Cable & Wireless said today that it will shed 19 of
its 42 worldwide data centers, including 12 in the
United States, as it restructures its Global unit,
which includes Exodus and Digital Island.

The company will limit its US business operations to
focus on multinational enterprise and service providers.
The restructuring will eliminate 3,500 jobs in Global,
and be implemented over 12 months.

http://www.cw.com/template_05.jsp?ID=mc_570nov1302

wheeew, now that's a hard cut.
especially in the US

big hit, ouch

Any list of which ones they are closing?

If you ever wanted to own your own data center, now is the time hehe.

hahah
surely not very expensive :D

if theres any in houston rackshack might be interested. timefor ev1 to get the cheque bookout.

This is another example of the condition of the industry and reemphasizes the importance of having contingency and alternative plans. There was a time you went to people like Verio and C&W to feel safe and secure....then you subsequently find your center closed. There are two steps that I have long taken and believe in as a course of business to provide protection. Note that I don't even pretend to know who the survivors and who the failures will be.

1-I strongly favor the data centers where I can know the company and the people (including management/owners, etc.) personally. The large impersonal company just doesn't build confidence for me. Frankly, I like those who frequent this board because I feel I have additional opportunity to "see them in action" and judge their character and stability. Every data center I use I can pick up the phone and reach a key decision maker. For example, I do not use Rackshack, but they do meet this requirement. Robert Marsh is not an ivory tower executive, but someone who is reachable, someone who puts his personal reputation on the line. Other examples are Jeff Hinkle with DV2, Mike with Web Authorities, Jay at PWebTech as well as all the group at NAC, the fine team at Fastservers/Powersurge, the management at Rackspace, locally the people at The Planet and Colo4Dallas, and many others...not meaning to slight anyone. I have built my business on relationships and continue to do so. I am not saying it protects you completely, but I find it does give you the ability to work through most problems. I would rather trust the many fine providers who are active here than Corporate America anytime (and I come from Corporate America).

2-Redundancy, redundancy, redundancy, redundancy---how many times can I say it. I will never place all my business with one provider and am open about that. It just, in my opinion, isn't wise to be totally dependent on one source. Likewise, I won't use a provider who only has one bandwidth provider. For instance, I am not anti-Cogent, just anti-Cogent only (did we learn that lesson) as well as anti-Yikes only, or anti-anyone only. In fact, it is to my providers benefit that I use others. As an example, if one provider doesn't have what I need in inventory, I don't get angry, I just check with another provider I trust.

Cw got hit hard on Wall Street today down at one point about 50% closing down about 35%

Not real good.

Robert Marsh is not an ivory tower executive, but someone who is reachable, someone who puts his personal reputation on the line. Other examples are Jeff Hinkle with DV2, Mike with Web Authorities, Jay at PWebTech as well as all the group at NAC, the fine team at Fastservers/Powersurge, the management at Rackspace, locally the people at The Planet and Colo4Dallas,

Most these guys don't even have their own datacenter. What if they would have been in one of those C&W DCs? Makes no difference. You just have to make sure you do your research and hope your research was based of of fact and not BS which most DCs/providers will tell you. :)

In fact, it is to my providers benefit that I use others. As an example, if one provider doesn't have what I need in inventory, I don't get angry, I just check with another provider I trust.

This is true. Especially when you are small/medium like it sounds like you are too. Big guys would rather bring it all in to their own DC.

Originally posted by Dilhole
Any list of which ones they are closing?

I talked to our C&W rep today and he mentioned 2 in Boston, 1 in Miami, 1 in Atlanta, and I think 4 or 5 in the Bay Area (they have 9 there to begin with). Fortunately, the Exodus centers we are in are not affected. No changes are anticipated to the network and C&W definitely does not plan on ditching the US market, or so at least I hear.

Hope that helps some.

Most these guys don't even have their own datacenter. What if they would have been in one of those C&W DCs? Doesn't change the attribute of being able to speak directly. And, was just including those as examples. Also, they are primarily not in the Verio/UU/C&W size and type centers. My philosophy uses the data center directly where they provide the level and extent of service needed, uses another provider within where the service level is greater. Note: I prefer leasing or renting servers over colocation as I replace servers regularly - I currently am using no servers over 18 months old.

Especially when you are small/medium like it sounds like you are too. Big guys would rather bring it all in to their own DC. Depends on your definition of medium....compared to UUNet or Interland, I would certainly not be large, compared to most here, I probably would be.

However, my business model does not ever include owning a data center. I have chosen to leave that part of the business to those who do it best. As in any business you can always argue the benefits of being completely vertical. I believe I can manage my business and provide service more effectively by leaving data center ownership to others-just have to be very careful and selective in selection of those others.

Originally posted by Incognito
However, my business model does not ever include owning a data center. I have chosen to leave that part of the business to those who do it best. As in any business you can always argue the benefits of being completely vertical. I believe I can manage my business and provide service more effectively by leaving data center ownership to others-just have to be very careful and selective in selection of those others.

I agree.

Datacenter business is like a 'Property Management Business'. My opinion, it is better left upto the folks who specialize in it and do a good job of it. If you are in the Shared Hosting or Dedicated Server business, owning our own Datacenter does not necessarily bring any value to our customers, actually in most cases, unless you are a huge operation, it will increase your operational cost substantially and thus expending the revenue which could be otherwise made avaialble to improve your service to your customers.

Being said that, if I were to go out look for a Colo or Colo+Circuit provider today, I will look into few things about the business: How they are owned, whether owner operator, venture funded, etc. Also whether they are profitable and how they pay their bills. I will run a Dun & Bradstreet Credit Report on the business, also pay couple of hundred dollars to a business credit research firm to do the leg work.

My 2c!

I wonder if they will be interested in dropping there pricing for bandwidth... ;)

Would be interested in getting C&W bandwidth for around $100/Mbps based upon 20Mbps commitment (100Mbps ethernet)... but somehow I don't think so :rolleyes: :bawling: or maybe $3000 for a GigE (year right :eek: :bawling: )...

Doesn't change the attribute of being able to speak directly. And, was just including those as examples. Also, they are primarily not in the Verio/UU/C&W size and type centers. My philosophy uses the data center directly where they provide the level and extent of service needed, uses another provider within where the service level is greater. Note: I prefer leasing or renting servers over colocation as I replace servers regularly - I currently am using no servers over 18 months old.

Makes sense. However my point was even these guys could be dropped by the DC. Chances are low, but funny things happen in this business.

We buy our own servers and upgrade frequently. Arguably cheaper and easier.

Depends on your definition of medium....compared to UUNet or Interland, I would certainly not be large, compared to most here, I probably would be.

Like me, your anonymity doesn't say anything to me. I know your sig and post would have one believe you are large, but I have seen host with a few hundred accounts post they have 5000, etc... Everyone wants to be bigger then they are at WHT. So if you say you are big, so be it.

PM me. I'll keep it secret. :)

However, my business model does not ever include owning a data center. I have chosen to leave that part of the business to those who do it best. As in any business you can always argue the benefits of being completely vertical. I believe I can manage my business and provide service more effectively by leaving data center ownership to others-just have to be very careful and selective in selection of those others.

This could be debated until the cows come home. As stated before, small/medium guys (like you and me) tend to like this method. It makes sense. However as you grow, it becomes clear that a DC (however small - Cari.net started out theirs in a small room) makes sense. From numerous levels. I am sure all the places you colo are great. But I have seen negatives about them too. Long support delays at those places, RS not providing managed support, etc..... It is such a luxury to be able to go in and fix your server yourself. No waiting for others.

To me, it seems logical that after a certain stage, building out a DC and maintaining it would be cheaper then leasing/renting all over the place. Who knows where that stage would be. We are getting close. HostRocket and FutureQuest look like they did it at around 10,000 customers(?)

Here is a list of DCs I hear they are closing:

BO3, BO5, NY1, NY3, DC9, AT1, MM1, SN3, SC3, SJ1, DL1 & AU1.

so would that be boston, new york, washington dc, atlanta, medford ma?, segundo ca?, santa clara, san jose, dallas, and austin?

Originally posted by jw
so would that be boston, new york, washington dc, atlanta, medford ma?, segundo ca?, santa clara, san jose, dallas, and austin?

SC3 is Santa Clara... I know for a fact that the El Segundo facility is not going anywhere... El Segundo is LA1

i knew sc was santa clara, just dont know what sn is