Google picks Austria village for new European server farm
Time is GMT + 8 hours Posted: 21-Nov-2008 03:44 hrs
A Google logo. Google has bought a 75 hectare (185 acre) property in the north of Austria to erect a new European server farm within two years, the US Internet search engine giant said Thursday.
Google has bought a 75 hectare (185 acre) property in the north of Austria to erect a new European server farm within two years, the US Internet search engine giant said Thursday.
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In a statement, Google spokeswoman Kay Oberbeck said the company looked at sites in a dozen European countries before settling on Kronstorf -- population 3,000 -- near the city of Linz.
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Still in the design stage, the server farm will employ 50 to 100 people initially, in an area that won out due to its favourable economic environment, nearby qualified manpower, and ample electricity and water.
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Server farms house an array of powerful computers that handle requests for data from Internet users. They require not only a great deal of electricity to function, but also a constant supply of water to keep the computers cool.
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Local officials quoted by Austria's domestic APA news agency said Google's investment will be worth tens of millions of euros. — AFP
