Microsoft Data Centers Blog

Microsoft’s director of energy strategy, Brian Janous, will deliver the opening keynote address at the Data Center World Spring 2013 conference in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, on April 29th. Data Center World Spring, a bi-annual event produced by AFCOM, includes more than 60 educational sessions covering all aspects of data center and facilities management. Read More >>

In a post last month, I shared some new details about how Microsoft focuses on the use of software to engineer resiliency into our global network of cloud-scale data centers. I explained the fundamental shift we’ve made to viewing data centers through a systems integrator model, where we look at every aspect of the physical and operational environment as a component of an integrated system to drive continual improvement in performance, efficiency and service availability. By sharing the responsibility for service availability – from development to data center – we’re breaking down the silos that traditionally separate IT engineering activities, allowing Microsoft to define the data center environment as a converged ecosystem delivering improved reliability of our services and more satisfied customers. Read More >>

When most people think about data centers, and their main ingredients, they typically assume electricity and fiber are the primary components. Granted these are high on the list, but water is also a traditionally essential component particularly when outside temperatures are high. Read More >>

Many of us spend time reflecting this time of year. At least I do. And while there are certainly times we need to evaluate, learn, and grow from the various challenges we face, at year’s end I like to celebrate the positives and remember all the hard work our extended teams contributed to make them possible. I’d like to share a list of some of the big moments from my perspective – through the lens of the support the Global Foundation Services’ team provided to manage Microsoft’s growing cloud infrastructure. These were big moments in how they influenced our business and the lasting impact they will have on the company. Read More >>

Microsoft is excited to announce its research and development of the first zero carbon data center – called the Data Plant – that will be completely independent of the grid and will recycle common waste bi-products to sustainably power cloud services. Microsoft has been committed to developing more efficient and sustainable data center infrastructures that support our customers’ growing demand for online services since 1994. Read More >>