The Top 10 Data Center Stories for May 2020

Sure, the pandemic drove a lot of headlines last month. But May also was a big month for data center financing, surging demand for video conferencing infrastructure, a reinforced emphasis on sustainability as a long-term strategy, and powerful new GPU hardware.

Here are the 10 most popular stories on Data Center Frontier in May 2020, in order of article views:

• Equinix Goes Shopping, Issuing Stock to Fund an Acquisition: Colocation giant Equinix is “in advanced discussions” to acquire a portfolio of data center sites, and has announced plans to sell $1.25 billion in common stock to fund the deal.
• Pandemic Could Drive Data Center M&A, Reshaping Industry Landscape: Economic disruptions are times of both peril and opportunity. We look at how the COVID-19 pandemic may impact the active world of data center mergers & acquisitions. Financial strength will drive the action.
• Inside Zoom’s Infrastructure: Scaling Up Massively With Colo and Cloud: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom has become the poster child for society’s rapid shift to online services. Here’s a look at how Zoom used a combination of colocation and cloud services to handle its insane video traffic growth.
• Oracle Cloud Makes Gains in Video Conferencing With Zoom, 8×8 Wins: Oracle Cloud is competing aggressively for video conferencing business, winning deals with video conferencing providers Zoom and 8×8 for additional capacity to support pandemic-driven user growth.
• INAP Emerges From Bankruptcy With Less Debt, New CEO: Colocation provider INAP has completed a financial restructuring and emerged from bankruptcy, just seven weeks after filing for Chapter 11 protection.
• NVIDIA Unveils Beefed-Up AI Hardware for Data Centers: NVIDIA has unveiled a new generation of its GPU technology designed to further shake up the world of AI computing. Here’s a look at the DGX A100 system, and what it may mean for the data center.
• Digital Realty Steps Up Its Sustainability Initiatives: Digital Realty will work with The Science-Based Targets Initiative to ensure that its sustainability program adapts to the full scope and urgency of the global climate challenge. The company operates 267 data centers around the globe.

• Compass Buys Property for $100 Million Toronto Data Center Campus: Compass Datacenters has bought property for a new data center campus in Toronto, and plans to invest $100 million in the first phase of development.
• Making Concrete Greener: Addressing Cement’s Carbon Problem: Compass Datacenters will use low-carbon concrete from CarbonCure for its data center campuses, reflecting the need for sustainability to permeate all aspects of data center development.
• Pandemic Prompts New Urgency for AI, Software Automation in Data Centers: The COVID-19 pandemic will drive innovation in data center operations, forcing companies to embrace automation to manage some duties that currently rely on close human interaction. The first in a series on innovation to address pandemic-driven challenges.

Voices of the Industry

In April, Data Center Frontier’s guest column series, Voices of the Industry, featured insight from leaders from Intel, Nortek, Service Express and Aligned. Here are the Voices columns that were most popular with DCF readers last month.:

• Data Centers Feeling the Heat! The History and Future of Data Center Cooling (Intel): Dror Shenkar, Senior Architect of Intel Data Center Management Solutions, Intel,  and Shahar Belkin, VP R&D at Zuta-Core, explore the past, current and future landscape of data center cooling. What’s next?
• Amid COVID-19, Legionella Raises Key Questions for Data Centers (Nortek): In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, Kris Holla of Nortek Air Solutions explores how Legionella (Legionnaires’ Disease) and its dangers raise important issues for the data center industry, including the merits of new evaporative cooling technologies.
• The Bathtub Curve and Data Center Equipment Reliability (Service Express): Jake Blough, Chief Technology Officer for Service Express, explores the connection between the Bathtub Curve theory and data center equipment reliability and maintenance.