Microsoft has announced the end of its Project Natick, an ambitious initiative to develop underwater data centers. This project, which began in 2013, gained notoriety in 2018 when a test system was deployed off the coast of Scotland. Despite technical successes, the company has decided not to continue with this approach.
Results of Project Natick
The Project Natick was conceived to explore the viability of underwater data centers. In 2018, Microsoft submerged 855 servers in a sealed cylinder and left them operating for over two years. The results were promising: only six servers failed, compared to eight out of 135 servers in an onshore data center. The success was attributed to the constant water temperatures and the use of inert nitrogen gas, instead of oxygen, inside the cylinder.
Learnings and Future Applications
Throughout the project, Microsoft has gained valuable insights into operations in underwater environments, especially concerning vibration and impact on servers. These learnings will not be lost, as the company plans to apply them to other areas of its data center infrastructure.
Although continuing the construction of underwater data centers has been ruled out, Microsoft is still exploring automation and the use of robots to enhance efficiency in its terrestrial data centers. The company is interested in how robotics can handle heavy tasks, reducing the need for human intervention in certain processes.
Focus on Sustainability
Microsoft has expressed its intention to continue leveraging the learnings from Project Natick to research new ways to enhance the reliability and sustainability of its data centers. An area of interest is liquid immersion, a technique that could offer similar benefits to those observed in the underwater environment of Project Natick.
Future of Data Centers
The closure of Project Natick does not signal an end to innovation in data centers. Microsoft remains committed to researching and developing new technologies to optimize its operations. Meanwhile, other companies are still exploring the potential of underwater data centers, as evidenced by the recent implementation of a commercial underwater data center in China.
In summary, while Microsoft has decided not to continue with underwater data centers, Project Natick has left a legacy of knowledge and technologies that will continue to influence the design and operation of data centers in the future. The company remains focused on sustainability and efficiency, continuously adapting to new technological opportunities.
References: DCD and Project Natick.