Sun's Project Blackbox Offers "Instant-on" Datacenter

Sun Microsystems unveiled Project Blackbox, "instant-on" modular datacenter targeting companies seeking rapid and highly efficient deployment of lights-out infrastructure. Project Blackbox packages compute, storage and network infrastructure, along with high-efficiency power and cooling into modular units based on standard shipping containers. The Project Blackbox prototype is designed to be rapidly and flexibly deployed.

Project Blackbox is a pre-configured, fully contained datacenter, optimized for maximum density, performance and efficiency, as well as complete recyclability. One Blackbox could hold 250 Sun Fire servers, provide two petabytes of storage, or provide seven Terabytes of memory.



Sun said potential deployment scenarios could include Web 2.0 companies that have an ongoing need for datacenter space, yet don't have the time to design or build it; advanced military applications; developing nations that lack the power and networking infrastructure to support a traditional datacenter; oil exploration companies; or companies that might wish to relocate their data center resources to take better advantage of alternative energy sources and rates.http://sun.com/blackbox