30,000 servers, 25tb of log data per day - all so your mum can poke you

[Casdawer]

Cue the conspiracy theories that not only are they taking over the worlds banks, but the biggest social networking sites too

Rothschild?!

 

[daz]

Well it's exactly because of this that they are unprofitable! Huge leases, $125m, $100m, $150m etc on various datacentres, all based on a model of internet advertising, the revenues from which plummeted 9 years ago.

A datacenter to house 5,000 servers can be built for <$5m. God knows who they're using for infrastructure. Basically it seems like Facebook are outsourcing every aspect of their application; unlike Google, who developed a lot of their own infrastructure on which they're built.

 

[Sawell]

I think if Facebook looked into sponsorship in a big way they could potentially run some high figures, 300 million is a fantastic marketing op for any major league organisation. Other than that, perhaps introducing paid services that don't interfere with your ability to socially network. Work on the gifts model more, introduce facebook dating, perhaps event organisation etc

As mentioned, I think the major issue has been the way in which they've gone about spending money.

 

[rsatd]

Work on the gifts model more, introduce facebook dating, perhaps event organisation etc

Now I rarely use facebook, but I thought they already hve all that provided either normally like with gifts, I am sure I saw ability to buy gifts, and you already can organise events.

Dating, no idea, but I am sure there are applications for that.

 

[LeJosh]

Organised crime is the key!

 

[daz]

As mentioned, I think the major issue has been the way in which they've gone about spending money.

This is why if they were bought entirely by Google, Yahoo or Microsoft, they would be able to absorb Facebook within their existing infrastructure and probably reduce Facebook's costs significantly...

 

[platypus]

A datacenter to house 5,000 servers can be built for <$5m. God knows who they're using for infrastructure. Basically it seems like Facebook are outsourcing every aspect of their application; unlike Google, who developed a lot of their own infrastructure on which they're built.

Yes it can be built cheaply, but the leases that Facebook have are far from cheap.

 

[jas72]

The thing is, it's not like it's a bubble either. People aren't suddenly going to get bored of using FB to socialise are they? It's practically engrained in everyones consciousness now, it's up there with sending texts/phoning people/emailing etc.. Mark Zuckerberg is only going to get richer and richer and richer!

yes if you are under 21 it is.

Most 30 somethings don't care and are too busy working. You'll find out when you go to work for a living that facebook doesn't matter either. Also in scotland they use BEBO lol

 

[gjc10212]

http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2009/10/13/facebook-now-has-30000-servers/

It's amazing how big facebook has got. Although I'm inclined to believe that most of the traffic is due to Bejeweled Blitz ........... which is currently 425,900 if anyone has any better?

 

[NerveAgent]

yes if you are under 21 it is.

Most 30 somethings don't care and are too busy working. You'll find out when you go to work for a living that facebook doesn't matter either. Also in scotland they use BEBO lol

Thats not really true. They people who used facebook at uni when it first came out are now 25/26. All my friends around this age have it.

 

[Nitefly]

We all take facebook for granted, it's amazing that we get the service that we do for free.

 

[Janesy B]

30,000 wow!

i'd love to work in a data centre... /nerd

It aint all that.

 

[Chimerical]

I found Facebook boring.

Just merges real life with the internet. I can't say how long it'll last if and when something else takes over.

 

[carvegio]

...and Facebook is still unprofitable and losing millions of dollars each month.

Not anymore... They are cashflow positive now but not sure if that means profitable??

 

[Nick1881]

That's a hell of a lot of servers.

Wonder how much bandwidth fb consumes each day in total.

 

[Django x2]

Mafia Wars f.t.w

True dat!

 

[meghatronic]

That's a hell of a lot of servers.

Wonder how much bandwidth fb consumes each day in total.

1 whole megabyte.

 

[Vonhelmet]

Not anymore... They are cashflow positive ie profitable now

That's not at all what cashflow positive means.

They are not profitable yet, though they are moving that way.

 

[Sawell]

yes if you are under 21 it is.

Most 30 somethings don't care and are too busy working. You'll find out when you go to work for a living that facebook doesn't matter either. Also in scotland they use BEBO lol

Hmm, I wouldn't agree with that statement. A good lump of my friends are over 30, and also a lot of my friends are people who use facebook as a kind of LinkedIn, to see if there are any new contracts with their business networks etc. Also the older the FB user gets the more it's used for keeping in touch with family and friends, especially for parents with kids that have moved out.

I don't really think there's a market that facebook doesn't appeal to; I just think it's bombed with a lot of negativity from certain mentality types. Mainly those who are adverse to technology, feel it is devolving our social activity or feel it invades their privacy. All of which are arguable points from both sides of the fence.

 

[The Mad Rapper]

The thing is, it's not like it's a bubble either. People aren't suddenly going to get bored of using FB to socialise are they? It's practically engrained in everyones consciousness now, it's up there with sending texts/phoning people/emailing etc.. Mark Zuckerberg is only going to get richer and richer and richer!

I don't use FB or anything similar. I do not see the point in it at all, and I am sure I am not alone in that.