Sun Microsystems offer shipping containers for secure data storage

Published 25 January 2007

Stackable and easily shippable system holds eight server racks, a cooling system, and other critical appurtences; both DoD and FEMA see useful applications; airlifting to war zones a major possibility

In many poor countries, especially in Africa and Asia, used shipping containers often do double duty slum housing. That’s smart thinking because the boxes tend to be large and rugged enough for permanent shelter. Now we hear that Sun Mircosystems has found another good use for surplus containers: secure data storage. The company is now offering its Project Blackbox system for use in disaster recovery and consolidation, with its hardened containers holding eight server racks, a cooling system, power grid, fire suppression, and shock absorbers. “You can put whatever you want on those racks — up to 200, 220 kilowatts of computing power, tape, storage, CPUs, [dynamic RAM]