A Glimpse Inside A Facebook Server Farm

  • The data center holds tens of thousands servers.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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  • These rows of servers are set up to minimize the energy required to keep the data center running.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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  • A close up of the servers in two racks.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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  • The center includes sophisticated coolings systems and back up power supplies.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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  • Cables connect servers in the center with each other and the entire facility with the outside world.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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  • The center was constructed using a "layered replication" model that makes failure almost impossible, even if a regional power system blacks out.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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  • The facility is located 25 minutes by car from Facebook's headquarters. Since these photographs were taken, Facebook has built more state-of-the-art facilities.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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  • The servers process every update to Facebook users' pages.
    Martin Schoeller For TIME
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December 4, 2014 8:00 AM EST

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