Notes on Facebook's Data Management

Overview

• Facebook is the largest social networking site with a valuation over $100 billion and over 1 billion users.
• Handles profiles, photos, and messages for more than 1 in 7 people on Earth.

Company Background

• Founded by Harvard students in 2004 in Northern California.
• Grew rapidly, going public eight years later at a valuation of $104 billion.
• Work environment features unique aspects like graffiti, touchscreen tech, and an average employee age of 26 years.

User Growth and Engineering

• Gaining 100 million new users every six months.
• Employs one engineer for every million users, which highlights the unprecedented scale of operations.

Data Storage Challenges

• Storage Needs:
  • Requires massive storage capabilities beyond typical personal devices.
  • Houses a data center in Prineville, Oregon, spanning 300,000 square feet.
  • The center is likened to a memory chip the size of three football fields.

Data Center Operations

• Data management:

  • Information is handled through advanced servers and memory banks.
  • Data transmission occurs via over 21 million feet of fiber-optic cable.
  • Users' requests processed in milliseconds.

• Physical Nature of the Internet:

  • The internet is a physical entity, consisting of interconnected buildings and cables.
  • The Prineville data center operates like a supercomputer with 30 megawatts of electricity.

Backup and Cooling Systems

• Power Backup:

  • Diesel generators stand ready to provide backup power in case of an outage.
  • Each generator can produce up to three megawatts of power, with 14 on-site.

• Cooling Technology:

  • A state-of-the-art cooling system with seven rooms uses natural air from the high plains.
  • Maintains optimal temperature and humidity for servers.
  • Excess heat managed by large fans.

Data Growth and Server Management

• Increasing Data Needs:

  • Nearly 600 million users log in daily, creating vast amounts of data.
  • Growth in server needs; thousands of servers arrive daily to handle increased traffic.

• Data Capacity:

  • Facebook operates with over 100 petabytes of stored data including photos and videos.
  • Each server rack contains 500 terabytes of data.

Technical Challenges

• Technicians like David Gaylord are responsible for managing server issues, with the ability to replace components quickly.
• Worldwide, 2.5 billion people access the internet, spending significant time on social networking.
• As online activities grow, the need to expand existing data centers is critical.