Data Center Zero

Pier Alberto May 3, 2017

The crazy IDEA

The crazy Idea of creating 'Data Center Zero' came in my mind when I received my first Raspberry PI Zero, I was extremely impressed that a computer can be that small (65 mm × 30 mm × 5 mm or 2.56 in × 1.18 in × 0.20 in) compared to a normal desktop or servers that are more bigger.

There is my idea

Normal Data Center have a lot of issues like:

Energy

Heating

Capacity

Costs

Building Design

etc.

If we can see the solution from another point of view, change the way of thinking and start from another side?

We can change all the problems at once.

What is Data Center Zero?

Is the first Data Center totally Open Source, build around the Raspberry PI Zero in this moment but In the near future I would like to extend the idea to all the mini board in commerce and possibly lead the development of a new kind of mini board computing dedicated for a Data Center.

The strong points of this project are:

Energy Consumption: the single board Raspberry PI Zero have a Power ratings of ~160 mA (0.8 W)

Energy: Data Center Zero are a totally renewable energy consumption idea. Power from different renewable energy source like: SUN, WIND, and micro power sources available around us.

Space saver: the size of the Raspberry PI Zero is 65 mm × 30 mm × 5 mm confronted with a Standard ATX motherboard 305 mm x 244 mm (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX) we can have 38 Raspberry PI Zero only on the area of an ATX motherboard.

Electronic: Data Center Zero will develop their own electronic built in innovations but simple enough to be reproduced everywhere without big investments, possibly 3D printed and always Open Source.

Cooling system: Data Center Zero will utilize less power consuming computing board, less energy conversion that limit the creation of hot air. Build a normal air flow circulation that can improve the cooling system to prevent the need of Air Conditioning, Air forced cooling and water cooling. We Fight the Climate Change.

Portability: Data Center Zero will be built modular, from every perspective, simple but modular, that can fit on a little car or in a truck to a normal Data Center, modular and portable.

Racks: Data Center Zero shall build own racks, with the 3D printing technologies.

Software: Data Center Zero shall produce Open Source software solution to automate the normal function of the data center.

Recycling: Data Center Zero will be completely recyclable.

3D printed: Data Center Zero will build the rack in function of the hardware and not vice versa, save space, better cooling quality and Smart built in mind. Solutions that can be print at home.

I forgot something??

WHO

Io, in Italian mean 'I', yes I start first to change the World after it's on you, you and you!!! It is for that concept that my project is entirely Open Source, everybody can interact with and improve all the ideas, concepts, hardware, software etc.

My name is Pier Alberto and I am an IT enthusiast. I always dreamed to open a big space with Thousand computers, before to build a render farm to support my animation movie that I started to write, after to give the opportunity to other media artists. I would like to open something new, something different. I don’t would like to do business competition, I am not interested on that, I would like to deliver a service to everybody.

WHERE

I start here in Surrey (BC) Canada where presently I live but the project can be build everywhere and can take advantage of all kind of location or weather conditions. Because this project is Open Source everybody can take advantage and improve it.

WHEN

Right now we can take the lead to do the difference. If I can complete this Open Source project, other project like that can take life and bring to everybody the opportunity to build something new and different.

WHY

I always think that the difference is the most beautiful think we have.

Why Open source?

A proverb state: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”

I think that the Open Source movement can change our way of live in this world and can give at each of us the opportunity to develop our humanity, we cannot stuck on the old concept to make money.

HOW

We can create this new technologies from scratch, every idea is a good idea because we can learn from it.

TIME LINE

I plan to find before the end of 2017 a sustainable area where I can build the Data Center Zero and in the meantime delivery the first version of the 3D plan of the enclosure frame and the electronic components for the rack. Find collaborators to delivery the software and hardware that I would like to build.

What’s your budget?

Because the project can be money consuming, I’ll be conceptual and builder at the same time to make the entire project. Find workers that can delivery at the community the best software and the best hardware.

Why I care?

This idea sound like crazy but it is the first time I determined to realize something different and if I arrived at this point is because I think that idea is great. I would like to bring my contribution to the Open Source and to the world. Yes I am crazy!

Risks and challenges

This is my first crowdfund experience and I am very excited, but building a new kind of Data Center is a complex and time-consuming task. I understand that I have a lot of obligations toward each of you and that is very important to me.

I already worked self employed two times and I understand the risk to build a project like that.

I am working presently, to identify the people that can bring life to this project, to collect data and information to build all the parts that need this kind of Data Center.

Getting to the point where I can ship the services to your internet door from the point I am right now, involves the following:

Prototyping, Building and Testing
Develop the custom software
Getting international contacts
Shipping the blueprint and after the services

I am not shying away from any of these challenges. While I am taking them seriously, I am adamant in overcoming any problem. With the help from the community, I can have the resources to move into production while also completing all of the tasks above.

Why 2,000,000$?

Because I would like first to see if someone is interested and second because to deliver a real Data Center is not something we can do with only hundreds of dollars.

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