Top 5 Data Center Stories: Week of April 16th

Level 3 Buys Global Crossing for $3 Billion - In a deal combining two operators of major Internet backbones, Level 3 Communications will acquire Global Crossing for approximately $3 billion in an all-stock deal, the companies said Monday. The companies’ combined network will serve a worldwide customer base in more than 50 countries and combined 2010 revenues of $6.26 billion

Microsoft Data Center GM Timmons Heads to Apple - Kevin Timmons, who helped build the data centers that power Microsoft’s global cloud computing operation, has left the company and is expected to take a leadership position at Apple. The move strongly hints that Apple is stepping up its plans for an expansion of its data center infrastructure beyond its huge new facility in North Carolina.

Will Open Compute Alter the Data Center Market? - Are the designs advanced by the Open Compute Project only useful for building huge single-tenant data centers like Facebook’s new Oregon facility? Or will these uber-efficient designs be available at your local colocation center? Industry experts say Open Compute designs are difficult to implement in colocation centers but may have a greater impact in the wholesale data center space.

Green Revolution’s Immersion Cooling in Action - High-density cooling specialist Green Revolution Cooling has published photos and video of several installations of its product, which submerges servers in a liquid similar to mineral oil. The Austin, Texas startup said its cooling enclosures can eliminate the need for CRAC units and chillers, allowing users to cool high-density servers at a fraction of the cost of traditional racks.

Verizon Completes Acquisition of Terremark - Verizon Communications (VZ) has closed its $1.4 billion acquisition of Terremark Worldwide, clearing the way for Verizon to lead the rapidly evolving global managed IT infrastructure and cloud services market, the company said Monday.