I Can't BELIEVE They Let Me in Here!

Summary

This video takes viewers behind the scenes at Equinix, showcasing their advanced data center technology, robust security systems, and innovative infrastructure. From stringent physical security measures like airlocks and biometric access, to cutting-edge cooling and power redundancy systems, Equinix ensures high uptime and efficiency. The video also highlights their fiber networks, sustainability initiatives, and future technologies. Offering rare insight into a high-security, high-tech environment, it’s a fascinating look at how Equinix maintains critical data operations while prioritizing safety, efficiency, and future growth.

Takeaways

• 😀 The narrator takes the audience on a tour of an Equinix data center, showcasing its infrastructure and operations.
• 😀 Fiber optic lines enter the building through a specialized room, where they are spliced and patched for connectivity.
• 😀 The fiber room has a large capacity, with fiber loops big enough to fit an entire family hula-hooping inside.
• 😀 Fiber lines from the building are routed through manholes shared by around 60 carriers, ensuring high accessibility for service providers.
• 😀 Equinix enforces a principle of equity by ensuring fair access to infrastructure, where carriers only get access at their designated cages.
• 😀 The data center has two fiber rooms with connections from opposite sides of the building to provide redundancy in case of disruptions.
• 😀 Redundancy is vital in case of accidents (e.g., construction workers cutting cables), ensuring uninterrupted service.
• 😀 Augmented Reality (AR) is used via QR codes to assist technicians with fault discovery and mapping customer connections.
• 😀 The data center has secure, private unloading docks for 18-wheelers when delivering racks, ensuring privacy and safety.
• 😀 Equinix facilities include employee amenities like showers and sleeping areas to accommodate staff during emergencies or long shifts.
• 😀 The facility saves power by turning off lights when no human presence is detected, showcasing energy efficiency.
• 😀 The data center is interconnected with other Equinix buildings, creating a redundant and resilient network of data centers.
• 😀 The tour touches on numerous other advanced features and security measures, but further details are promised for future content.
• 😀 The narrator encourages viewers to check out a related Intel Fab tour for more insight into high-security facilities.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the fiber room in the data center?

The fiber room serves as the primary location where external fiber optic lines come in and are spliced or patched to the network, ensuring the building's connectivity.

Why are the fiber loops described as unusually large?

The fiber loops are large enough that the narrator jokes that his entire family could fit inside them, highlighting the scale of the infrastructure in place to support the data center’s operations.

What is the significance of the seven manholes mentioned in the script?

The seven manholes are crucial for routing fiber from the outside into the data center, and they are shared by approximately 60 carriers. These manholes provide multiple access points for fiber and ensure redundancy.

How does the data center ensure redundancy in case of accidents or damage?

The data center has two fiber rooms, each with separate fiber routes from different sides of the building. This redundancy is designed to protect against accidents, such as a construction worker accidentally cutting one of the fiber lines.

What role do QR codes play in the data center's operations?

QR codes are used to direct technicians through augmented reality (AR) tools, which help them with fault discovery and mapping customer connection requests efficiently.

How does the data center maintain high security during unloading operations?

The data center has an 18-wheeler dock that can be completely closed off for privacy and security when racks are being unloaded, ensuring that sensitive equipment is handled securely.

What emergency facilities are available for employees in the data center?

The data center provides on-site employee facilities, such as showers, sleeping areas, and shaving stations, to support workers in case of emergencies or long shifts.

What energy-saving feature does the data center utilize?

The data center turns off the lights whenever no humans are detected, which helps save power and contributes to energy efficiency.

How does the data center ensure a reliable and redundant network infrastructure?

The data center is connected to other buildings through direct links, creating a redundant mesh network that ensures reliability and minimizes downtime in case of failure.

Why does the narrator mention that the content shown is just a small part of the whole story?

The narrator indicates that there is much more to the data center that wasn’t covered in the video, suggesting that additional content may be shared in future tours or videos to give a more comprehensive look at the facility.