Have you ever wondered where your data lives? We’re not speaking metaphorically. We mean the exact, physical location that houses the network of servers and fiber-optic cables that make our ever-expanding virtual lives possible. Where the Internet Lives, an incredibly photo series by Connie Zhou and commissioned by Google, gives viewers a rare peek into the Internet giant’s data centers, a world that had been strictly off-limits to everyone but a handful of employees — until now. Click through for a slideshow of some highlights, and then head over to the project’s site if you’d like to keep exploring.
Thousands of feet of colorful pipe at a center in Douglas County, Georgia. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
Pipes filled with highly-pressurized water in case of a fire. Douglas County, Georgia. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
A row of servers featuring blue LEDs in Douglas County, Georgia. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
A server room in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
A rare look behind the server aisle at a center in Mayes County, Oklahoma. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
A campus network room in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
Google employee Denise Harwood works on an overheated CPU at a center in The Dalles, Oregon. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
A network room in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
A renovated paper mill becomes a server floor in Hamina, Finland. Photo credit: Connie Zhou
A 240,000 gallon water storage tank at a center in Berkeley County, South Carolina. Photo credit: Connie Zhou