Apple to build second 'tactical datacenter' at Maiden, NC facility

Permit filings discovered on Wednesday reveal Apple is preparing to expand its existing 500,000-square-foot datacenter in Maiden, N.C. with a new, smaller "tactical datacenter" complete with office space, meeting area and breakroom.

According to a report by local publication The Hickory Daily Record, Apple's new tactical datacenter will be 14,246 square feet and measure 25 feet tall, slightly smaller than a similar ancillary structure built over one year ago.

The information comes from an erosion permit filed with the Catawba County planning office. Plans for the datacenter reportedly show centrally located "banks of computers" with 11 cooling units. Two additional air conditioners will take care of the office space and other work areas, while security is to be handled by a "man trap" type door.

The cost of the new project is unknown, but appears to be on a smaller scale than the original 21,030-square-foot tactical datacenter, which was priced at $1.8 million. That build required 22 A/C units, five fans, 14 humidifiers, six electrical unit heaters and one duct with electric louvers.

Apple's Maiden datacenter plays a vital role in the company's backend infrastructure and contains servers for various iCloud and iTunes services. The site is powered by a large 5-megawatt biogas fuel cell installation and the largest privately owned solar array in the country.

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31 Comments

emes

said about 10 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

while security is to be handled by a "man trap" type door.

That doesn't sound too pleasant XP

solipsismx

said about 10 years ago

Purely subjective on my part but I can read about FB, Google or Amazon creating new server farms I can get excited but when I read about Apple doing it I think to myself '[I]meh[/I].' When we originally got word they were building them out I was excited about it but I think I expected something obvious and direct that would show these high-tech data centers in action.

pneumapilot

said about 10 years ago

My opinion is the complete mirror image of yours.

mstone

said about 10 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX

Purely subjective on my part but I can read about FB, Google or Amazon creating new server farms I can get excited but when I read about Apple doing it I think to myself 'meh.' When we originally got word they were building them out I was excited about it but I think I expected something obvious and direct that would show these high-tech data centers in action.

Tactical data centers are cool. I think they are what we used to call disaster recovery centers. That is why they have man traps and meeting rooms so a team can come in and do forensics and recovery in case of an attack or catastrophe.

@Emes

The man trap is a small transitional space between the foyer and the actual data center. It is usually only large enough for one person. This helps prevent piggybacking when someone passes their hand print scan and card swipe, an unauthorized partner cannot slip through before the door closes. Some mantraps are very elaborate in terms of weigh ins and glass observation from the security guards - sort of like the TSA at the airport.