AOL launches unmanned data center

AOL has launched a new data center that will operate completely autonomously, without any staff.

The data center, called ATC, operates on an open-source software platform.

The company reported that one of the key successes in launching this project was a new cloud-based configuration management system, which allows for the installation and launch of a new virtual machine in just 8 seconds. All of this can be accomplished without the need for a technical specialist.

The company began testing its data center in the summer of 2011, after the Virginia earthquake, which put AOL's servers under maximum load.