A peek into the Google engine room

Over the past decade, Google has entrenched itself as the web’s best-known brand. There can be few web users who have not used Google’s core internet search service.

But have you ever wondered exactly what resources are required behind the scenes to keep Google’s various services humming along? A Cnet blogger reports on a presentation by a Google insider that reveals some of the fascinating inner workings of Google.

Most interestingly, Google ignores conventional server vendors and largely builds its own technology using ordinary components. It apparently prefers to build reliability on the software level rather than rely on expensive high-end fault tolerant hardware.