ECONOMICS REPORT - Data Centers Power a Big Change in Computing
Thu, 10July 2008
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
经济报道－数据中心推动计算机巨变
2008年7月10日
这是VOA特别英语的经济报道。
The Internet is sometimes described as a cloud -- a big, borderless area of computing power. But this power has to come from somewhere.
网络有时称为一朵云，一片巨大、无界、具有计算能力的云。但是，这一能力来自他处。
Data centers are buildings full of servers. These powerful computers store, process and move information. They make the Web work.
数据中心是具有许多服务器的大楼。这些强大的计算机贮存、处理并传输信息。它们使网络运转。
"Server farms" contain thousands of machines -- millions in all at data centers worldwide. And there is strong demand for more as a major change takes place in computing.
“服务器中心”包括数千台机械，在全球的数据中心合计有数万台机械。另外，随着计算机领域的巨大变化，需要强劲。
Tasks traditionally done with software stored on a personal computer are now increasingly offered as services on the Internet.
过去由贮存在个人电脑上软件完成的工作，目前逐渐地由网络服务代替。
Google Apps, for example, combines e-mail, word processing and other applications. Groups can work together online without the need for special software.
例如，Google Apps综合了电子邮件、文字处理以及其它应用（软件）。各个小组可在线合作，并且不需要特殊的软件。
Other companies, including Salesforce.com and Microsoft, also offer software as a service.
其它公司，如Salesforce.com和微软，也提供软件服务。
Rich Miller is editor of Data Center Knowledge. He says the number of data centers has jumped in the last three or four years. But all that computing power takes another kind of power which also has to come from somewhere.
里奇.米勒是《数据中心知识》的编辑。他说，数据中心的数量在过去3－4年间剧增。但是，所有计算能力也来自于他处的另一种能力。
Data centers need energy not only to operate their servers but to cool and protect their systems.
数据中心不仅在运行服务器时需要能量，而且在冷却与保护系统时也需要能量。
The Environmental Protection Agency says the United States has about ten thousand data centers. The E.P.A. estimates that they use almost two percent of the country's electricity. In two thousand six, the most recent year reported, power costs reached four and a half billion dollars.
EPA（美国环保署）说，美国大约有1万个数据中心。EPA估计，这些数据中心几乎消耗了美国电量的2%。2006年出炉的最近一年报告说，用电成本达到45亿美元。
The amount and cost of energy use by data centers is the subject of growing concern and criticism. Some data centers use only about twenty to thirty percent of their computing power.
数据中心使用能源的数量与费用，受到不断的关注与批评。某些数据中心仅使用其计算能力的20－30%。
Using wind power or other renewable energy for data centers could help the situation. Another answer is to make servers more energy-efficient. The E.P.A. has recently set rules for measuring and rating the energy use of servers.
数据中心使用风能或其它可再生能源有所裨益。另一个解决方案是使服务器的能效更高。EPA最近制定了服务器使用能源的测量与评级。
Still another solution may come from virtualization. This lets one server work like several. Usually, a server runs a single operating system, like Linux or Windows. Virtualization lets both run at the same time.
另一解决方案是虚拟化，使一台服务器象几台服务器那样工作。通常，一台服务器运行单个操作系统，如Linux和视窗。虚拟化就是使它们同时运行。
Rich Miller at datacenterknowledge.com says the need for data centers will only increase as the Internet becomes more central to everyday life.
《数据中心知识》的里奇.米勒说，只有网络对日常生活越来越重要时，数据中心的需求才会上升。
As applications are becoming more complex, so are data centers. Many companies are having trouble finding enough skilled people to manage them.
由于应用软件越来越复杂，因此数据中心也越复杂。许多公司难以找到有技能人士，管理其公司。
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.
这是由Mario Ritter编写的VOA特别英语的经济报道。我是Steve Ember。
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