--- description: Every post you share and picture you like is recorded among the masses of data at one of Facebook's data servers. In 2010, this is what those serves looked like. title: A Glimpse Inside A Facebook Server Farm image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1ae2850d6d78168/69876a2b8e0601c999458bc5/server-farm-facebook7.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A Glimpse Inside A Facebook Server Farm by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 4, 2014 1:00 PM CUT  The center was constructed using a "layered replication" model that makes failure almost impossible, even if a regional power system blacks out. 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 by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 4, 2014 1:00 PM CUT  The data center holds tens of thousands servers. Martin Schoeller For TIME  These rows of servers are set up to minimize the energy required to keep the data center running. Martin Schoeller For TIME  A close up of the servers in two racks. Martin Schoeller For TIME  The center includes sophisticated coolings systems and back up power supplies. Martin Schoeller For TIME  Cables connect servers in the center with each other and the entire facility with the outside world. Martin Schoeller For TIME  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  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  The servers process every update to Facebook users' pages. Martin Schoeller For TIME ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3598504/a-glimpse-inside-a-facebook-server-farm/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3598504/a-glimpse-inside-a-facebook-server-farm/"},"headline":"A Glimpse Inside A Facebook Server Farm","datePublished":"2014-12-04T13:00:38.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:45:32.498Z","description":"Every post you share and picture you like is recorded among the masses of data at one of Facebook's data servers. In 2010, this is what those serves looked like.","url":"https://time.com/3598504/a-glimpse-inside-a-facebook-server-farm/","keywords":["Tech","Social Media","facebook","photography","Mark Zuckerberg","Martin Schoeller","Person of the Year topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1ae2850d6d78168/69876a2b8e0601c999458bc5/server-farm-facebook7.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1ae2850d6d78168/69876a2b8e0601c999458bc5/server-farm-facebook7.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"server-farm-facebook7","caption":"The center was constructed using a \"layered replication\" model that makes failure almost impossible, even if a regional power system blacks out.","creditText":"Martin Schoeller For TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3598504/a-glimpse-inside-a-facebook-server-farm/","name":"A Glimpse Inside A Facebook Server Farm"}}]}] ```