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Google's data centers are guarded by stormtroopers (maps.google.com)
257 points by jeffisageek on Oct 17, 2012 | hide | past | favorite | 51 comments



Someone was stupid enough to leave a computer terminal running with what I can clearly make out to be Google's future strategic plan.

http://goo.gl/maps/d0tD5

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Enormous Android figure locked up in a cabinet:

http://goo.gl/maps/7Njc6

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Guy getting Rickroll'ed twice

http://goo.gl/maps/7IJMk

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I'm going to assume this is Buster from Arrested Development, hiding inside of a box.

http://goo.gl/maps/61kbM

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"Please keep the door closed... Or I'll call the Brute Squad"

http://goo.gl/maps/DJJYr

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"Caution - This Sign has Sharp Edges"

http://goo.gl/maps/Mo0uE


There is also an employee making off with a ton of snacks: http://goo.gl/maps/MIE9g


I believe that is Brute squad. Which probably makes it a reference to The Princess Bride ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v... )


That reminds me of the recursive elevator sign: http://www.thescrabbled.com/posts/66891-The-Recursive-Escala...


My favorite is the Android figure with some ear protection on:

http://goo.gl/maps/EzEbs


Near the "Super Secret Strategic PUE Plan" computer there is a shredder with something left out of it [1]. I'm dying to figure out what it says. The paper is clearly a plant since a) the document wasn't fully shredded and b) the shredder isn't near a power outlet.

[1] http://goo.gl/maps/RQ6pu


Looks like shipping barcodes to my untrained eye.



The last one is actually about quitting smoking.

(You can see references to No Tabaco Day)


It's about quitting smoking...


> "Please keep the door closed... Or I'll call the Bruce Squad" I guess that's an inside joke referring to some security guard called Bruce?

It seems to say "Brute", not "Bruce".


The Brute Squad is a reference to The Princess Bride.


That, or Monty Python's Bruce sketch :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA


"Vending machine raid"

http://goo.gl/maps/OljbS


The 'sharp edges' sign came from a Fark PhotoShop contest many years ago.


at least the super secret strategic plan is being displayed in chrome :)


The main joke here being that PUE < 1 is impossible by definition, by the way.


Cold fusion - if anyone can crack it, Google can.

That, or perpetual motion.


The pranks emphasize how carefully Google narrated each shot on here. Earlier today on HN I saw a link to a Wired article about Google giving us an insight into their datacenter. Although somewhat true, the article is very superficial and hardly mentions any tech details, and the indoor street view very carefully avoids the interesting stuff.

Try going next to a server on the streetview, it'll skip right past where you clicked and only show you close-ups from empty racks or racks without servers. Also I can't see anything about their cooling systems, which you hear a lot about and would be interesting.

Also, don't mention how some things are blurred out, and how there is a huge curtain on one end of the streetview tour. I was honestly disappointed by how little Google told us, compared to the sensational title.


The are a lot more pictures on the "An Inside Look" page of the data-centers page.

Gallery: http://www.google.com/about/datacenters/gallery/#/all Web-Page: http://www.google.com/about/datacenters/inside/

Blog post: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/googles-data-centers-...


Did anybody else notice the RoombaMaster error thrown when you have a Flash debug build?

  TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
    at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba.controls::ElevatorControl/handleNewConfig()
    at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba.controls::ElevatorControl()
    at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba::RoombaMaster()
    at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba::RoombaModule/constructRoombaMaster()
    at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba::RoombaStub/handleLoadComplete()
If that's an easter egg then they really went deep :)


This is cute and all but is essentially a reddit level posting.


Same thing for the parent comment.


Isn't he a little short for a storm trooper?


Sorry, but I have to call bullshit on the headline. There is, in fact, only ONE Stormtrooper pictured. Not plural "Stormtroopers". ;)

Vader must have made budget cuts.


Google looks like such a cool company to work for. I'm sad I'll never have the skill set to be hired by them.


Never say never... If you really want to make it, study a subject in depth, show your skills by working on some good projects, open source or not, and you have good chances.


While I'm not one to normally say this... That little R2D2 beside the Storm Trooper looks so cute! :)


Someone's going to make a FPS map based on these...


I can only pray for an excellent Doom WAD file.


I just realized you can use 'w,a,s,d' keys to move around the camera instead of the mouse.


glide over to the google kitchen, someone is stealing some food: http://goo.gl/GPQXJ



Rickrolled by a noogler. http://goo.gl/maps/2pMoe


Notice that way down the hall past the stormtrooper is a sign that says "Pharmacy" Wot?


The Pharmacy is where they keep spare parts for servers


There's also a small R2-D2 standing next to him. Zoom in if you can't see it.


My favorite Google data center prank was the Oregon one. Next door to where they built it was a window factory, so a sign appeared on the data center fence which read "Voldemort's School of Defenestration"


That's good, if there's a firefight they won't hit anything.


But in the case of an air attack any exposed exhaust vents will require constant guarding.


About 25 employees waving outside of the Data Center: http://goo.gl/maps/cZfN9


and cornhole in the background!


Scooters for gettin around datacenter! Awesome. http://goo.gl/maps/SiBpj


In this economy, everyone needs a second job


Very tempted to make the obligatory droid joke at this point. Have thought better of it though.


There is an Android imprisoned elsewhere. Take a step or two back, go through the door on the right and keep going.


http://goo.gl/b3ZjG

Bastids. Set my brother free!

And give him a scooter.


No photographing the server room?

http://goo.gl/maps/1n7jW


So.. guarded by people who die easily and can't shoot straight?

Someone! Call Con SOLO!! Obi's WAN Kenobi died suddenly!


appropriate


  "If your account is less than a year old, please don't submit comments
   saying that HN is turning into Reddit. (It's a common semi-noob illusion.)"
pg, is it time to update the guidelines? Or at least ask that people read and follow them? This submission and its comments seem to indicate that the illusion is becoming reality. More specifically, there is already a story[0] on Google's datacenter in which one's intellectual curiosity can be gratified. This one is little more than a meme with Google's name on it.

[0] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4663946




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