Microsoft’s Project Natick and the Evolution of Underwater Data Centers
Lately, there’s been considerable buzz around data centers, especially with tech giants like Google investing nearly £1 million in a UK data center earlier this year. But what exactly are data centers? They’re central hubs that store, manage, and distribute vast amounts of data that drive the internet and cloud computing.
These data centers, powered by servers requiring cooling systems due to their size, play a crucial role in fueling various technological solutions, especially in areas like AI.
Enter Underwater Data Centers
To reduce the energy demands of traditional data centers, the concept of underwater data centers emerged, where facilities are constructed underwater. Several years ago, Microsoft initiated Project Natick as their first foray into underwater data centers.
Ben Cutler, Microsoft’s project manager, elaborates on the initiative’s goal, stating, “We’re pushing the boundaries of data center energy efficiency, leveraging the natural cooling attributes of the sea.”
Project Natick underwent multiple phases and deployments across different locations. The initial trial, known as the Leona Philpot, was deployed off California’s coast in the Pacific Ocean in 2015. Following its success, the project expanded.
The Northern Isles data center, often associated with Project Natick, was deployed in the North Sea near Scotland’s Orkney Islands, serving as a comprehensive test of larger underwater data centers’ operational and environmental sustainability.
The Conclusion of Project Natick
Microsoft has now officially concluded Project Natick. Noelle Walsh, head of Microsoft’s Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I) division, confirmed this to Data Centre Dynamics.
She stated, “I’m not building subsea data centers anywhere in the world. My team worked on it, and it worked. We learned a lot about operations below sea level, vibrations, and server impacts. We’ll apply those insights elsewhere.”
Key Learnings from Project Natick
While Microsoft has halted the construction of new underwater data centers, the knowledge gained from Project Natick is being leveraged in other research areas. This includes advancements in liquid immersion cooling techniques and sustainability practices within their global data center operations.
Additionally, Microsoft explored the use of nitrogen gas within data centers to mitigate corrosion and hardware degradation caused by oxygen exposure.
Project Natick demonstrated a significantly lower server failure rate, just 1/8 compared to land-based centers. The controlled underwater environment, with reduced oxygen and consistent cooling, contributed to this success. Overall, Project Natick proved to be a valuable learning experience, shaping Microsoft’s future strategies in data center technology and sustainability.
