Data centers are uniquely terrible places. I suppose they can be compared to factories — both are large spaces, filled with large machines, and both generally have very bright, harsh lighting. Both are filled with inhumane noise, day and night. Both feature repetitive arrays of machines. Machines for doing work and machines that exist to support the machines. Still, the data center is a uniquely terrible place. Nothing moves. No product leaves. People working there aspire to leave as quickly as possible. The feeling is suffocating, akin to being in a catacomb; this place is not meant for the living. With this in mind, I’ve been thinking about how to make the ideal data center. Not ideal as in less terrible, quite the opposite, I would like it to be more terrible. More alien. I was inspired by this Paul Evans cabinet -

Row after row of ornately sculpted metal cabinets, the computers inside screaming as they host webinars and record video. I feel that would be more appropriate.