Apple Planning $1B Expansion of Reno Data Center [Updated] - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Planning $1B Expansion of Reno Data Center [Updated]

by

Apple is planning a massive expansion of its data center in Reno, Nevada, according to information shared today by Reno-Gazette Journal reporter Anjeanette Damon who covered a Reno City Council meeting Apple attended to discuss the project.

Apple will invest $1 billion in expanding its current data center at the Reno Technology Park, nearly doubling the size of the original project.

renodatacenter

Apple's current Reno data center, via the Reno-Gazette Journal
.
Hints of Apple's plans for a major expansion of its data center first surfaced in February, when building permits surfaced for a new 373,893-square foot data center with a build out of eight clusters plus an administration building, garage, and generator yard. It's likely that project, dubbed "Project Isabel," is the expansion being discussed today.

Apple's first Reno data center, "Project Mills," was approved in 2012, with construction at the site beginning soon after. Since then, Apple has been expanding at the site. Along with building permits for "Project Isabel," Apple in 2016 also applied for building permits for "Project Huckleberry," an addition of several new data center clusters to be built adjacent to Project Mills.

Apple is also seeking to start construction on a $4 million shipping and receiving facility in downtown Reno, with today's city council meeting also covering those prospective plans.

Apple and the Reno City Council are currently sorting through tax and zoning issues as Apple aims to purchase land for the downtown project. We'll update this post when the council comes to a decision.

Update: The Reno City Council has approved Apple's plans to build a warehouse in downtown Reno.

Top Rated Comments

117 months ago
I've often wondered the same thing... what do Apple's data centres run on? Some flavour of UNIX I'd imagine; certainly not macOS and definitely not Windows, if I had to guess.

Does anybody actually know, out of interest? It's something I've always thought about but your comment reminded me to ask. What about Microsoft's server farms or data centres? Do they run on UNIX or some proprietary OS?
BeOS and NeXTSTEP
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
117 months ago
Does anybody actually know, out of interest?
Windows Server 2012, of course. :)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarDialer Avatar
117 months ago
The smallish part of Apple I worked for I believe used RHEL for the servers to run the web app in customer-facing servers. RHEL = RedHat Enterprise Linux. Oracle for the database backing the app or maybe Postgres (the app preferred Postgres).

I used CentOS (the free unsupported version of RHEL) locally for development in a VM sometimes, otherwise used OS X's UNIXy core. Apple has a TON of internal-only software for all kinds of tasks and uses a lot of open-source, commercial and in-house developed stuff to run the company. Like any other modern company would these days.

If you needed an internal development server you went to a web tool and configured the OS (type, version)/specs you needed and spun one up. Where the VM was physically running you would never know.

A lot of people had PC laptops and used Android phones in the department. There was no hard requirement to use only Apple products, and we in fact targeted Chrome mostly for the web app since Safari couldn't cut it (at the time). I used a big DELL monitor for a second display on my MacBook Pro.

Apple is a massive company with MANY departments all with their own requirements and support. There is probably every server OS currently en-vogue in use across the ENTIRE company to run everything Apple does.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
117 months ago
Windows Server 2012, of course. :)
BeOS and NeXTSTEP
Hahaha thanks guys; I guess a funny answer is better than no answer at all. :p
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tapiture Avatar
117 months ago
I've often wondered the same thing... what do Apple's data centres run on? Some flavour of UNIX I'd imagine; certainly not macOS and definitely not Windows, if I had to guess.

Does anybody actually know, out of interest? It's something I've always thought about but your comment reminded me to ask. What about Microsoft's server farms or data centres? Do they run on UNIX or some proprietary OS?
I'm guessing Apple use CentOS.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 27 on iPhone 17 1

iOS 27 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday May 2, 2026 8:43 am PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and there are already many rumored features and changes for iPhones. The first developer beta of iOS 27 will likely be available immediately following the keynote, and a public beta typically follows in July. Following beta testing, the software update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...
Apple Announces 2026 Pride Band Watch Face and iPhone Wallpaper Article 2

iOS 26.5 Coming Soon With These New Features

Monday May 4, 2026 8:40 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 is expected to be released next week, following more than a month of beta testing. The update is relatively minor, but there are a couple of new features and changes across the operating system that we have recapped below. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app, and it will include a new Pride wallpaper and a...
Related Apple News: South Africa | Iphone | Local News | Ipad | Politics