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  1. #1
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    Talking Ultimate Datacenter question.

    How much does it cost to MAKE, Maintain and run a data-center from scratch?

    As in from coming up with the idea of have a data center right the way to implementing over 35,000 servers full time??

    I tried asking data-centers directly and got no responce (For reaseach). If your not sure, give a betweek mark like $1 - $5.
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  2. #2
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    Well, for 35,000 servers you're looking at ~40,000 sq. ft. of DC pace and another ~20,000 sq. ft. in supplemental space. You're likely looking at a $20+ million build.
    Karl Zimmerman - Founder & CEO of Steadfast
    VMware Virtual Data Center Platform

    karl @ steadfast.net - Sales/Support: 312-602-2689
    Cloud Hosting, Managed Dedicated Servers, Chicago Colocation, and New Jersey Colocation

  3. #3
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    Assuming our friend jwebhost opens a datacenter like that investing that 20 million. Is it possible to get the profit at least the invested money?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy2010 View Post
    Assuming our friend jwebhost opens a data enter like that investing that 20 million. Is it possible to get the profit at least the invested money?
    Urm, not quite and I'm guessing it would be profitable. The background story is I was talking to one of the Virgin Media tech's and Leading Directors today who came to our Uni looking for new Recrutes and idea's to invest in for their new services. And we somehow ending talking about Virgin needing more power for their new broadband speeds they are going to be bringing out over the few years. (Thus another datacenter for them).

    And yes, Obviously i would as much as anyone else in this industry would LOVE to be able to have a Datacenter, but clearly the cost is a little tooooo high for ANY loan or investment from other companies.
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  5. #5
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    How long is a piece of string?

    You're not getting answers because its not a question that is easily answered.
    Jeremy Kinsey (jer@mia.net) - 262-248-6759
    Dedicated Servers - Web Hosting - Colocation HostDrive.Com
    Since 1997

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by KarlZimmer View Post
    Well, for 35,000 servers you're looking at ~40,000 sq. ft. of DC pace and another ~20,000 sq. ft. in supplemental space. You're likely looking at a $20+ million build.
    Wow that's alot more then i thought. Would it be much less if we were looking at say 10,000 servers?

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by bhavicp View Post
    Wow that's alot more then i thought. Would it be much less if we were looking at say 10,000 servers?
    That's a silly question. Would it cost less if you wanted to buy 20,000 sqft compared to 60,000 sqft ?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by XFactorServers View Post
    That's a silly question. Would it cost less if you wanted to buy 20,000 sqft compared to 60,000 sqft ?
    I meant would the price be MUCH less. Ie if you were going to build a datacenter, would you even consider building it for only 10,000 servers or would it only be a few million more for 30,000. In which case it wouldn't be worth it for only 10,000 servers.

  9. #9
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    if it possible to get the return, then you can go ahead. Please blog how you start, how you proceeded, and how you had completed.

    Like a making of your datacenter. I will be glad to read. Just send me a pm when you start the blog. I will visit regularly.

    thanks

  10. #10
    Real world examples might help out here. Take a look at this one.

    Cost them $800,000 to build a datacenter of 1100 sq ft for about 140 ish servers.

    http://www.networkworld.com/news/200...ta-center.html

    I think KarlZimmer has a pretty good ball park there, judging on how many servers were talking about.

    So many factors. ...

    Equipment, new? used? redundancies... etc.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by bhavicp View Post
    Wow that's alot more then i thought. Would it be much less if we were looking at say 10,000 servers?
    Looking at $6+ million there.
    Karl Zimmerman - Founder & CEO of Steadfast
    VMware Virtual Data Center Platform

    karl @ steadfast.net - Sales/Support: 312-602-2689
    Cloud Hosting, Managed Dedicated Servers, Chicago Colocation, and New Jersey Colocation

  12. #12
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    Op, some interesting replys =]
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  13. #13
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    Ok if you invest 20 million, How long will it take to get back that money. presuming your business runs smoothly as planned. ON top of that, how much profit you can or expect to make.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy2010 View Post
    Ok if you invest 20 million, How long will it take to get back that money. presuming your business runs smoothly as planned. ON top of that, how much profit you can or expect to make.
    22 hours 17 minutes and 2 seconds you can get that money back.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy2010 View Post
    Ok if you invest 20 million, How long will it take to get back that money. presuming your business runs smoothly as planned. ON top of that, how much profit you can or expect to make.
    How much are you charging?
    What's your margin?
    What's your target?
    What's your geographic location?

    It's hard to answer this question because;
    -There are way too many variables
    -Most of the costs in datacenters are step variable (e.g. the infrastructure to go from 1000 servers to 1100 may cost nearly nothing, but to go to 1101 requires a new CRAC)
    Alex
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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy2010 View Post
    Ok if you invest 20 million, How long will it take to get back that money. presuming your business runs smoothly as planned. ON top of that, how much profit you can or expect to make.
    What is the purpose of the data center? If it is for high volume trading you could make it back in a day. If you're doing extreme budget colo it could be 30 years.

    To note, my numbers didn't include servers or any operating costs.
    Karl Zimmerman - Founder & CEO of Steadfast
    VMware Virtual Data Center Platform

    karl @ steadfast.net - Sales/Support: 312-602-2689
    Cloud Hosting, Managed Dedicated Servers, Chicago Colocation, and New Jersey Colocation

  17. #17
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    I did a little more reasearch and have some numbers and have some VERY VERY rough calculations which might not even be correct. But you ready for this:

    Key: (Per Square Metre) Land: Ł170 / Building: Ł90 (Basic on my local area) and local rate for materials (Quick search on Google)

    To build a building that will house 22,000 Servers along with UPS, cooling, cabling, racks, office, licences, PC's, employee's and anything else. (and the building is 28,000 Sq/M which includes office.)

    Land: $2,520,000
    Building: $8,040,000

    External:
    - Concrete, Steel, Bricks both cinder blocks / breeze blocks and clay bricks;

    Interior:

    - Plumbing, lights, Floor tiles, glass, wood (maybe), plug-sockets, power cables, and power cables to/from generators (Heavy Duty) switches,

    Servers: (Overall) + Cooling + Power + cabling: $19,240,000+

    And the rest such as employee can't be included as it is different in each country / state.

    The profit margin is 30-40% (in the first 10 years); target is 10-15% Per year.

    So thats (Roughly at the VERY lower end): $29,800,000.00+ which works out to be around $2,980,000.00 Per year.

    But thats just VERY rough guess.
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  18. #18
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    *Double Post*
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  19. #19
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    Good info JWEB, i will save this info. It will help me in the futre.

    So approximately you will invest $30 million And you will get $30 million + $12 million (just the profit alone) in the first year. Thereafter varying profits in the successive year. Sound great. So when you plan to start.

    Is my understanding correct of those calculations.

    If you start anything like this, please do make a video.


    thanks

  20. #20
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    Ah, no. not quite. I've miss written it. It should be 0.10 - 0.15% per year with an added 0.12% ontop of that year based on the previous year (if you understand that)!

    Sorry!
    Last edited by josephgarbett; 05-06-2010 at 08:29 AM.
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  21. #21
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    then it is very less, i suppose

  22. #22
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    I'm using the value of '1' a the total cost which is $29,800,000.00

    Yes, of it will be a little more or less, but I'm only guessing.

    But think of it this way, You may do more advertising and fill all the servers within a few months like 4 - 9 months and get a 0.60 - 0.90 turn around :p

    Which is still $2,980,000.00 x 9 = $26,820,000
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  23. #23
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    As everyone above said, the dynamics change with the change in business model and location. But roughly you can build up a facility from $750/sqft to $2000/sqft .
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  24. #24
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    Exactly
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  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by IPStrada LLC View Post
    As everyone above said, the dynamics change with the change in business model and location. But roughly you can build up a facility from $750/sqft to $2000/sqft .
    Just the building alone with all those security, fiber, fire, ac features.

    Or the building including the servers.

    Jweb, I cannot understand your profit calculation. You say within a year you can get 9 times of what you invested?

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