Ireland Hosts Facebook's Latest Air-Cooled Data Centre, Say Zuckerberg

by Benson Agoha | In Woolwich

* Artists impression of Facebook new data currently under
construction in Ireland. (Credit: MZ)

Ireland is the chosen destination for Facebook's second European data centre, after the one built in Luleå, Sweden. It brings the total number of Data Centres Facebook has around the world to six.

According to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, construction has already started on the project.

"I'm proud to share that Facebook's sixth data center is now under construction in Clonee, Ireland" he wrote on Facebook.

Zuckerberg, who now uses facebook like the rest of us said the Clonee Data Center will be one of the most advanced and energy efficient data centers in the world.

It will also feature the "latest server, storage and network designs developed through the Open Compute Project - and it will be powered by 100% renewable energy", he said.

Zuckerberg said one interesting engineering detail of the project is that we’re cooling the facility with outdoor air, "but because this is near the Irish Sea we’ll be using an indirect air cooling process to filter the salt from the air", he said.

"We’re glad to be investing in Ireland, to become a part of the Clonee community, and to continue building the massive infrastructure that connects our global community."

Facebook relies on their data centers, often some of the most complex machines ever created, to deliver all of their services to us.