Design a datacenter on the moon for Google.

Try this framework for this Google product design interview question...

Data Centre: it is a facility with many computers that store and process large amount of information.

Google data centre keeps all of Google’s products and services up and running around the clock and around the world. When we access Gmail, edit our documents or search for information on Google, we are using one of google data centres and have the power of a supercomputers at our fingertips.   

Clarifying Question

Are we designing data centre for managing general user data or space data? both

Do we already have a location on the moon for data centre or will this be the first one? first one

Google’s mission: Google wants to organize the world’s information and make it accessible to all.

Goal: Self manage data centre installation efficiently without fatalities on the moon

User groups

·         Those that will install the data centre on the moon: these are courageous people who put their live at stake by going and collecting data about moon for Google.

·         Those guiding the team from earth: there will need to be a team helping the installation team what they need to do and send materials if they needed.

·         Those follow the process from Earth: A team of space experts (astronaut) and Data centre experts will be watching and following the process.

Pain Points

Here we want to focus on user group that is installing data centre on moon because any wrong step will have biggest impact on our goal to finish installing the data centre.

Pain points for the group that is installing data centre on moon would be:

·         Uncertainty and open Questions on installing the data centre: we assume that a lot of data centre is already prebuilt on earth and just need to be assembled, but there still be some open Questions. How will they solve them and where they will get answer? Any wrong move could lead to fatalities down the road.

·         Spotty communication back with Earth: it may be tough to manage a strong communication line with the centre back at home. What if there is an outage or only hearing every other word? It can be hard to manage outage.

·         Transporting all the necessary parts to install the data centre: How the team will plan to bring everything up to the moon. what If something is missing or they need someone to bring a part as soon as possible from Earth?

Brainstorm solutions

I want to focus on first pain points because I think that helping them to deal with open questions will empower them to install data centre more quickly.

·         Easy access to other team members on Earth: we need to make it as direct communication with someone on Earth so that they are able to ask a question and get an answer back quickly.

·         Proper training for relying on themselves: Simulate the situation where something goes wrong, how would they handle it?

·         Better automation and replacing humans to install the data centre: for fatalities and loosing lives concerns, we can be better at automation through AI/Machine learning and send the dexterous Robot to assemble the data centre.

Since google is a big Giant company so price is not an issue. And we wanted to install the data centre efficiently with avoiding fatalities, I would focus on automating machines, which were powered by humans, that assemble the data centre with dexterity and be able to handle the elements.        

Trade-offs

 We will manage every component of Data centre such as transporting Compute and storage devices from earth, Networking through satellite, power supply through adapting and regenerative fuel cells with solar power, Cooling through installation on polar side to manage extreme weather but potential for asteroid collisions can damage whole infrastructure that is built.  

Summary

Data centre on the moon can save data and make moon exploration easier through rover satellites which is the mission of Google.