- Area 71
Area 71 is the unofficial title for
Wal-Mart 's 125,000-square-foot datacenter which is located in Caverna,Missouri right across state lines fromArkansas . The datacenter has a supposed capacity of over 460terabytes of data, or 460,000,000,000,000 bytes of data. Area 71 is built directly on top of bedrock which gives it maximum strength to withstand many natural and man made disasters. It is also self sufficient with generators and the capability to retain data link with theWal-Mart network usingcopper wire ,fiber optic cable , orsatellite communications . Some speculate that thedatacenter was created to link video footage with customers buying products to build adatabase as to when and what kind of person buys a certain product. Fact|date=July 2008 It can also be used to develop trends in purchasing before major events (i.e.natural disasters , holidays) so thatWal-Mart executives can better stock store shelves in anticipation of this event. [http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_148015054]Wal-Mart also uses Area 71 to control many functions of Wal-Mart stores. This includes but its not limited to turning the lights on and off, adjusting the climate control, and playing the in store music. Also run from the data center is the computer system that employees use to “clock in” at each location and also provides email to keep employees informed of events that are pertinent to their job function.
External links
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/business/yourmoney/14wal.html?ex=1258088400&en=0605d1fc88b8ab98&ei=5090 Wal-Mart's Use of Collected Data]
* [http://subtopia.blogspot.com/2006/06/area-71.html Additional Info About Area-71]
* [http://reclaimdemocracy.org/walmart/2007/spying_operation.php "Inside Wal-Mart's 'Threat Research' Operation" WSJ artice about Wal-Marts data collection.]
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