online mapping platform. <p>Given the computationally intense nature of creating the 3D models, the storage requirements for the operation are staggering. The new lab servers each have 8 “cores”—CPUs essentially—totaling more than 5000 cores and supporting more than 10 petabytes of data. When factored in with lab servers located in the facility’s building--now also wind-powered--the total storage capacity supporting the Virtual Earth operation in Boulder is 15 petabytes. To put this into perspective, a typical consumer camera is around 5 megabytes. It would take three billion of these images to fill the 15 petabytes of storage: the equivalent of 10 photos for every person in the US. <p>As part of Microsoft’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the Boulder location is purchasing Wind generated power by Renewable Choice to power 100% of their operations. Microsoft currently uses many alternative forms of energy in their global operations including hydroelectricity and solar power, and and are pleased to add wind to our power mix. <p>Attending the unveiling along with the Boulder staff of roughly 88, were Debra Chrapaty, corporate vice-president of Microsoft Global Foundation Services;, Erik Jorgensen, general manager of Microsoft’s Live Search initiative; and Microsoft Virtual Earth executive leaders Stephen Lawler and John Curlander. Local media were also in attendance, covering this momentous occasion. <p>Below is a photo of the data labs. For photos and coverage of the event, <a href="http://dailycamera.com/news/2008/apr/18/at-the-center-of-virtual-earth-microsoft-unveils/" target="_blank">see this story</a> in today's Boulder Daily Camera. <p>*<a href="http://do8wtg.tuk.livefilestore.com/y1p6uTlNNyexYx1sUMZ-G3aVJKsVpbOkQVEa6Vxr7v55LzymL2MSsvADoYog14BWUK_4aI bz0XvJXY?PARTNER=WRITER">

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