Meltdowns Hobble NSA Data Center

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
Really? "Chronic electrical surges?" The National Security Agency can't handle electrical surges? Sounds like a bunch of excuses if you ask me.

Chronic electrical surges at the massive new data-storage facility central to the National Security Agency's spying operation have destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of machinery and delayed the center's opening for a year, according to project documents and current and former officials.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
There are so many things wrong with this. I want to laugh, but then I realize I am paying for it so it's not funny anymore :(.
 
This is what happens when you subcontract out core functions at the lowest possible cost. Odds are, the issues were noted way back in the design phase, but since projects die in that phase, they were ignored at the time to keep the program alive.
 
Hm. I'm sure it was just an accident. Surely nobody in this placid, servile nation would attempt to sabotage something like the NSA data center.

Surely.
 
gamerk2 said:
This is what happens when you subcontract out core functions at the lowest possible cost. Odds are, the issues were noted way back in the design phase, but since projects die in that phase, they were ignored at the time to keep the program alive.
Click to expand...


You actually think they went wth the "lowest" cost contrators?

No, this is what happens when you contract out to "connected" contractors, or contractors that fill the needed quota (usually the same thing). I'm sure there was alot of green energy requirements that also needed to be filled.
 
Glad to know that spying on people is a critical enough job to not get furloughed with the government shutdown... or maybe parts of it was which is why there was this meltdown :D
 
nutzo said:
You actually think they went wth the "lowest" cost contrators?

No, this is what happens when you contract out to "connected" contractors, or contractors that fill the needed quota (usually the same thing). I'm sure there was alot of green energy requirements that also needed to be filled.
Click to expand...

while the actual event makes me ecstatic to see the NSA get a little bit of karma

fact of the matter is even something as evil as the NSA is still (mostly) government...and well...government gonna be government..which means favors and revolving door contracts and well...stupid problems like this.
 
aquabusa said:
Did you see the size of this building? Are those air conditioning units?
http://cdn3.standard.net/sites/defa...800/2013/06/06/story-nsa-bluffdale-201834.jpg
With such a symbol of might, you'd never think that we are days away from default...
Click to expand...

Holy hell :eek:. Those things look to be the size of a house. Look how small the tractors look next to them.... Obviously it's hard to judge the perspective but holy shit.

Something tells me this was a project that was given a blank check to complete. They probably didn't even shop around.
 
The place responsible for gathering information doesn't know what caused fuckups in their own building.

A couple of weeks later, on Sept. 23, the contractors reported they had uncovered the "root cause" of the electrical failures, citing a "consensus" among 30 investigators, which didn't include government officials. Their proposed solution was the same device they had already begun installing.

The Army Corps of Engineer's Tiger Team said the contractor's explanations were unproven. The causes of the incidents "are not yet sufficiently understood to ensure that [the NSA] can expect to avoid these incidents in the future," their report said.
Click to expand...
 
Obvious cover story is obvious. Chinese probably found a clever way to oversurge a main electrical feed.

Chronic surges. Pathetic.
 
TheOrangeJuicer said:
There are so many things wrong with this. I want to laugh, but then I realize I am paying for it so it's not funny anymore :(.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my first thought was "Good, hope the hole thing melts into the ground" but then I started thinking about how many tax dollars that place is burning and it just makes me sick.

One would think that if the government wanted to disregard our Constitution they could at least do so without bankrupting us in the process.
 
Probably just some engineers fucked up back in the design phase as has already been suggested.

Don't worry, it's not your money yet, not the problems at least. the contractor has screwed himself completely though because if this keeps up they will go bankrupt over it. Not only will they not get paid for everything and have to pay for the damaged equipment, but they will also get fined for each day the project goes beyond the deadline. If it crushes them then the government will let out a new proposal for other companies willing to pick up and complete the project. In the end yes we will get screwed over these fuck-ups but not in the same way as some of you are thinking.
 
Inu said:
Obvious cover story is obvious. Chinese probably found a clever way to oversurge a main electrical feed.

Chronic surges. Pathetic.
Click to expand...

Cover story sure...but I'd sooner think it is a cover to buy/hide more computer gear in addition to what they already have that is probably online and functional.
 
Plenty of money to spy on the world :(
No money to fix crumbling roads and bridges :(
 
Don't worry about your grandchildren, they will be just fine in our brand spanking new socialist nation.
 
lcpiper said:
Don't worry about your grandchildren, they will be just fine in our brand spanking new socialist nation.
Click to expand...

Hey now...those socialists are keeping us safe by watching our every move and listening to our every word. Have faith!
 
WQUOTE=Stiletto;1040267076]Hm. I'm sure it was just an accident. Surely nobody in this placid, servile nation would attempt to sabotage something like the NSA data center.

Surely.[/QUOTE]

Exactly what I was thinking. There is no way there is a Snowden esque saboteur... Right?
 
Sure they "died in electric surges" and I'm sure they're going to "dispose" of them in other nondisclosed locations... Yeah, not buying it. Just a way to get equipment somewhere minimizing paper trail I'm sure.
 
I bet these chronic surges were an "act of God" / "accident" if you know what I mean ;D NSA trying to make itself look fragile, innocent, and weak; downplay!
 
Cover up for all the publicity they got, they use this as an excuse to not open for a year, mean while they are mining data already and just finding ways to cover their tracks more.
 
34188921.jpg


Actually quite hilarious to think that what is probably the most advanced data centre in the world is badly affectd by a few power surges. :D TBH I'm surprised they don't run on their very own grid that is completely isolated from the outside world.
 
Good. I hope that it burns down with every shitbag NSA employee stuck in the building.
 
How much power do you think?

Oak Ridge is running 8,000,000 watts.

NSA is running something bigger ...
 
Someone correct me, but I think I read that Oak Ridge's U-235 program consumed 1/3 of all the electricity in the USA during 1944-1945.
 
Wow 8MW that is insane. We're running about 80KW at work (Telco CO), well that's at the rectifiers, so that does not count A/C, lights, etc.
 
China's military acknowledges running a computer twice as powerful as Oak Ridge.

>17,000,000 watts. Do you think it's for doing their income tax returns?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top