Virtualization has been king for many years. There is virtually no server farm (pun intended) that is not virtualized. Multiple multi-core CPU’s support many virtual servers, saving money over having to buy more servers. It is simple; no server, or PC for that matter, runs at 100 percent capacity 100 percent of the time. Performance may spike briefly, but the average capacity utilization is low. By installing a completely separate server on the same hardware and having it run simultaneously, doing a different job, the excess capacity, unused by one is used by the other. What Facebook has just announced flies in the face of that logic; it is going to install micro servers.
Honey, I Shrunk the Server
Micro servers are the next logical step in hardware evolution. Over the last decade, talk of “Quantum Computing,” or the science of using atoms to perform computation tasks, instead of transistors as is done now, has increased exponentially. The goal is to shrink computing circuitry down as far as it can go. Micro servers are the result of beginning to move in that direction by using smaller, low-power processors, and related design adaptations to create hardware significantly smaller than the previous technology generation.
Everything gets smaller and faster. Virtualization was a way of getting more servers out of the existing hardware that was a small as it could get already. Micro servers are much smaller, with as many as 12 servers in the space occupied by three standard rack servers now. These multi-core CPUs have as much as a one Terabyte of hard drive space, and they use approximately 65 to 95 watts per server.
Facebook to the Future
Facebook’s primary goal is more computing power for less power, but it is not its only goal. In the current model, if a rack server fails, several virtual servers are lost. Micro servers can run a single server, with the same efficiency, and if one is lost, only one server goes down, which increases security, reliability, and also productivity, although micro servers described above are not the smallest servers. Facebook has admitted to testing the new servers, using Intel chips. Intel has announced that it will develop CPUs running on as little as 10 watts of power, and are slated for release later this year. These new ultra-small, ultra-low power servers can also be virtualized to squeeze even more gain from the design.
Software vs. Hardware
Rather than being a fight between virtualization and micro servers, this is a conflict between one phase of technology and its next iteration. The smart phone and tablet industry are partly responsible for this trend, forcing chip makers to drive down size and power consumption for CPUs to allow the smaller, full service computing platforms to run well. In fact, Intel’s planned 10 Watt CPU will be based on the Atom processor line. This acceleration of computing evolution is simply the evolution of hardware toward its final point; the end of Moore’s Law.
About Jon Norwood
Jon T. Norwood writes for Satellite Internet, a site that follows the constant advances in High Speed Internet. Jon can also be found at Compare Credit Cards.
The introduction of Intels 10 wats CPUs looks like a mile away in the saving some dollars.Thanks to the John Norwood for his informative blog.
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This is definitely a huge leap for Facebook once again. This only shows that FB has even more greater plans in the future, with its great success comes an even more challenging innovations for its team of creative and mind computing developers.
I also think that this also means that internet business will only get better, especially for those who rely on the power of social media networking sites like Facebook.
Cheers to everyone who loves spending their time over the net either making money or just FB'ying. =)
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It’s really nice knowing that Facebook is still upgrading itself. This is really a progressive site that can accommodate lots of people.
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