12 Jan
2011
12 Jan
'11
10:18 a.m.
Industrial Espionage
With big data centers, often there is just way too much at stake. Look
at the damage that occurred when AOL had that very long blackout.
Something I've wondered about is how people learn
to build and run the
large data centers that now exist. Are there engineering courses in this
now, or is it a 'trade skill'?
I think it is a "trade skill", mostly driven by the telephone and
mainframe guys. There is still a huge Bell System and IBM influence in
the design of data centers. It is too bad a lot of younger Unix and
Windows based companies often ignore this knowledge, and it gets them
into trouble, or at best, gives them inefficiencies they never
realize.
Do modern companies (Dell, Compaq, Cisco, Sun, etc.) even still
publish the big old installation planning guides like IBM did (and
still does)? The ones I have seen look like afterthoughs written on
the back of a gum wrapper.
--
Will