According to a Des Moines Register report Thursday, these specific details were revealed at a welcoming ceremony including Gov. Chet Culver. The half-billion dollar project will occupy 42 acres of the Des Moines suburb and employ 50 to 75 workers with annual salaries in the range of $70,000.

The planning and construction of such a project will take approximately 12 to 18 months, Microsoft general manager of data center services Michael Manos told the Des Moines Register. However, this data farm may take longer because it will feature Microsoft's "next generation" technology that will provide cutting-edge technology.

Culver remarked that it is one of the most "modern facilities in the world." With a focus on energy efficiency, the West Des Moines facility is made of server-filled containers that are easier to setup and maintain than traditional architecture according to Microsoft.

Cheap electricity and tax incentives were a major draw to Iowa, which is quickly becoming known for its web portal tax breaks. In July, it was believed that Microsoft was in discussion with the state about tax breaks. When Google negotiated their $600 million Iowa data center that began construction last year, they were given tax exemptions on computers, electricity and related equipment used in a data centers.

Microsoft's West Des Moines data center is the fifth announced this year, following Chicago, San Antonio, Dublin and the Washington state facility in Quincy. Microsoft expects to start work on two-dozen, 500,000 square foot data centers by the end of 2008.