Switch & Data, Interxion to Partner

Switch and Data (SDXC) and Interxion have agreed to jointly market their carrier-neutral data center and interconnection services across North America and Europe, the two companies said today. The partnership will make it easier for both providers to arrange space for customers who require colocation and interconnection services in both Europe and the United States.

The deal appears to be a competitive response to the growth of Equinix (EQIX), a carrier-neutral exchange point specialist which acquired IXEurope last fall, providing it with facilities in major Internet markets on both sides of the Atlantic.

The agreement positions the sales teams at Switch and Data and Interxion to offer colocation space and content distribution across 56 data centers worldwide. Switch and Data has more than 880 customers in 34 data centers in markets around the United States. Interxion has 22 data centers in 11 countries across Europe, and provides services for more than 1,000 companies.

"Switch and Data and Interxion can now offer customers the broadest and most diverse co-location, Internet exchange and interconnection solutions in both North America and Europe," said Ernie Sampera, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Switch and Data. "We are excited to be able to offer Interxion's extensive footprint across Europe and strong technical support to our customers and give them an integrated solution to expand their businesses into new global markets."

Interxion was founded in 1998 and offers colocation and disaster recovery services. Its facilities also house 15 European Internet exchanges and provide access to 460 Internet service provider and telecommunications carrier networks. The company offers customers ultra high power density solutions to support blade server environments up to 20 kW per rack.

"Our customers are increasingly interested in a global solution and this strategic alliance with Switch and Data allows us to offer them access to the broadest footprint in the North American market and access to PAIX, the world's first commercial Internet exchange," said Anthony Foy, Group Managing Director for Interxion. "Our customers will welcome an easy way to interconnect, peer and distribute content to the North American market."

Interxion is majority-owned by Baker Capital, a U.S. private equity firm that has invested more than $100 million in the company since 2000. UK media recently reported that the company may be considering an IPO in 2008.