Ask HN: What do you want out of a datacenter?
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As an application developer the VPS/cloud model is very appealing. So much so, I think you'd be nuts not to build a datacenter that doesn't target this market. I'm not interested in floor space, dedicated servers, or supplying my own hardware. I'm really interested in how easily I can launch, update, and manage my applications -- everything else can be abstracted.
I am exploring different datacenter models and as the HN community is effectively the DC target market, I'd like to find out what you would want out of a datacenter.
Obviously, many startups are heavily reliant on hosted I/PaaS offerings, so for arguments sake - lets leave out comparisons to AWS for the moment.
I am exploring a new full datacenter build out in San Francisco - and would like to find out what the community would most value:
There are effectively three data center models;
Colocation - where you get rack/floor space and you bring in your own equipment and rack it into the DC provided space.
Hosting - Where you timeslice/rent dedicated hardware or resources.
Modular - which can be a combination of the other two, and also offer an option to bring in your own modules. These are more rare as there are few modular datacenters at this point.
I am developing a hybrid model for DC design though, where I try to employ a number of design innovations which would integrate/incorporate things like modular containers with certain aspects of ideas found in the Open Compute platform.
The issues with purpose built systems such as Facebook's open compute platform, is that it is beneficial at scale, but difficult to leverage in a shared hosting model.
I am interested in deploying open compute style systems (racks, UPS, mobo-slot machines, integrated cabling) into container modules.
This would be sold as hosting - or you could choose to buy a number of nodes and have your own cluster. The benefit is ideally that you have a great PUE for a set number of nodes.
Additionally, the site may have traditional colo space as well - either in a separate building - or as rack space in containers.
My question to the HN community, assuming you're buying hosting and not simply leveraging AWS - what model is your preference.
If you could buy open compute-style nodes/infrastructure - would you? Or do you want to buy fully enclosed machines and rack them up in a more traditional fashion?
Any feedback would be appreciated.