I’ve known about Microsoft’s Dublin data center, and now that there is official coverage, I can blog about it. The Dublin area was a good opportunity for Microsoft to push for the greenest data center.
I’ve been to Ireland many times visiting Apple and Microsoft facilities, and my name Dave Ohara so many times my name gets spelled with an apostrophe (like O’Hara). But I am not Irish even though I have kissed the Blarney stone and bought a family crest for my Dad of O’Hara. My Ohara surname is Japanese, but I still enjoy Ireland. I don’t have this problem when I go to Japan. :-)
Ohara is a Japanese surname (e. g.: 小原,尾原,大原)
The Dublin Data Center manager John Dwyer is a friend I worked before our data center days at Microsoft, and I was thinking he needs a complete coverage blog post. So here we go.
Let’s start with John Dwyer’s ex-boss Mike Manos.
A Well Deserved Congratulations to Microsoft Dublin DC Launch
September 25, 2009 by mmanos
Today Microsoft announced the launch of their premier flagship data center facility in Dublin, Ireland. This is a huge achievement in many ways and from many angles. While there are those who will try and compare this facility to other ‘Chiller-less’ facilities, I can assure you this facility is unique in so many ways. But that is a story for others to tell over time.
I wanted to personally congratulate the teams responsible for delivering this marvel and acknowledge the incredible amount of work in design, engineering, and construction to make this a reality. To Arne, and the rest of my old team at Microsoft in DCS – Way to go!
\Mm
PS – I bet there is much crying and gnashing of teeth as the unofficial Limerick collection will now come to a close. But here is a final one from me:
A Data Centre from a charming green field did grow,
With energy and server lights did it glow
Through the lifting morning fog,
An electrical Tir Na Nog,
To its valiant team – Way to Go!
DataCenterKnowledge has a post on Microsoft’s Dublin Data Center.
Gallery: Microsoft’s Dublin Data Center
September 28th, 2009 : Rich Miller 
The exterior of the new energy-efficient Microsoft data center in Dublin, Ireland.
Microsoft’s new data center in Dublin will power much of the company’s global cloud computing operation, while using far less energy and water than typically consumed in other data centers of this scale. We’ve put together a photo gallery offers a closer look at the design innovations driving its efficiency, including photos of the server room and data center interior and a diagram of the free cooling system. See our photo feature,Inside Microsoft’s Dublin Mega Data Center.
The official press release for EMEA is here.
Microsoft Expands Cloud Computing Capabilities & Services in Europe
Microsoft’s new Dublin Data Centre to support demand for online services for business and consumers.
TextVideosImagesResources
DUBLIN, Republic of Ireland— September 24, 2009
Microsoft today announced the opening of its first ‘mega data centre’ in Europe to meet continued growth in demand for its Online, Live and Cloud services. The $500 million total investment is part of Microsoft’s long-term commitment in the region, and is a major step in realising Microsoft’s Software plus Services strategy.
Green Data Center is mentioned in this press document.
Case Studies
Greening the data centre, the Dublin Data Centre case study In Ireland, Microsoft has built its largest data centre outside the United States, using cutting-edge technology and an innovative approach to energy efficiency as part of an integrated strategy for environment sustainability. 
Steve Clayton a Microsoft blogger has his post.
I’ve seen the cloud…it lives in Dublin
![04.MicrosoftDublinDataCentreServerPods[2]](http://blogs.msdn.com/blogfiles/stevecla01/WindowsLiveWriter/IveseentheclouditlivesinDublin_B3A7/04.MicrosoftDublinDataCentreServerPods%5B2%5D_thumb.jpg "04.MicrosoftDublinDataCentreServerPods[2]")
I’m in sunny Dublin today (yep, it’s sunny here) for the grand opening of Microsoft’s first “mega datacenter” outside of the US. What you may ask is a mega datacenter? Well basically it’s an enormous facility from we’ll deliver our cloud services to customers in Europe and beyond.
I had the chance to check the place out last month and have a full tour and it’s incredible. Okay there isn’t much to see but that’s sort of the point. It’s this big information factory that is on a scale that you’ll not see in many other places in the world and run with an astonishing level of attention to detail.
It’s also quite revolutionary and turns out to be our most efficient data center thus far. Efficiency is measured by something called PUE that essentially looks at how much power your use vs the power you consume. The ultimate PUE of course is 1.0 though the industry average is from 2-2.4. Microsoft’s data centers on average run at 1.6 PUE but this facility takes that down to 1.25 through use of some smart technology called “air”. Most datacenters rely on chillers and a lot of water to keep the facility cool – because of the climate in Dublin, we can use fine, fresh, Irish air to do the job which has significant benefits from an environmental point of view. Put simply, it saves 18 million litres of water each month.
I’ve spent some time today talking to press about this place and I left them with the title line – I’ve seen the cloud and it lives in Dublin.
There are data center images on the Microsoft site..
Microsoft Dublin Data Centre
Microsoft Dublin Data Centre Entrance
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Microsoft Dublin Data Centre Aerial
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Air-side economization architectural diagram
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Microsoft Dublin Data Centre Server Pods
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Microsoft Dublin Data Centre Generator Room
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Microsoft Dublin Data Centre Rooftop Air Units
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News spreads fast and google news has this listing.
Data Center Knowledge
Data Center Knowledge - Rich Miller - 20 hours ago
Microsoft's new data center in Dublin will power much of the company's global cloud computing operation, while using far less energy and water than ...
Microsoft Dublin Facility Uses Free Cooling Web Host Industry Review
Putting the heat on data center cooling costs Cleantech Group
all 3 news articles »
RTE.ie
PC World - Jeremy Kirk - Sep 23, 2009
Microsoft has opened up for business its new Dublin data center, a massive 550000-square-foot facility dedicated to serving primarily European customers. ...
Microsoft's Chiller-less Data Center Data Center Knowledge
Microsoft goes chiller-less in its new data center Consulting-Specifying Engineer
Microsoft Dublin data centre opens Irish Times
IRISHDEV.com
all 45 news articles »
I am constantly amazed at how others don’t reference a fraction of what I put above on the original sources of information. This post took me less than 1/2 hour to write, and I didn’t have to call anyone as all the information was publicly accessible and could be found through search engines.
Referencing other sources is a key way to get your blog post up in google search results, and it builds your social network. Now I can take this post and send it on to John Dwyer, Mike Manos, Steve Clayton and many others.
Many groups and organizations are gathering to address the need to bring our data centers under control. Some are focused on providing marketing value for their members, most others appear genuinely concerned with the amount of power being consumed within data centers, the amount of carbon being produced by data centers, and the potential for using alternative or clean energy initiatives within data centers. There are stories around which claim the data center industry is actually using up to 5% of power consumed within the United States, which if true, makes this a really important discussion.
![04.MicrosoftDublinDataCentreServerPods[2]](http://blogs.msdn.com/blogfiles/stevecla01/WindowsLiveWriter/IveseentheclouditlivesinDublin_B3A7/04.MicrosoftDublinDataCentreServerPods%5B2%5D.jpg "04.MicrosoftDublinDataCentreServerPods[2]")
