Greening the data center will typically be a path of energy efficiency. A lower PUE. A higher performance per watt for servers. But, I don’t think I have ever heard someone say I greened our data center by reducing the fighting in our IT organization and data center groups. Think about it.
Read moreAbout Me section
As part of the move to Squarespace I used the default “about me” location and changed what I wrote.
In the past I had the “about” buried in the UI and gave a resume type of description.
After over three years of blogging on Green Data Centers I decided to change the description. Here is what is now up at about me.
In 2007 I started blogging on the Green Data Center topic. During these years, I have met great people who have a passion for greening the data center. Two guys at the top of the list are Mike Manos and Olivier Sanche. Both were clients and who have been become great friends. Unfortunately, Olivier is no longer with us and passed away suddenly at the age of 41.
Danger of Repeating Signals without meaning
How many times does this situation remind you of challenges in your data center.
The danger of repeating signals
Kevin shares this great quote from the Count of Monte Cristo:
"I have been told," said the count, "that you do not always yourselves understand the signals you repeat."
"That is true, sir, and that is what I like best," said the man, smiling.
"Why do you like that best?"
"Because then I have no responsibility. I am a machine then, and nothing else, and so long as I work, nothing more is required of me."
Christian Belady fills Daniel Costello's position at Microsoft
I recently caught up with a data center executive to discuss who was moving where. I told him Mike Manos was moving. Reviewed a few people I heard had thrown their hat in for vacant positions. Where there was likely a change coming.
One that just popped yesterday with a blog post in Christian Belady's move to fill the position Daniel Costello vacated at Microsoft when he went to Google.
The Gravitational Pull Was Too Strong
By Christian Belady
General Manager, Data Center Research, Global Foundation ServicesMany of you may have already heard that I have change roles yet again in Microsoft. It was only 11 months ago that I had moved to Microsoft Research to pursue ground-breaking work in the Extreme Computing Work (Apples Don’t Fall Far from the Tree). In that time, I experienced the great opportunity of helping to set an organizational vision and build a team of Hardware Architects and Engineers, who I believe are second to none. It was a significant experience given to me by Dan Reed the CVP of XCG, which I am very grateful for. However, while their team’s ship has set sail on a course that I believe will transform the industry five to 10 years out, I realized that growing up professionally in a product development ecosystem most of my career, I do need more of an instant gratification. Combined with that need and the growing business needs of the Global Foundation Services (GFS) team, I am thrilled to say that I will be going back to my roots in Microsoft to be the GM of Datacenter Research (DCR), reporting to Kevin Timmons.
DCR will be an advanced development lab (versus a traditional research lab), whose horizon is one step beyond the datacenters we have on the drawing board today. I am blessed to have yet another great opportunity.
2011 will most likely be a dynamic year for data center executives look for greener pastures.
One of the problems I was talking to with an insider is why data center engineers are not as well compensated as Network Engineers. Huh? If you didn't know a top network engineer can have a salary of $200-300K. Name me a data center engineer who gets paid in that range. Why the problem can exist is for many companies data centers are part of real estate. Networking engineers are more closely aligned with IT development. Networking engineers can quickly trace issues and fix networks in minutes, or bring them down in minutes as well as changes are made.
There are exceptions to this disparity, and the top data center talent is being drawn to where there are better opportunities.
Mike Manos moves from Nokia to AOL
Mike Manos makes another career move, and lands at AOL.
I’ve Got Mail….A new Aol.
January 27, 2011 by mmanos
You may have seen the announcement today about my recent decision and move to join the new leadership team at Aol. To some of my friends in the Technorati, and most specifically the Valley, this move probably seems very contrarian. Having built some of the largest cloud infrastructure’s in the world, re-aligning operational processes at massive scale, Aol at first stroke may seem an odd choice. I have worked in some of the largest multi-national companies in the world, I have successfully (and unsuccessfully) launched start-ups, have been a cost center and carried a P&L. I think I have a pretty good understanding of the range and complexity of challenges (especially from a technology perspective) from small business to large. Across the spectrum of these types and sized companies you get a different feel. Different cultures. Different attitudes. Different Vibes.
Mike has in a short period built an impressive list - Disney Interactive, Microsoft, Digital Realty Trust, Nokia, and AOL.
We'll hopefully hear more from Mike as he settles into AOL.
In the coming days/weeks/months, I hope to share many of the exciting things we will be endeavoring to accomplish and give you a real taste of some of the big changes I will be attempting. As always, technology and operational processes will be key to the success of the mission the company is on and I have some very definite ideas on how we can leap frog current thinking in this space and ensure that our technology and operational approach is no only a strategic value to the business, but also industry leading in execution.