CAPRE’s Data Center Round Up For October 1, 2019

Check out the latest in deals, development and disruptive technology in the data center industry for October 1, 2019:

STL Acquires European Data Centre Design and Deployment Company: STL, a global data network solutions company, today announced the acquisition of IDS Group, a data centre network infrastructure design and deployment specialist based in the United Kingdom. IDS Group is a niche solution provider of design and deployment offerings for hyper scale data centres. These solutions are for cloud and colocation providers coupled with containment solutions for ‘inside’ data centres’ infrastructure requirements. IDS is a key partner to two of the top four global cloud companies for their data centre connectivity needs with one relationship extending continuously for the last ten years. The company has a pan European presence with a dedicated partner ecosystem for flawless execution. As part of the overall transaction structure, STL will acquire 100% stake in UK based Impact Data Solutions Limited (IDS) and its affiliate, together represented as IDS Group. The acquisition solidifies STL’s position in the cloud and data centre market and brings access to two of the top global cloud providers into its customer pool. This acquisition brings STL one step closer towards its journey of expanding its addressable market to $75Bn

Sponsored
by 2023.
Chesterfield County Approves Plan for “Mega” Solar Farm + Data Center: The Richmond BizScene is reporting that the supervisors for Chesterfield County, VA have unanimously approved a plan to develop a solar farm and data center complex on 1,500 acres of the nearly 1,700-acre tract dubbed as the “Matoaca Mega Site.” According to BizScene, “the plan by Colorado-based Torch Clean Energy was more warmly received by observers in general…Torch plans to fill about 500 acres of the site with a solar farm that would generate 150 megawatts to primarily power an adjoining data center or centers, which would be built on about 300 acres and employ about 100 workers. A user or users for the data center component have yet to be identified.”
Kenna Security Raises $48 Million: Kenna Security, the enterprise leader in risk-based vulnerability management, announced today a $48 million series D funding round that adds Sorenson Capital and Citi Ventures as new investors. Ken Elefant, Managing Director of Sorenson Capital will join Kenna Security’s board of directors. The investment brings Kenna’s total raised to $98 million. Kenna’s existing investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners, U.S. Venture Partners, Costanoa Ventures, Hyde Park Angels, and OurCrowd, joined the funding round.
FBI Selects Melvin Greer Under Special Government Employee Program: The FBI has selected Melvin Greer, chief data scientist at Intel and frequent contributor to CAPRE’s International Data Center Series, to serve as fellow in residence and senior adviser for the FBI’s Information Technology Applications and Data Division (ITADD). In his role with the ITADD, Greer will assist in addressing data science challenges by providing his technical expertise in hybrid cloud computing and advanced architectures and deployment models. As chief data scientist at Intel, Greer is responsible for building Intel’s data science platform through artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cognitive computing to accelerate transformation of data into a strategic asset for global enterprises.
Women of Mission Critical | Diversity Key to Data Center Industry’s Future: CAPRE’s friends at Data Center Frontier covered CAPRe’s recent Women of Mission Critical Summit in Leesburg, VA. “As with any data center conference, there were insights about business trends and operations and financing. But there were also sessions focused on inspiration and encouragement, and lots of real talk about the value of diversity and the urgent need to create more opportunities for women in the data center, the C-suite and the board room,” wrote Rich Miller, Data Center Frontier‘s CEO. “A consistent message at the conference was that more diversity will be good for business, providing opportunities for skilled workers to address the looming jobs crisis, as well as new perspectives on strategy and decision-making. Women comprise 51 percent of the population, representing the data center industry’s largest example of underutilization. But progress remains slow, and women in the industry are focused on action, not just talk.”