Google patents mobile data center concept; sorry Sun, Rackable
I recently wrote about the new mobile data centers from Sun Microsystems Inc. and Rackable Systems Inc., and mentioned that Google reportedly came up with the idea years ago.
As is par, Google didn’t respond to requests to confirm reports.
Well, Google originally filed for a patent in 2003 and finally secured a patent for the mobile data centers this week.
It isn’t surprising that forward thinking Google came up with the idea, if that is tuly the case.
Blogger Leila Thomas said, “I think this proves that Google was thinking ahead four years ago. They know more will go mobile. I would imagine they’re getting prepared for that transition as much as (possible), quietly building things for the platform.”
But what does this mean for Sun’s Project BlackBox and Rackable’s Concentro and the latest version, ICE Cube?
Sun and Rackable were quick to respond to me about Google’s patent, and both say thier mobile data center offerings do not infringe on that patent.
Sun’s spokesperson Michelle K. Parkinson said Google’s patent should not affect Project Blackbox because there are slight differences. For instance, Sun’s BlackBox does not require separate cooling systems.
“Sun respects the intellectual property rights of others, and expects the same in return. Sun has a strong patent portfolio that clearly establishes its rights to its Project Blackbox technology,” Parkinson said. “With respect to Google’s patent, it does not appear to be relevant to Sun’s Project Blackbox systems…Sun stands behind its commercialized technology with third party intellectual property indemnification protection provided under Sun’s sales contracts.”
Rackable Systems’ Spokesperson Colette LaForce sent me a statement saying the company became aware of the Google patent from recent media coverage.
“Rackable Systems takes its obligations not to infringe the
intellectual property rights of others seriously, and we believe we are in compliance with those obligations. We have counsel reviewing the matter for further analysis.”
I’m not holding my breath for a call back from Google.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 under Uncategorized, Data center physical infrastructure, Data center room design and site selection, Data center on the road.
Just how does one go about getting a newly issued patent for something that has been available in the industry since the 80’s?
The former Comdisco had Mobile Computing Systems (ComRoc)as part of its Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services (CDRS) group long ago, now just because someone wants to put in on a roof doesn’t make that new, it just makes it a different deployment location, but the premise is still the same, computing in mobile facilities has been around since about 1985, I know I was there, I saw it, I was a small part of it, so again, just how does someone receive a patent for deployment of technology that has been in use for 20 years?
I was at Sun when they announced Project Black Box and I thought that their “new concept” was nothing more than a repeat of the 80’s so why is Google or anyone else for that matter taking credit for systems deployment that is long established? Oh I forgot, since it’s coming from Open Systems vendors / users it must be new…
Is it innovation to take the wheels off of a trailer and use a shipping container? Apparently so…
As they say, failure to understand history will force us to repeat it…
Thanks
Diskman
Comment by Diskman — October 23, 2007 @ 2:06 pm