The world’s most super-designed data center

This is my favorite company.. ^o^
re-post from Royal Pingdom

source : about the Pionen data center at the Bahnhof website (in Swedish).

This underground data center has greenhouses, waterfalls, German submarine engines, simulated daylight and can withstand a hit from a hydrogen bomb. It looks like the secret HQ of a James Bond villain.

And it is real. It is a newly opened high-security data center run by one of Sweden’s largest ISPs, located in an old nuclear bunker deep below the bedrock of Stockholm city, sealed off from the world by entrance doors 40 cm thick (almost 16 inches).

(For the curious there is plenty of more information further down.)

 Above: The space-themed conference room is suspended about the server hall.

 Above left: View from the conference room (its floor is the surface of the Moon). Above right: Power equipment.

Above: The NOC is set in a cozy jungle setting. That light fog almost makes us think of cloud computing. Fog computing?

 Above: Artificial waterfalls and plenty of green plants adorn the halls.

Above left: The submarine engines used for backup power. Above right: Another view of the power equipment.

 

Above: This map shows the layout of the data center.

 

And here is what it used to look like

Facts about the data center

• Originally a nuclear bunker: The data center is housed in what was originally a military bunker and nuclear shelter during the Cold War era. The facility still has the code name from its military days: Pionen White Mountains.
• Located in central Stockholm below 30 meters (almost 100 ft) of bedrock: The facility has 1110 sqm (11950 sq ft) of space and is located below 30 meters of solid bedrock (granite) right inside the city.
• Fully redesigned in 2007-2008: Pionen was completely redesigned in 2007-2008 to become the data center that it is today. More than 4,000 cubic meters (141,300 cubic ft) of solid rock was blasted away to make more room.
• Can withstand a hydrogen bomb: The bunker was designed to be able to withstand a near hit by a hydrogen bomb.
• Houses the Network Operations Center for one of Sweden’s largest ISPs: The bunker houses the NOC for all of Bahnhof’s operations. They have five data centers in Sweden, Pionen being the largest. The facility also acts as a co-location hosting center, so you can actually put your own servers here.
• German submarine engines for backup power: Backup power is handled by two Maybach MTU diesel engines producing 1.5 Megawatt of power. The engines were originally designed for submarines, and just for fun the people at Pionen have also installed the warning system (sound horns) from the original German submarine.
• 1.5 megawatt of cooling for the servers: Cooling is handled by Baltimore Aircoil fans producing a cooling effect of 1.5 megawatt, enough for several hundred rack-mounted units.
• Triple redundancy Internet backbone access: The network has full redundancy with both fiber optics and extra copper lines with three different physical ways into the mountain. Pionen is one the best-connected places in northern Europe.
• Work environment with simulated daylight and greenhouses: For a pleasant working environment the data center has simulated daylight, greenhouses, waterfalls and a huge 2600-liter salt water fish tank.
• Staff: 15 employees, only senior technical staff, work full time in Pionen.

Breaking the mold and focusing on humans

We simply couldn’t resist the temptation to ask the people behind the Pionen data center what made them design such an insanely cool and unusual environment deep inside the bedrock of Stockholm.

Jon Karlung, CEO at Bahnhof (the ISP behind Pionen), was kind enough to take the time to speak to us here at Pingdom and explain their motivations.

“Rather than just concentrating on technical hardware we decided to put humans in focus,” he said. “Of course, the security, power, cooling, network, etc, are all top notch, but the people designing data centers often (always!) forget about the humans that are supposed to work with the stuff.”

We suspected that the unique location itself must have been a big inspiration, something which Karlung confirms.

“Since we got hold of this unique nuclear bunker in central Stockholm deep below the rock, we just couldn’t build it like a traditional – more boring – hosting center,” he said. “We wanted to make something different. The place itself needed something far out in design and science fiction was the natural source of inspiration in this case – plus of course some solid experience from having been a hosting provider for more than a decade.”

The visual inspiration

So, where to turn for visual inspiration? Apparently movies were the way to go for Pionen.

“I’m personally a big fan of old science fiction movies. Especially ones from the 70s like Logan’s Run, Silent Running, Star Wars (especially The Empire Strikes Back) so these were an influence,“ said Karlung. “James Bond movies have also had an impact on the design. I was actually looking for the same outfit as the villain ‘Blofeld’ in Bond and even considered getting a white cat, but that might have been going a bit far!”

The marketing aspect

The unique approach also helps the company to get the word out about their facility. It makes them stand out, and since the facility offers co-location hosting, they have customers who frequently visit the place and work there. These people share what they see with others.

“The unique design makes it a ‘talk about’ facility,” said Karlung.”If you have been inside Pionen you will for sure tell somebody else about it.”

Do you know of other awesome data centers?

We here at Pingdom always love it when people step up to the plate and do something different, like what Bahnhof has done with this awesome data center.

If you know of other data centers that are as super-designed and different as this one, please let us know in the comments since we would love to check them out. Links to pictures and information are always welcome!

My new domain has come

Yaaahuuuuu... my new domain has come..

www.good2think.com

i'm still preparing for the concept of my website.
i'm not sure whether this blog will moved to new domain or still here.
we will see.. ^^

but at least i'm happy that www.good2think.com is still available. ^^

if you have ideas for www.good2think.com, you can drop to my email : joseph@good2think.com
or you can drop comments at this topic.. =D

we will see what joseph will do to his domain..^^

I want... I want.. I want..

I want to be a successful man..
I want to have a lot of money..
I want to have a lot of property..
I want to have Condominiums..
I want to have expensive cars..
I want to have a beautiful wife..
I want to have a excellent wife..
I want to have what ever i wants..

I want to... I want to...

but if i re-think everything, I just want to be happy..

Let the good times roll

in the morning, i spent time to swim with hery and andrew at sunny spring. we had a good time together. i learned how to jump into water (very terrible)..

Today is Melisa Zhang b'day.. =)
we celebrated her b'day at west coast.. ^^
and of course had a light sabo. hehehe..
actually we celebrated martha (10 nov) n kee soong b'day also.
we wrote wishes for them, folded, and flew it.. and they must pick all the wishes.. ^^
Happy birthday for Melisa Zhang, Martha, and Kee Soong.. wish you all the best..

after that we played Frisbee. wow.. i loved it.. ^^
just run, catch, throw, and win..

finally we went to jurong east to have a dinner.

"Let the good times roll!!!"

Band of Brothers Gathering

Last night, i had a meeting with hope brothers. There was me, herry, alex, andri pao, donny, andrew, handy (han2), george.
we met at Botak Jones, Clementi. i ordered fish and chips. yummy.. ^^
but the price is a bit expensive.
after that we had a leisure time, chit chat whatever in our mind. from google adsense, Obama a new US president, our activity, our jobs, until bully pao. ^^

we enjoyed the time very much. =)

Israel & New Breed

"Wow..", it was my reaction when i listened their music. Very skillful worship band.. =)
The wordship leader is Israel Houghton and He is on his way to becoming America’s top Praise & Worship leader.

i have listened "A Deeper Level" album.. great.. i love this album.. ^^
While the songs on A Deeper Level are knitted together in a peaceful quilt (the opening moments of soft classical piano and violin set the tone). Each track has its own individuality, and Israel & New Breed know when to go full throttle and when to pull back.
Like the beat of "With Long Life" has a Middle Eastern flavor.
"Identity" thrills with an African beat.
"Surely Surely" has more than a dash of hip-hop.
I found Israel’s song is refreshing, demonstrating. "Deeper" moves the mood back to one that is more reverent and prayerful.

you can visit their website (click here).

Obama's victory speech - a remarkable one!

Obama's victory speech video

Hello, Chicago.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.
Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.
To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.
You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats
to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.
This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces,
to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose.

Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

10 tips to release your stress

daily activity, your work, or family sometime make us stressful.

so, when we feel stress, try to follow this tips:
1. Go to bed 30 minutes early than usual.
2. Wake up 30 minutes early than usual.
3. Wear clean, comfortable, and fragrant cloth.
4. Listen your favorite music.
5. Exercise like swimming, or jogging.
6. Eat chocolate. This is very helpful for me. ^^
7. Deep breathing, release, deep breathing, and release..
8. Shower with warm water.
9. Read an interesting book or magazine.
10. Watch comedy, horror, or love movie. ^^

enjoy your day.. ^^

nge-gym di sembawang

Hari ini sisy, ming2, dan kedua flat mate nya pindahan rumah. dari clementi ke sembawang.
apartemen nya enak juga, besar, ada 4 kamar tidur, 1 gudang. dan tidak jauh dari mrt, kurang lebih 15 menit jalan kaki santai. =)

jam 6.30 sore aku sampai di sembawang. dan mover nya sampai di sembawang kurang lebih jam 7 sore.
yang turut nge-gym bareng : joseph, herry, pao, george, donny, blasius, jeppy, dan lainnya (aku lupa).
cewe yang ikut : yinsan, iin, dan yuli yang menyusul datang nya setelah pindahan nya selesai.. hehehehe.. ;D

semua nya berjalan dengan cepat. kurang dari 1 jam semua barang selesai sampai atas, lantai 4. =)

abis itu, kita makan ke sun plaza (dekat mrt sembawang). ming2 traktir minum.. =)

Happy Saturday

hari ini bangun jam 10.30 siang. weks.. gara2 malem nya baru tidur jam 3 pagi. =P
keasikan ngedesain web site. =)

harus nya hari ini jam 11 siang ketemuan dengan herry. tadi nya mo badminton di farer park. jadi nya gak jadi. sorry ya her.. nanti lain kali pasti jadi deh yaaa. =)

hari ini bermalas-malas di rumah, beresin kamar, mandi, n berangkat ibadah..

hari ini care group aku activity nya ke marina square. dinner bareng, setelah itu shoping.. =)
nemenin sisy cari sepatu high heels untuk acara kantor nya.

jam 9 malam akhir nya... setelah itu lanjut bowling n maen billiard sampai jam 11.20 malam. bareng aku sendiri, donny, blasius, herry, pao, george, rony, yuly, melisa zhang, uci.
buka 2 meja, meja snooker dan meja billiard yang biasa.
akhir nya pada pulang mengejar MRT terakhir. tapi hanya tersisa 5 orang yaitu aku, herry, uci, melisa zhang, n yuly. yang berniat untuk melanjutkan acara hingga pagi. hehehe.. niat banget deh.. =)

akhir nya sampai di plaza singapore. nongkrong di starbuck coffee sampai jam 1 pagi, sampai diusir karena udah mo tutup.
lanjutin di teras lain nya, hingga jam 3 pagi.
bahan obrolan yang tidak berkesudahan... =D
akhir nya sampai pada waktu untuk berpisah..

baru bingung mo naek bus apa soalnya kaga lewat rumah.. akhir nya naik SMRT night rider juga. turun geylang lor 23, dan berjalan sampai rumah. =)

perjalanan yang panjang.. hampir 30 menit jalan.. penuh perjuangan..
kehidupan malam singapore, ngeri juga jalan di situ.. berpikir nanti lain kali mending pulang naek taxi aja deh.. =)

akhir nya sampai juga di rumah, bersih2 diri, n baru bisa tidur jam 5 pagi..

weekend yang berkesan.. ^^

happy weekend.. =D

Adobe Creative Suite 4 Launch

wow.. Adobe CS 4 has been launch.. =)

and for Singapore will be held on 14 November this year.

It is free ticket. what you have to do is only reserving your free seat. =)

click here if you want to attend the Adobe CS 4 Launching. ^^