$2 Billion NSA Spy Center is Going Up in Flames

[CaseyJones]

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/10/08/2-Billion-NSA-Spy-Center-Going-Flames


The National Security Agency's $2 billion mega spy center is going up in flames.

Technical glitches have sparked fiery explosions within the NSA's newest and largest data storage facility in Utah, destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, and delaying the facility's opening by one year.

And no one seems to know how to fix it.

For a country that prides itself on being a technology leader, not knowing the electrical capacity requirements for a system as large as this is inexcusable.
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Within the last 13 months, at least 10 electric surges have each cost about $100,000 in damages, according to documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal. Experts agree that the system, which requires about 64 megawatts of electricity—that's about a $1 million a month energy bill--isn't able to run all of its computers and servers while keeping them cool, which is likely triggering the meltdowns.

[donnay]

Gosh, I am all heart broken about this.

[tod evans]

Ever worked a prevailing wage government job in the trades?

I'm not the least bit surprised.

[Henry Rogue]

Gosh, I am all heart broken about this.One of the few times I'm glad the government is so inept.

[tod evans]

I'd be interested to see the KWH billed...

Hiccups don't necessarily mean this fiasco isn't functional now.

[Kords21]

Karma is a bitch

[Origanalist]

Ever worked a prevailing wage government job in the trades?

I'm not the least bit surprised.

Lol, out of rep. So true.

[FindLiberty]

Maybe this idea could help eliminate those power problems in a flash.

Sometimes it's those pesky step-down transformers in the underground electrical vault that are part of the problem... Instead of reducing the 12,000 volt feeder lines down to standard 120 VAC power (for the computers via those huge PCB oil-filled transformers), prevailing wage paid electricians could simply rewire large groups of computers in series and eliminate the need for the transformers altogether. Many groups of one hundred (100 x 120 volt) PCs wired in series could theoretically be connected directly to the underground twelve kilovolt feeder lines without requiring an expensive high voltage step-down transformer. It's shocking to imagine this potential cost saving measure has not already been implemented.

It would then become very important to only use identical computers to prevent load imbalances from causing catastrophic damage to the equipment (and personnel)! Multiple banks of 100 series wired computers each could be connected together (all with floating ground connections, i.e., snipped green ground wires that have been carefully insulated).

It's also important to note that they would all have to be turned on (and/or off) at the exact same instant to maintain a balanced load!

This would require all NSA employees to literally have their fingers on the individual power buttons at the exact same time as the entire system is powered up for the very first time. Asbestos Guy Fawkes masks should be worn to prevent facial burns that might delay identification of any charred remains since the current government shutdown could also delay the messy tissue sample collection and extend DNA identification turn-around times.

As usual with any government FCL ts/sci job, wearing shoes and socks would be completely optional, of course.

[Athan]

Hilarious!

[jllundqu]

ANyone think the Chinese hackers had something to do with this? Maybe their own Stuxnet gift to the NSA?

[Lucille]

Tyler Durden (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?429840-NSA-s-Utah-Spy-Supercenter-Crippled-By-Power-Surges): Tsk tsk: this is what happens when you use taxpayer dollars to pay the lowest bidder - you can't even build an efficient totalitarian superstate!...

LOL

[FSP-Rebel]

That song "I'm walking on sunshine" comes to mind here.

[FSP-Rebel]

388358677779861504

[surf]

I was hoping that headline was literal, and pleasantly surprised it is.

[bunklocoempire]

Obligatory grumpy cat.

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y442/bunklocoempirehi/Grumpy-Cat-GOOD-and-NO-memes-pGrc_zps83d15516.jpg

[jkr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ScuVQVRYK0


and while im at it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhQGH6CbKhw

[muh_roads]

Good. Maybe some inside people sympathetic to Snowden are sabotaging it on purpose.

[Christian Liberty]

Whether purposeful or not, its a good thing.

[brushfire]

Exciting times...

http://www.matrix-explained.com/photopost/data/505/113Tank_Dozer-med.jpg

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Technical glitches have sparked fiery explosions within the NSA's newest and largest data storage facility in Utah, destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, and delaying the facility's opening by one year.


If you were the NSA, would you make up a big lie like this? Do you think you could pull it off?

Just sayin. Don't believe things so easily, even if you find them pleasant.

[acptulsa]

We want something big and spectacular done, let's give the responsibility to the most incompetent, hobbled, handicapped-by-cost-plus-contracting-rules segment of society to do it.

Suits me. If they're going to steal my money and give it to the NSA, I'm all for the NSA being incompetent.


Obligatory grumpy cat.

This is one time I say, 'No cats!' After all, this could be sabotage by our friends the mice. Don't even mention cats; our moronic friends up in the District of Calamity will never think of such a simple, effective, low-cost solution on their own.

[asurfaholic]

Maybe this idea could help eliminate those power problems in a flash.

Sometimes it's those pesky step-down transformers in the underground electrical vault that are part of the problem... Instead of reducing the 12,000 volt feeder lines down to standard 120 VAC power (for the computers via those huge PCB oil-filled transformers), prevailing wage paid electricians could simply rewire large groups of computers in series and eliminate the need for the transformers altogether. Many groups of one hundred (100 x 120 volt) PCs wired in series could theoretically be connected directly to the underground twelve kilovolt feeder lines without requiring an expensive high voltage step-down transformer. It's shocking to imagine this potential cost saving measure has not already been implemented.

It would then become very important to only use identical computers to prevent load imbalances from causing catastrophic damage to the equipment (and personnel)! Multiple banks of 100 series wired computers each could be connected together (all with floating ground connections, i.e., snipped green ground wires that have been carefully insulated).

It's also important to note that they would all have to be turned on (and/or off) at the exact same instant to maintain a balanced load!

This would require all NSA employees to literally have their fingers on the individual power buttons at the exact same time as the entire system is powered up for the very first time. Asbestos Guy Fawkes masks should be worn to prevent facial burns that might delay identification of any charred remains since the current government shutdown could also delay the messy tissue sample collection and extend DNA identification turn-around times.

As usual with any government FCL ts/sci job, wearing shoes and socks would be completely optional, of course.

Interesting theory,

But in my experience the computers themselves are hardly the source of the total load. It's the servers and cooling loads. Granted ive never done a UTAH spy center, but I did do a police department server room and dispatch center electrical system, as well as other IT projects for the local govts. UPS systems and backup generators.


From the sounds of the problems, I would guess if you having "lightning" in 2' boxes, you are likely reaping the benefits of hiring the low bidder, or simply the company cutting corners and benefiting from it now. (I'm sure they are getting paid to fix these problems.

[brushfire]

If you were the NSA, would you make up a big lie like this? Do you think you could pull it off?

Just sayin. Don't believe things so easily, even if you find them pleasant.

Perhaps the destruction of evidence? Maybe they discovered Snowden had some pretty damning stuff?

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Perhaps the destruction of evidence? Maybe they discovered Snowden had some pretty damning stuff?


Just seems fishy. Motivated media for some reason. I don't know why.

[Occam's Banana]

That song "I'm walking on sunshine" comes to mind here.

Nope. This one does ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViUFXuSFG5A


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViUFXuSFG5A

[Kotin]

Fuck them. Everything they are doing and storing at that center is completely and wholly for waging war on you and I.

[Legend1104]

Oh great, now I'm going to have to record my own phone calls.

[Elias Graves]

Oh great, now I'm going to have to record my own phone calls.

No shit. And here I was just getting comfortable with all this and wondering when they were gonna start wiping my ass, too.
Now I'm gonna be all freaked out about flaming toilet paper.
Heartless bastards.

[Root]

Just seems fishy. Motivated media for some reason. I don't know why.
Seems plausible to me. The media is just the propaganda department of the fedcoats.

"here run this story while we blowtorch some servers in the back parking lot"

[Root]

No shit. And here I was just getting comfortable with all this and wondering when they were gonna start wiping my ass, too.
Now I'm gonna be all freaked out about flaming toilet paper.
Heartless bastards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ5rbPlsdHw

[Elias Graves]

Problem is those nanny bastards are only gonna use one sheet of single ply....

[RickyJ]

I'd be interested to see the KWH billed...

Hiccups don't necessarily mean this fiasco isn't functional now.

Who says these are "hiccups", this could be sabotage. Whatever it is I like it. :)

[RickyJ]

If you were the NSA, would you make up a big lie like this? Do you think you could pull it off?

Just sayin. Don't believe things so easily, even if you find them pleasant.

And why would they lie about this? Additional funding?

[MelissaWV]

End of Office Space?

[kcchiefs6465]

And why would they lie about this? Additional funding?
So people underestimate their capabilities.

That as much information has leaked about the facility has undoubtedly annoyed quite a few.

[RickyJ]

So people underestimate their capabilities.

That as much information has leaked about the facility has undoubtedly annoyed quite a few.

Actually I think their capabilities are greatly overestimated. A few fires means nothing about their data gathering capabilities, this is purely an electrical issue. I can see them lying about this for additional funding though, money is always a motive.

[Pericles]

Fuck them. Everything they are doing and storing at that center is completely and wholly for waging war on you and I.

And the next step is herding people into boxcars headed for camp FEMA.

[brushfire]

With all that data collected, and all that snooping on calls, they never learned anything about equipping their data center(s) with halon?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fyGGqgVzCY#t=01m34s


Tried to find a decent video - they (NSA) probably had a massive UPS failure, but still...

It sounds very fishy. Regardless, what a catastrophic waste of tax payer money... And they want the government to run healthcare?

[eduardo89]

This makes me kind of sad. This probably means Danke is going to have a lot more free time to spend on the forum until they rebuild.

[DamianTV]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_av7jC_gK-k

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

And why would they lie about this? Additional funding?


"Delay by one year" so the heat dies down?

Make themselves seem incompetent so people are less worried about them?

If they didn't have a reason for people to hear about this, it never would have made the major media news cycle. How often does government freely publicize their failures or inadequacies? Pretty much never... so that tells me there is probably some strategy behind it.




Technical glitches have sparked fiery explosions within the NSA's newest and largest data storage facility in Utah, destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, and delaying the facility's opening by one year.

And no one seems to know how to fix it.


lol. Really? No one knows how to store data? They can't store data without it catching on fire? I'm just not buying it. Could you imagine if the social security administration said that? Or the military?

I'm sure you can insert all kinds of other government issues there. DMV can't store data without catching it on fire? Police can't store data without catching it on fire? No one knows how to do it?

[CPUd]

"Delay by one year" so the heat dies down?

Make themselves seem incompetent so people are less worried about them?

If they didn't have a reason for people to hear about this, it never would have made the major media news cycle. How often does government freely publicize their failures or inadequacies? Pretty much never... so that tells me there is probably some strategy behind it.






lol. Really? No one knows how to store data? They can't store data without it catching on fire? I'm just not buying it. Could you imagine if the social security administration said that? Or the military?

I'm sure you can insert all kinds of other government issues there. DMV can't store data without catching it on fire? Police can't store data without catching it on fire? No one knows how to do it?

They're not just trying to store data in the conventional sense (like the pros do it), they are trying to do something that is physically impossible, because someone got paid a lot of money to make it look possible on paper.