Top 10 Data Center Stories for November 2021

Merger mania swept the data center industry in November, and our deal coverage at Data Center Frontier dominated the list of the most popular stories on DCF in November. Our readers were also tracking developments in the “metaverse” and new infrastructure projects from hyperscale operators Google and Meta (Facebook)

Here are the 10 most popular stories on Data Center Frontier in November 2021, in order of article views:

• Facebook Has 47 Data Centers Under Construction: Meta currently has 47 data centers under construction, the company said this week, reflecting the extraordinary scope of the ongoing expansion of world’s digital infrastructure.
• KKR, GIS to Acquire CyrusOne in Blockbuster $15 Billion Deal: Investment giants KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners will acquire data center developer CyrusOne for $15 billion, taking the company private in the largest M&A deal in the history of the data center sector.
• Inside Google’s Quantum Computing Data Center: The ongoing development of quantum computers will create a new class of data processing facility, which in many cases will be very different from the enterprise and cloud data centers seen today. Here’s a look inside Google’s Quantum AI facility.
• The Largest Data Center Deals of All Time:: The list of the largest data center deals has been remade, with new entries at the top to reflect today’s acquisitions of CyrusOne and CoreSite. Here’s a look at the billion-dollar deals and the trends behind them.
• American Tower Acquires CoreSite in $10.1 Billion Deal American Tower Corporation will acquire data center developer CoreSite for $10.1 billion, the companies announced this morning. The deal represents a bold move into the data center business for American Tower, which is the world’s largest owner of wireless infrastructure.
• CyrusOne ‘Open to All Avenues’ Amid Renewed Deal Rumors: Amid market speculation about a possible acquisition, the leadership of data center developer CyrusOne says it is “open-minded” about options for a sale or partnership, but remains focused on operating its business.
• The Metaverse Can’t Thrive Without the Physical Universe: In the Metaverse, users – and, presumably, devices – can be defined as participants and interact in personal, professional, and recreational activities within a modified, extended form of augmented and virtual reality. Phillip Marangella, CMO of EdgeConneX shares insights on the infrastructure that will be needed to support the emerging Metaverse.
• Meta Rolls Out New Network Tech for Building its Facebook Metaverse: As Meta begins building a digital metaverse to house a future version of the Facebook social network, it is rolling out new networking hardware and software to power its effort. Here’s a closer look at today’s announcements from the OCP Summit.
• Data Center, Cloud AND Colocation, Not Data Center vs. Cloud vs. Colocation: Enterprises today are mixing and matching data center, cloud, and colocation to balance their needs for stable production, rapid prototyping and development, security, and growing requirements for hyperscaling and customized high-performance compute. A new DCF special report courtesy of NTT explores the strengths and challenges of each solution.
• From Data Center to Cloud and Back: Cloud Repatriation and the Edge Enterprises are now faced with two different trends impacting infrastructure needs and requirements: cloud repatriation and edge computing. A new DCF special report courtesy of NTT explores how enterprises are building the most effective ecosystem for their needs by mixing and matching data center, cloud, and colocation.

Education is part of our mission at Data Center Frontier. In our Voices of the Industry feature, we share the experience of data center executives on the front lines of innovation. Here’s a look at the most popular Voices columns for DCF readers last month:

• The Metaverse Can’t Thrive Without the Physical Universe (EdgeConneX): In the Metaverse, users – and, presumably, devices – can be defined as participants and interact in personal, professional, and recreational activities within a modified, extended form of augmented and virtual reality. Phillip Marangella, CMO of EdgeConneX shares insights on the infrastructure that will be needed to support the emerging Metaverse.
• Progressive Companies Set New Courses in Data Center Workforce Talent War (BCS Data Center Operations):Data Center owners and operators are increasingly being challenged to find and retain skilled staff to operate and manage critical infrastructure. Chad Giddings of BCS Data Center Operations shares strategies for data centers looking to win the workforce talent war.
• A Look at the Edge from the Perspective of SaaS and Content Providers (DataBank): Raul Martynek, CEO, DataBank, explains why software-as-a-service and content providers need the ability to provision services from the edge as close as possible to their customers to capitalize on 5G technologies and deliver low-latency experiences for customers.
• Your New Era of Cybersecurity: A Three-phase Roadmap for Implementing Your New Cybersecurity Strategy (Flexential): New workforce strategies that allow remote work have rendered traditional perimeter-based cybersecurity obsolete. Will Bass, Vice President of Cybersecurity Services for Flexential, discusses how organizations can transform their cybersecurity strategy to include long-term remote workforces.

Be sure to check out all of our Voices columns, including insights from DataBank and Data Aire.

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