Google’s First Production Server
Posted on: February 26, 2007
revealing a rack of cheap networked PCs, circa 1999.
Each level has a couple of PC boards slammed in there, partially overlapping. This approach reflects a presumption of rapid obsolescence of cheap hardware, which would not need to be repaired. Several of the PCs never worked, and the system design optimized around multiple computer failures.
According to Larry and Sergey, the beta system used Duplo blocks for the chassis because generic brand plastic blocks were not rigid enough.
