I Love Data Centers

The Customer Defines The Edge - Episode 53 - Phillip Marangella Nov 09, 2020

The Customer Defines The Edge - Episode 53 - Phillip Marangella by I Love Data Centers

The Greenest Electron is the One you Never Need to Use - Episode 52 - Shawn Mills Oct 22, 2020

The Greenest Electron is the One you Never Need to Use - Episode 52 - Shawn Mills by I Love Data Centers

Data Centers and Interconnection in Omaha - Episode 51 -Todd Cushing Oct 06, 2020

Data Centers and Interconnection in Omaha - Episode 51 -Todd Cushing by I Love Data Centers

Measuring What Matters on the Edge - Episode 50 - Bruce Lehrman Sep 18, 2020

Measuring What Matters on the Edge - Episode 50 - Bruce Lehrman by I Love Data Centers

I Love Underground Data Centers - Episode 49 - Todd Murren Aug 27, 2020

I Love Underground Data Centers - Episode 49 - Todd Murren by I Love Data Centers

Data Center Industry Gateway for Military Veterans - Episode 48 – Jason Okroy Aug 13, 2020

In this episode I spend time talking with Jason Okroy, Co-founder and CEO of Salute Mission Critical, a US military veteran focused data center services company. Having toured hundreds of production data centers over the years, the facilities I have walked through that were the cleanest and with the most educated facilities staff were those operated by veterans of our armed forces. If you think about it for even a few seconds, this starts to make perfect sense given the training, discipline, necessity to perform under pressure and repetition of complex tasks within the military. Our conversation covers how and why the company was founded in 2013 and a few of the lessons Jason and his company have learned serving the veteran community as well as the facilities and operations side of the data center industry.

Balance is Important. Words Matter. - Episode 047 - Jeff Wabik Jul 28, 2020

Early on in our conversation, Jeff politely made me aware that he has socks older than me. Apart from this telling me that he definitely needs some new socks, I became even more excited to dig into the interview knowing that he has literally been helping to build the infrastructure that runs the digital world longer than my short 40 years on this planet. We talk through him helping to start the first ISP in Minnesota, how exactly high capacity optical switching gear works and what a day in the life of Jeff looks like at DC Blox. For good measure we threw in some perspectives gained in light of current events through the lens of my rereading Frank Herbert's epic sci-fi DUNE chronicles and Jeff's rewatching the 2004 Battlestar Galactica TV series. Unsurprisingly, I learned a lot from Jeff in our short time together and I am positive you will too.

Focused on Strong Business Fundamentals - Episode 046 - Rich Lee Apr 30, 2020

Staying on topic re: demystifying the Interconnection Services Industry and our recent Interconnection Playbook launch, I spent time with successful data center and managed hosting entrepreneur Rich Lee who is now spearheading Pureport, a multicloud interconnection provider. Rich happens to also live in Raleigh, NC and has obtained a wealth of knowledge to share with us having had direct experience across a number of successful M&A events within the data center and IT Services industry over the past 2 decades. We walk through a few of these transactions in detail, lessons he's learned scaling a variety of businesses, as well as the unique interconnection features and products Pureport offers. Prepare for some more knowledge bombs my friends and give this a listen ASAP!

Drive Quality in Everything You Do - Episode 045 - Chris Downie Apr 17, 2020

Excited to share with you a few stories from Chris Downie on his professional experience growing into the data center industry. His unique perspective as the CEO of both Telx during the acquisition by Digital Realty Trust in 2015 and Peak10 during their acquisition of Viawest in 2017 (now Flexential) makes this interview extremely powerful. We also touch on what steps Flexential has taken to address concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, what a day in the life of a CEO of a data center company looks like and some important lessons he's learned over the years.

Megaport & Interconnection Services 101 - Episode 44 - Misha Cetrone Mar 23, 2020

The Interconnection Services Playbook, which serves as an attempt to demystify the Interconnection Services Industry, is now released into the wild! Keeping with this topic, I thought it appropriate to interview another one of my favorite people in the industry, Misha Cetrone, Sr. Global Director, Cloud Solution Architecture at Megaport. Misha drops some technical knowledge about why Interconnection Services are important, how they will continue to evolve, what some tangible uses cases are to consider leveraging these services, how to connect to these services and how they operate at their core level. Listen and learn my friends... listen and learn.

Fascinating, Exciting, and So Much Opportunity - Episode 43 - James Grice Mar 06, 2020

I was lucky enough to grab some time with attorney James Grice for this episode to do a serious knowledge drop regarding data center tax frameworks applicable to the data center asset class. If reading that got you as excited as it did me, you're in the right place! James and I geek out on tax issues related to the industry, defining how data centers impact a community beyond the W2 FTEs hired to maintain the facility, how growing power consumption can and will need to be addressed... and much much more. Get your legal pads ready to take some notes folks and tune in.

Hyperscale Level Performance to the Multi-tenant Colocation Market - Episode 42 - Jake Ring Feb 21, 2020

Given how little innovation has gone on in the commercial data center colocation industry as of late, I was skeptical when someone told me the GIGA Data Center located north of Charlotte, NC was delivering a product that was unique. Although modular data centers are nothing new, I was definitely impressed by the novel approach they have gone about deploying their solution and re-thinking the layout of a data center to drive maximum efficiency. Jake Ring, Co-Founder and CEO, spent time with me talking shop and geeking out about some of the technology they've implemented and lessons learned watching said technology evolve to where it is today.

Great Culture Makes Great Business - Episode 41 - Ed Henigin Feb 07, 2020

Data Foundry is one of the oldest privately owned data center companies in the world. They've managed to build a highly profitable business and survive a number of economic downturns over two and half decades by sticking to their core values and being highly selective about the clients they work with. In this interview I have the privilege of talking to their CTO, Edward Henigin, who has been with the company since inception. We discuss how he migrated from Hawaii to Illinois to Texas and the lessons learned over the years watching an ISP quickly evolve into a data center company. Data center technology, corporate culture, industry evolution and much more is all covered in this podcast!

Network is the Wild Wild West - Episode 040 - Erik Knight Jan 22, 2020

SD-WAN has been hyped for a few years now as a "game changer" in the industry that will replace WAN MPLS networks. I have definitely seen a rise in the numer of clients and consultants starting to deploy these solutions lately, and can clearly understand the value in the visibility and control these environments provide end users over their networks. Much like Cloud Computing however, nearly every network service provider is now claiming to have some form of SD-WAN solution. In an attempt to better understand the myriad of options available and the underlying technology behind the solution I pulled in Erik Knight, Founder and CEO of SimpleWAN to talk shop as he was one of the first people to explain this solution to me years ago. Erik is a seasoned entrepreneur and technologist with a big heart and I am positive you'll enjoy this conversation on many levels. Enjoy! You can find MicroCorp's SD WAN provider matrix here: https://www.microcorp.com/sd-wan-form/

Unveiling the Data Center - Episode 39 - Ryan Barbera Oct 31, 2019

While advancements in the data center industry have made shopping the scene as a consumer seem more complicated, it's actually more accessible than ever. Ryan Barbera and I discuss the red tape and the mystique surrounding the industry and how making your next data center decision isn't as complex as it seems. Tune in and learn how Ryan and I lifted the veil and added resources to help make important digital decisions. We explore how we are leveraging an ever growing ecosystem of like-minded individuals. Ryan aligns with my core values and beliefs; we explain why this is so critical in the new digital landscape.

Your IT is Likely Less Automated than Dominos - Episode 038 - Josh Williams Sep 16, 2019

Now that the dust has settled with INAP's acquisition of Singlehop, I wanted to speak with one of the brains at the company who was front and center during the transition to get a raw view into the why, how and what's next at the company. Who better than my friend Josh Williams, INAP's now VP of Solutions Engineering who spent 5 years at Singlehop and now leading the entire SE team for the company. Josh and I are aligned on many levels outside of both growing up in the Windy City in the 80's and 90's. His "gear head" perspective, having worked in various engineering roles on the client side, and love for technology has always been appreciated. We discuss a few multi-cloud case studies, how the new interconnection solutions available are transforming how cloud services are consumed, what drives a client to consume managed services in the first place and trends he sees from the partners INAP works with that are creating clear winners and losers.

All Things Data Center Interconnection - Episode 037 - ChristianKoch Aug 26, 2019

I've been trying to make sense of how Megaport, Packet Fabric, PurePort, Equinix's ECX, Digital Realty's Service Exchange, DE-CIX, Epsilon, etc. all differentiate from one another over the past 12 months with little success. Thankfully, my friend and fellow industry trouble maker Christian Koch, having spent time working for a variety of the companies listed above, had the patience to sit and walk me through the nuances. Get ready to be smarter on all the new ways an enterprise can connect to endless possibilities.

Your Data is Getting Safer... Sort of - Episode 036 - Aaron Hughes Aug 05, 2019

Aaron Hughes has spent decades architecting, building and managing various components that make up the internet we all use today. Ever heard of PeeringDB.com? Yeah, that was one of his many "side projects" that was put together in a matter of days because it simply needed to be done and he saw no one else doing it. Since I met the man, he has been a role model of productivity, successfully juggling multiple roles and wearing multiple hats at the same time. His Linkedin Profile says it all to this extent. Thankfully for me, we both worked together when I first started in the industry and we also happened to live just a few minutes down the road from one another in Santa Cruz, CA. Aaron quickly became one of my favorite people to sit back and talk shop with because I always walked away learning something new and, at some point, laughing until I cried. I am blessed to have had so many opportunities to learn, laugh and cry with Aaron and his equally bright and fun loving wife Stacy. I hope you enjoy listening in on our wide ranging conversation. I'll give you a teaser with 2 of my favorite quotes that came out of it; "Yes, there is hope, but this hope is predicated on education." '"Embrace Automation" is the new "Work with your brain and not with your back"' Enjoy!

Finding Packet - Episode 035 - Jacob Smith Jul 08, 2019

Jacob and I are aligned on a mission to bring sexy back to the infrastructure that runs the brave new digital world we live in. Our conversation covers how he evolved from a 2nd Bassoon in the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia to the CMO and cofounder of a transformational cloud service provider to what it's like running a company with your twin brother to how software is, as he says, "eating the world". Dig in, learn something new, and enjoy! I sure did!

Episode 034 - Paul Croteau - Stories from an Early Racker Jun 21, 2019

You know those moments when numerous people tell you that you "NEEEED" to talk to someone because they think you'll instantly get along, and then you finally meet the person and, in fact, you discover they were spot on? Well, this episode was one of those moments. Paul is a fascinating character with experience in marketing, sales, sales engineering and... traveling the world creating and playing music for world dignitaries. We cover what it was like watching Rackspace evolve from just a few dozen employees to a few thousand while honing in on the customer first culture that has helped the company scale so fast over the past twenty plus years. I also address Rackspace's shift to adopting a managed public cloud service offering, acquiring Datapipe, and the strategic decision made years ago to focus on Open Stack. Listen and learn folks. Listen. and. Learn.

Episode 033 - Sam Barhoumeh - All Things Public Cloud Mar 31, 2019

In this episode I spent some time with my new friend Sam Barhoumeh, Founder and CEO of ReadyNetworks, a full service technology solutions firm based in Chicagoland that provides cloud infrastructure, security, and IT consulting. In short, Sam and I talk all things cloud. Flavors of Cloud, Evolution of the Cloud, Migrating to/from the Cloud, Containers in the Cloud, Clouding Cloud Cloudification of the Cloud… you get the point. Appreciate Sam as both an owner of a scaling managed services company AND engineer who’s not afraid to dig into the weeds on product/solution with his clients! Rare breed of human indeed and among my favorite!

Episode 032 - Hugh Carspecken - EDGE is the new Cloud Mar 10, 2019

The “Edge” has become one of the new buzzwords that unfortunately means both everything and nothing at the same time, much like the term “Cloud.” Given Hugh’s experience operating micro data centers around the world, we try to provide some tangible case studies for actual edge data center deployments and discuss what the future holds for hybrid compute work loads. We also spend time speaking to how our faith affects the way we operate in the industry as professionals, business leaders, fathers and husbands.

Episode 031 - Ken Male - IT Spend Visualization is a Game Changer Jan 28, 2019

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: CxO NExUS, I interview the Chief Executive Officer of CxO NExUS, Ken Male. With more than 25 years of leadership positions in IT research, Ken Male possesses a deep understanding of how C-Suite executives leverage fact based data to improve decision-making. Male’s background includes experience working in senior and executive roles with Gartner, Giga (acquired by Forrester), Apptio, and Jupiter Research (also acquired by Forrester). Through interactive and customized Heat Maps, CxO NExUS helps Global 5000 CIOs and CMOs, CFOs, CPOs, and VMOs leverage data to increase efficiency by providing automated, role-specific views that simplify and optimize category and vendor spend management tasks. Their suite of services are proven to save money and enable more informed, data-driven decision making. Show Notes: 1:22 Interview starts 2:02 What does Ken Male do? 3:34 Ken Male’s upbringing and how he got into tech 5:50 What got Ken into 451 Research? 8:00 Ken’s experience working at Deck 12:23 Ken’s entrepreneurial upbringing 17:31 What did Ken learn from his father? 20:56 Ken’s experience working at Apptio 25:21 What is CxO NExUS? 29:28 Interactive and customized Heat Maps 35:18 What does Ken’s engagement cycle look like? 38:54 How Ken is seeing the market evolve 42:44 Has Ken seen any pushback from providers? 44:39 Has the process of growing and starting a business changed over the past 15 years? 46:51 What are the characteristics Ken is looking for in employees? 49:19 Lessons that Ken has learned that have helped shape his career 52:20 Bad examples Ken has seen over the years that he’s learned from 56:57 Advice Ken would have given his younger self 58:23 Misconceptions people have about Ken’s industry 1:08:08 Who is the ideal customer for a company like CxO NExUS? 1:10:21 How to get in contact with Ken Links mentioned: https://cxonexus.com/ Ken’s email: KMale@cxonexus.com Ken’s phone number: 917-861-0693

Episode 030 - Mark Houpt - All Things Data and Data Center Security Oct 26, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: All Things Data and Data Center Security, I interview the Chief Information Security Officer of Databank, Mark Houpt. Whereas security has typically been an afterthought for most companies in the past, it has quickly become the most talked about topic in the industry these days with high profile data breaches happening on a regular basis. I wanted to do an interview that addressed the most common conversations data center and hosting providers are having with their clients so you can hear and understand the roles both parties have in protecting and securing corporate and client data. This conversation does just that and proved to be extremely enlightening. Truly, by listening to and digesting the content within this episode you will be well equipped to have this conversation, regardless of which side of the fence you sit on. Show Notes: 1:12 Interview starts 2:34 Mark’s credentials and certifications 7:09 Mark’s upbringing 9:28 How Mark got involved in tech 11:46 Mark’s Navy experience 16:40 Mark’s transition into tech 23:34 How does hacking and coding play together? 32:01 Precautionary steps companies can take to protect their data from hackers 37:43 Balancing between the corporate world and the data center world 47:28 What makes manage services different? 55:54 Other security traps that companies can fall into 59:58 What should companies that don’t need or can’t afford someone in a chief security officer role do? 1:04:05 What is a penetration test? 1:11:25 What is the B.A.A? 1:16:28 What about data centers that don’t need to be compliant to the B.A.A? 1:20:24 How to deal with the federal government agencies 1:23:17 Where does Data Banks responsibility start and stop with their clients? 1:28:59 Do our countries regulations put us in any danger? 1:41:36 What is something you’ve learned recently that blew your mind? 1:44:42 How to contact Mark Links mentioned: www.databank.com Contact Info: compliance@databank.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-houpt/

Episode 029 - AJ Byers - The Montreal Data Center Market is so Hot Right Now Oct 05, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: The Montreal Data Center Market is so Hot Right Now, I interview the President and CEO of Root Data Center, AJ Byers. Although Episode 6 with Philbert Shih touched on the topic, I have heard numerous times about major deployments going down in and around Montreal, Canada over the past few months and wanted to explore the topic further. To get the full story on how the Canadian data center market has evolved over the past 20 years, there was no better person to interview than AJ Byers. His bio tells the story of an engineering minded entrepreneur learning the business from the ground up, witnessing first hand the Canadian data center marketplace evolve over 20 years. I truly enjoyed our conversation and was able to geek out on a variety of topics related to cooling, finance and the demand side of the equation. Show Notes: 1:12 Episode starts 2:02 What AJ does and his involvement in Root 4:27 AJ’s backstory and how he got involved in tech 6:57 AJ’s entrepreneurial background 8:27 What it was like to survive the bubble bursting 14:53 What AJ learned throughout the 2000s decade 16:53 How did the US market downturn in 2008 affect the Canadian market? 19:43 Why has Root stayed within the Montreal market? 21:47 Why did Root decide to take outside capital? 26:04 How have you seen the marketplace evolve? 27:56 What is the catalyst that’s begun to bring American business to the Canadian marketplace? 32:42 Why is power so much less expensive in Montreal than the rest of the world? 34:09 AJ’s experience with working with Lipid 36:45 What is Keanu Cooling? 44:07 What is it like to be the president of a data center with an engineering background? 47:16 Where do you see the industry continuing to evolve? 49:51 Has there been an uptick in demand for crypto mining companies? 51:12 How has Canada gone about addressing Cloud IX? 57:02 What are some misconceptions about your marketplace? 59:46 What are 3 things that US companies looking to deploy infrastructure in Canada should know? 1:03:20 What is something you learned recently that blew your mind? 1:05:04 Are you seeing some Canadian based hosting companies affected by the growth of companies like Google? Contact info: Abyers@rootdatacenter.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbyers/ I Love Data Centers Episode 006: https://openspectruminc.com/evolution-of-data-center-and-cloud/

Episode 028 - Alan Fagan - IT Components, SDN and The Irish Technology Boom Sep 07, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: IT Components, SDN and The Irish Technology Boom, I interview the North America Sales Manager at EPS Global, Alan Fagan. This interview is part of our partnership with Enterprise Ireland and in conjunction with an upcoming Irish Data Center Forum Sean will be participating in at the end of September. Alan Fagan is an IT industry expert with over 20 years selling the infrastructure that lives in the data center. He began his career in Dublin, Ireland and is now working out of Boston, MA for EPS Global as their North America Sales Manager. EPS Global is a leading, privately owned, franchised distributor for specialized IT components used in high-speed data and storage networks to accelerate, multiplex, store and manipulate the huge amounts of data generated by online and telecoms activity. Alan shares his history growing up in Ireland and watching the technology boom through the 90's. We also discuss the tremendous growth of the IT components industry. Show Notes: 1:12 Episode begins 3:44 Alan’s upbringing and getting involved in technology 9:51 What is the Celtic Tiger? 15:44 Enterprise Ireland 18:40 2 distinct areas in data centers 26:39 How have the components that make up the physical infrastructure inside a data center evolved over the past 10-15 years? 30:15 Have these components seen price compression recently? 33:25 The evolution of buyers 35:54 How will the industry change over the next 5 years? 42:07 In what ways do you think Ireland will continue to innovate and what might be some hurdles to that innovation? 50:31 How big is EPS? 52:45 Who are some of Alan’s biggest buyers? 54:16 How to get in contact with Alan Links mentioned Des Bishop – comedian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyouxDwyK9U Contact info Email - afagan@epsglobal.com Phone number (978) 930-1492 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-fagan-2b39932

Episode 027 - Mark Del Bianco - Drones and PII Aug 07, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast, we interview Mark Del Bianco, an attorney who represents direct sales agents and services providers in the data center industry, with experience in how drones are used for data collection. In this podcast, Del Bianco and I discuss the EU’s GDPR, its impact on EU and American citizens, and some laws being created in the U.S. that cover Personally Identifiable Information or PII. This is an excellent chance to gain some insight on drone technology as applicable to data collection/storage and what you need to know about new laws being created that deal with how you manage PII. I believe you are sure to enjoy this one! Show Notes: 1:12 Mark Del Bianco 2:09 What Mark does 3:56 Drones 5:53 Mark’s upbringing 13:36 Advice Mark wish he had when he started his practice 14:46 Successful marketing techniques that Mark used 20:47 What is GDPR? 23:29 How will GDPR be enforced? 26:12 What purpose did the GDPR serve? 27:33 What sort of data are they concerned about protecting? 34:39 Companies affected by GDPR 37:07 Effect on EU/American citizens 38:59 Do US based data center providers have to worry about falling under GDPR regulations? 45:45 How is the EU able to pass laws that would affect EU citizens in America? 48:05 Are there any existing precedence to this? 50:45 California data privacy laws 54:09 What will happen to those who don’t comply? 59:05 The “Right To Be Forgotten” 1:01:26 Does GDPR mean that individual state government agencies must also be compliant? 1:06:57 Data base engineers in the process of becoming compliant 1:09:26 What steps does a company need to take in order to become compliant? 1:13:30 What is a piece of technology you’ve seen recently that’s blown your mind? 1:17:19 What is a common misconception about your industry? 1:21:14 The most influential piece of advice Mark received at the start of his career? 1:25:50 Mark’s first time in a data center 1:27:24 How to get in contact with Mark Links mentioned http://www.markdelbianco.com/

Episode 026 - Sean Patrick Tario - How I Got Here; Rich Miller Interviews the Interviewer Jul 12, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: How I Got Here, Rich Miller Interviews Sean Patrick Tario, the voice and vision behind the I Love Data Centers Podcast. Due to the volume of requests to turn the tables and have someone interview me for the podcast, we decided to do just that in this episode. I was honored to have Rich Miller, founder of datacenterknowledge.com and datacenterfrontier.com, take charge to this extent following the same format I use during my interviews. In this episode you’ll learn a little more about how I got started working in the industry, what drove me to venture off on my own years ago, some harsh lessons I learned as a stubborn entrepreneur and the spark that manifested this podcast. Hope you enjoy! Show Notes: 1:12 Episode starts 2:48 What inspired you to start the I Love Data Centers podcast? 5:37 Why did you decide to go with a long-form interview format for this podcast? 10:20 How did you get started in the data center industry? 13:32 Your past entrepreneurial endeavors? 18:21 Your experience working initially w/ UnitedLayer? 24:20 After working at UnitedLayer and QTS, how did you get Open Spectrum started? 31:00 The evolution of Open Spectrum and training other industry professionals 37:42 How the Data Center Colocation Playbook has affected your interaction with others in the industry 43:27 Discussions around why data center tours matter? 47:15 What Open Spectrum has been up to lately? 55:21 Where Sean feels the industry is heading? 1:05:12 Your take on recent PE and M&A activity in the industry? 1:23:10 What you wish you would have known when you started in the industry? 1:25:29 What was the most influential piece of advice you received while working in the industry?

Episode 025 - Rob DeVita - Past, Present & Future of OPEN IX & Carrier Hotels Jun 18, 2018

Rob attended one of my data center bootcamps in Denver years ago and instantly became an advocate for the education I was providing the industry. It took all of a few minutes for me to become a huge advocate of his as well, as he is, truly, a master of his craft. He also knows how to throw truly epic parties, which is another shared passion of ours. After nearly 2 decades working for various data center service providers, Rob made the jump to the client representation side exclusively last year and hasn't looked back. Our conversation covers the evolution of Open IX, an organization he currently serves on the Board of, lessons learned working in the industry, and a candid conversation about what the future of interconnection and carrier hotels might look like. Show Notes: 1:12 Episode Starts 3:34 Rob’s upbringing and getting his start in the industry 8:57 Working at AT&T 11:13 Working at Telex 12:31 Why Rob left 15:52 Rob’s thoughts on the Equinix acquisition 20:42 How is the heavy amount of construction going on in the suburbs affecting Dallas? 26:35 Why Rob decided to start his own consulting firm 28:53 What is Open-IX? 33:07 How Open-IX has evolved and how Rob got started in it 36:55 Are major companies like Google and Netflix still involved in Open-IX? 40:23 Should these major companies get a different rate? 43:07 Why are companies like DXLink trying to enter the US marketplace? 47:22 How will affect the monopoly companies like Equinix have on the marketplace? 52:25 Rob’s advice for newcomers in this marketspace 1:00:13 How the prime equity money coming into the industry is affecting how businesses operate 1:08:33 What is something you have learned over the past few months that has blown your mind? 1:11:37 Is there anything new entering the field that will change the industry? 1:13:56 The best advice Rob received while working at AT&T 1:19:20 How to get in contact with Rob Majeticks Website: http://mejeticks.com/

Episode 024 - Phil Keenan - MicroCorp's Cloud Elements Division and The Anatomy of a Master Agency Jun 04, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: MicroCorp’s New Cloud Elements Division and the Anatomy of a Telecom Master Agency, I interview the President of MicroCorp, Phil Keenan. When I first met Phil in Atlanta nearly 3 years ago, it was obvious he was different than every other executive I had met working in the telecom industry. He cut through the typical positioning BS right from the start, wanted to execute quickly, and viewed the industry through the same lenses I did. Truth be told, with the launch of the Cloud Elements Division of MicroCorp in April of this year, the vision of what we planned in our very first meeting has now become manifest. Our conversation covers the specific function and role the “Master Agency” plays in our industry and how a service provider can be successful in the indirect channel. We also discuss the who, how, what and why of MicroCorp’s new Cloud Elements Division. Most importantly, however, we discuss how the lessons Phil learned selling vacuum cleaners door to door in the UK helped shape him into the executive he is today. Show Notes: 1:12 Episode starts 2:15 Phil’s backstory 3:33 How Phil got into tech 10:19 What made Phil switch industries and move to the Channel? 13:02 The difference between the way Phil views the world versus how traditional telecommunication master agents view the world 17:23 What made Phil interested in Open Spectrum? 31:28 How does an indirect channel operate and what purpose does a master agent serve? 34:25 Why can’t carriers and service agents fill that role? 39:29 What’s the issue with letting the service provider do pre-qualification with the customer? 44:16 What is Cloud Elements and how will it empower agents to do more? 50:07 How does Cloud Elements affect the engagement between an agent and their client? 55:02 Phil’s ideas that have been valuable to his interaction with the community he works with 57:12 What will the next few years look like for MicroCorp? 1:00:22 The importance of trust 1:01:34 Phil’s first time walking into a data center 1:03:26 At what point did you realize that this was the industry you wanted to work in? 1:04:58 Common misconceptions service providers have about the channel 1:05:48 What it takes for a service provider to be successful in building relationships with master agencies 1:12:56 What do you think the main component to your success was? 1:14:18 What is some advice that you wish you had had five years ago? 1:18:35 What advice would you give an agent just starting out?

Episode 023 - Rich Miller - Founder & Editor of DataCenterKnowledge.com and DataCenterFrontier.com May 17, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: Founder & Editor of DataCenterKnowledge.com and DataCenterFrontier.com, I interview the one and only Rich Miller. If you’re in the data center industry, you’ve likely come across www.datacenterknowledge.com or www.datacenterfrontier.com. If you haven’t, well, you should go check both sites out ASAP and bookmark them! I have wanted to connect and talk shop with Rich for nearly a decade. Although we’ve talked a few times over the past few months about how we can partner together on the content side of our respective organizations, our conversation in this podcast covered new ground for me. Rich gives us insight into how he started as a journalist and the journey he has taken building both datacenterknowledge.com and datacenterfrontier.com while becoming one of the most well-known and respected authorities in the data center and cloud marketplace industries. Also enclosed is an enlightening conversation about the impact of alternative energy and crypto-mining operations within the data center industry. Show Notes: 1:12 Episode starts 2:06 Rich’s background in technology 8:55 What pushed Rich to be the entrepreneur he is today 13:15 The launch of Data Center Knowledge 15:25 How he acquired initial advertisers 23:18 How have you seen the market evolve over the past decade? 31:15 How will cryptocurrency and renewables affect the data center industry 35:32 Why a typical colocation facility would not be an ideal location for a crypto-miner 40:06 Why are crypto-mining operations being deployed in regions where power is expensive? 45:39 How have you seen the conversation around renewable energy evolve and what will it look like in the future? 54:28 Is the data center industry really the largest consumer of commercial energy? 57:37 How realistic is retrofitting generators in data centers to put them back on the power grid 1:07:00 Moving from Data Center Knowledge to Data Center Frontier 1:18:11 The future of Data Center Frontier 1:20:41 Do you have any thoughts, practices, etc. that people would find crazy? 1:22:16 What is something that you have learned over the past few months that has blown your mind? 1:27:51 What advice would you give to technology focused journalist coming into the industry today? 1:31:02 Advice for professions looking to migrate from the telecommunications industry into the data center industry?

Episode 022 - Heather Vescent - Strategic Foresight and The Cyber Attack Survival Manual May 08, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: Strategic Foresight and The Cyber Attack Survival Manual, I interview author and bona fide futurist Heather Vescent. Heather and I met nearly a decade ago at a VC event in Los Angeles. Our mutual passion for innovation, technology, strategic thinking, design and education has kept us connected over the years through various projects. She is the only person I know to have received a Masters in Strategic Foresight, such that she can call herself a Futurist and have the credentials to back it up. Recently, Heather co-authored "The Cyber Attack Survival Manual: Tools for Surviving Everything from Identity Theft to the Digital Apocalypse". The book became my top recommendation and gifted book the moment I finished it. It is a must read for both complete noobs to all things Cyber Security and advanced hackers. I could sing Heather’s praises for days, but in short, she is a badass and her energy is contagious. Heather Vescent is founder of The Purple Tornado, a transmedia futures studio, whose clients include US & UK governments, SWIFT, Disney, mid-size companies and start-ups. Her research explores trends in the future of cybersecurity, digital identity, money, economies, augmented intelligence, relationships, and war. It been covered in the New York Times, CNN, American Banker, CNBC, Fox, and the Atlantic. She is an author of the Cyber Attack Survival Manual: From Identity Theft to The Digital Apocalypse, published by Weldon Owen. Show Notes: 1:12 Interview Starts 3:00 Heather’s background 5:57 What is a Futurist? 14:31 How Heather became a Futurist 15:24 The Future of Money project 25:08 How data may be stored in the future 27:35 Future technological possibilities 37:26 Going to Mars 43:59 The Cyber Attack Survival Manual 57:48 What is the cyber term “Pineapple” and how are they used? 1:04:51 The importance of internet and cyber education 1:12:12 When was the first time you remember stepping into a data center? 1:14:45 What is the biggest misconception people have about what you do or the industry at large? 1:15:04 What is one thing that you believe is true that most people would think you are insane for believing? 1:16:00 What is the most interesting thing that you have learned in the past few months? Links: Cyber Attack Survival Manual: amzn.to/2i2Jz5K Future of Cybersecurity List: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/325779/ http://www.heathervescent.com/ https://twitter.com/heathervescent https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathervescent/

Episode 021 - Rob Butler - Unwrapping the Indirect IT Sales Channel Mar 15, 2018

Becoming an independent IT consultant and navigating the indirect sales channel ecosystem can appear daunting. It appears daunting, because it is daunting. For those starting agencies on their own, this is no different than starting any entrepreneurial venture. For those catering to these independent consultants, this is no different than having to lead and manage a pack of hungry wolves in the wild. Those brave souls who have been successful on both sides of the equation, are few and far between. Those who have been successful and not had to compromise their integrity and character along the way, are even harder to find. I am blessed to have met one such brave fellow, Rob Butler, early on in my own journey. His friendship, wisdom and encouragement over the years are part of what helped me persevere during the numerous occasions I questioned why I ever put myself and my family through the difficulties of bootstrapping a company. Our conversation dives headlong into the indirect channel ecosystem and the journey we, and most agents, have taken. Rob's experience is unique and insightful, as he worked for a few different IT service providers AND one of the now established Master Agents/Distributors in the industry prior to becoming a full time independent agent himself. Some knowledge, experience and harsh Truths are dropped here that all those working in, or considering working in, "the channel" need to hear. If you're not afraid to hear a very raw conversation about what motivates agents, service providers, buyers and distributors, this podcast will be well worth your time, guaranteed. Show Notes: 1:12 Interview starts 2:00 Where are you right now? 3:21 How did you get involved in tech? 5:10 How did you migrate into the network industry? 8:21 Prior to college, did you have a gaming console? 9:17 How Rob started working for Telarus 10:29 What is Telarus? 12:45 In the early days, who were some other master agents? 13:59 What was unique about Telarus’ business model at the time? 17:37 How was it funded at that time? 21:00 What are the traits that you think made you successful? 27:24 Do you think that if you had a safety net in the beginning you would still be as successful now? 29:39 What do you wish you had done differently starting out? 32:29 What other things would you have done differently? 34:14 What advice would you give someone just starting out? 39:05 A mile wide and an inch deep vs an inch wide and a mile deep 42:53 The case for why a diversified master agency portfolio makes sense 50:02 Why an independent company wouldn’t want to go directly to the service providers themselves 1:06:56 The importance of bringing in a consultant and master agency 1:10:11 The problem with new channel programs 1:17:36 What is CompTIA? 1:22:20 How can you become involved with CompTIA? 1:25:01 What was the best advice you received when you first got started in your career? 1:27:14 What was the first data center you remember walking into? 1:31:29 How to get in contact with Rob Rob’s phone number (512)-322- 9664

Episode 020 - Kevin Miller - Network Infrastructure Deep Dive for Terrestrial Fiber Optics Feb 16, 2018

The interview I did with Gil Santaliz in Episode 18 got my wheels turning on the topic of fiber optics and I wanted to learn more. It just so happens that one of my friends right here in my backyard, Kevin Miller, runs a firm that specializes in designing and manufacturing customized optical fiber platforms for network simulation testing, latency, and training applications. Hence, this episode was born! Kevin and his father have collectively spent over 50 years playing with optical fiber and the related systems and industries this fiber is deployed within. The details we discuss about the technology itself and the industries M2 Optics supports is fascinating and educational in and of itself. Even more fascinating to me, however, was the conversation we had about how he and his dad have managed to bootstrap the business into the success it is today, all while maintaining a productive and caring personal relationship with one another. Session Notes: 1:12 Episode starts 2:22 Where are you from and how did you get into tech? 5:33 What exactly does M2 Optics do and where do you do it? 10:18 Who competes in your market? 11:23 What is a strand of fiber? 15:10 Types of fiber explained 18:07 Limitation for how much information can push through fiber 22:02 Transceivers explained 23:18 What is the process for fusing broken fiber back together? 25:34 What causes data loss after fusing fiber back together? 26:54 How often does fiber get cut and require someone to go out and fix it? 29:55 How do you detect where a problem along a fiber strand is and how was it done prior to modern technology? 32:59 What experiences or data sets you came across that blew your mind? 34:35 Where do you see the optical fiber marketplace going? 41:48 What is the difference between submarine cable fiber and terrestrial fiber? 43:36 Over time, does fiber degrade even if it is not broken and fused back together? 45:25 How Kevin’s dad got started in the optical fiber industry 46:28 Are there any lessons your dad has taught you over the years? 49:49 If you could go back to 2001, what advice would you give yourself? 52:33 How are you and your dad able to successfully work together?

Episode 019 - Cost Wellness - Introduction to Telecomm Expense Management Jan 30, 2018

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: An Introduction to Telecom Expense Management (TEM). This is a data center podcast, so you may ask "why TEM?" Well, the reality is over One Trillions dollars is spent annually by companies on the networks that carry voice and data. As such, due to the complexity, criticality and size of these networks there is BIG business to be made helping companies right size and optimize said networks. Also, guess where nearly all of these networks start, end or at some point traverse through? You guessed it, The Data Center! Wanting to get as deep and wide a perspective as possible on this introduction to Telecom Expense Mangement, I brought in Chris Corr and Scott Nason, two managing partners in the firm Cost Wellness that works almost exclusively within the TEM and network optimization space. Collectively they operate with over 35 years experience working in the TEM industry and currently manage over One Billion dollars in network spend for various clients, including some significant players within the Healthcare and Banking verticals. If your goal is to become conversant in TEM, I can guarantee you will want to listen in on our conversation! Show Notes: 1:12 Episode starts 2:15 Cost wellness 4:56 Where Chris is now, where he grew up, and how he got into the tech industry 7:12 The Vick 20 8:14 Where Scott is now 12:20 What does PBX stand for? 13:54 How Scott got into the tech industry 16:42 How Scott learned what he knows 23:33 What is TIM and how Christ and Scott got involved in it 28:57 How does TIM hold service providers to quality of service? 30:19 How has TIM evolved to the point where it is today? 36:21 Is TIM applicable to anybody who has a circuit anywhere? 38:38 How Chris and Scott have each seen technology evolve over the past few decades 49:18 Dominant companies that have a strong place in the industry 55:54 Has the TIM environment been inundated with a short term private equity mindset or are they still driven by product and software needs? 59:19 Is there a scenario within a company where, on face value it looks like a good opportunity but in reality, it is not? 1:07:48 How would an incentive such as that even come into place? 1:09:06 Is it CFOs that you are having these conversations with or is it the IT departments that are following the mandates from the financial office? 1:13:28 What is the economic model for Scott and Chris? 1:18:13 Two things that happen in a contingency engagement 1:23:25 Being aware of where vendors are making money that you are not paying them 1:25:03 Barriers for customer engagement 1:28:12 Helping customers build connectivity into their product 1:33:02 What advice would you give to a newcomer in this industry? 1:67:15 What was some helpful advice you received upon coming into this industry? 1:41:29 Scott and Chris' contact information

Episode 018 - Gil Santaliz - Network Infrastructure Deep Dive Undersea Cables & Landing Stations Dec 26, 2017

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: Network Infrastructure Deep Dive for Undersea Cables and Landing Stations, I interview Gil Santaliz. You may have wondered about the infrastructure that carries data from one continent to another. Gil Santaliz, CEO of NJFX.net (a carrier neutral cable landing station and colocation facility in New Jersey), is a seasoned telecommunications veteran, entrepreneur and investor with deep knowledge and direct experience working in and around these complex networks, systems and buildings. Gil spends time with me breaking down the evolution and “how, who and why” fundamentals of this critical component to the global internet infrastructure. Show Notes: 1:12 Interview starts 2:32 Gil’s background 4:38 How Gil was able to start 4Connections (spelling?) back in 2001 7:49 Gil’s first experience with the fiber landing stations 10:14 Tata Communications 12:06 How Gil became interested in fiber landing stations 16:11 How many landing stations are there in the coastal united states? 22:35 Latency 24:25 Who funded all this infrastructure? 24:58 OTT 26:28 Has the cost per megabit been dropping? 29:24 If there is a problem with a cable, do we have the technology to be able to pinpoint the specific location of it? 37:08 How to prevent people from accidentally damaging the cables 38:45 How is the government working with private sectors to ensure that these cables are protected? 41:50 How much traffic clears from South America to the United States? 44:02 What was the reason for the placement of the cables? 47:28 How Gil got involved in technology 49:39 What are some of the biggest innovations you seen in your space over the past decade? 56:17 What innovations do you see on the horizon? 58:47 What is some advice you wish you’d been given at the start of your career? 1:01:37 What is some advice you were given that transformed the way you worked in your industry? 1:02:19 Who are you target clients? Who are your existing clients? 1:04:40 Do you guys operate the equivalent puring (spelling?) exchange for those large transcontinental network providers? 1:05:33 What are some common misconceptions people have about your industry? 1:06:52 What do you think is causing this misconception?

Episode 017 - Jeffrey A. Moerdler - Data Center Industry Attorney Perspectives Nov 29, 2017

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: Data Center Industry Attorney Perspectives, I interview Jeffery A. Moerdler. My favorite interviews are ones where I get to scratch my itch for more industry knowledge and this was most definitely the case with this interview. Jeffrey A. Moerdler, Real Estate Partner at Mintz Levin and former Commissioner at Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has spent decades working and drafting data center and telecommunications related contracts representing both the buyer and seller. He is also the founder of the IMN Forum on Data Centers and Cloud Services, which just recently had their 8th annual fall event in Chicago. Our conversation covers the legal and business implications of a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), the ins and outs of data center service and lease contracts, data privacy laws, cyber security and a variety of related topics. There is a mountain of valuable information and insight within this episode! Enjoy! Episode 17 Show Notes 1:11 Interview starts 2:01 Where are you located right now? 3:48 Growing up in New York, how did you become familiar with technology? 8:08 How did you become educated about data centers? 10:01 How and why Jeffrey started the IMN Data Center Forum 14:48 How have the topics during the related data center conferences evolved over the years? 23:41 Data Center server “huggers” 26:40 What has kept Jeffrey from directly working for a brokerage firm 31:09 The most common mistakes Jeffery has seen people make in the data center industry 36:19 Important concepts people in the industry need to grasp 41:30 Conversation re: liability for building owners 44:01 Why data center owners and operators prefer the REIT structure 45:20 Why does a REIT provide access to a lower cost of capital? 46:42 The cons of the REIT structure 52:18 Data privacy laws 57:33 InfraGard 1:07:20 Legality of data shared between countries 1:13:23 Why AWS and Azure will not eliminate the need for data centers 1:19:45 Jeffrey’s first time in a data center 1:25:09 What is the most fascinating thing you’ve learned in your profession in the past 3 days? 1:30:19 What is some advice you would give to someone new to the industry? 1:35:00 How to get in touch with Jeffrey Links mentioned in this episode InfraGard: https://www.infragard.org/ Jeffery on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreymoerdler/

Episode 016 - Atlanta's 55 & 56 Marietta Data Centers - Tim Kiser Oct 23, 2017

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: Atlanta's 55 & 56 Marietta Data Centers, I interview Tim Kiser. Tim Kiser served as an Air Force B52 bomber pilot during Operation Desert Storm and is the founder and CEO of Colocation Atlanta (Colo Atl), a local provider of colocation and interconnection services out of the 55 Marietta data center downtown Atlanta. He was also the lead designer and engineer for 56 Marietta, which is the largest Internet Exchange (IX) in the region. During the interview, Tim discusses some of the lessons he's learned growing the Colo Atl business since 2001 and during his entire 25 years experience helping to design and engineer over 70 telecommunications facilities across the country. I found Tim's humility and approach to working with customers and employees enlightening and refreshing and know you will too! Tim Kiser Show Notes 2:16 Interview Starts 2:50 Where are you right now? 4:25 Tim’s upbringing and his first time with a computer 7:36 What inspired you to eventually take the entrepreneurial route? 9:28 Tim’s first in a data center 11:26 Starting Col Atlanta 13:26 Tim’s role with 56 Marietta 15:51 What makes 55 and 56 Marietta what it is today? 19:10 Are you the owner of the 55 Marietta building? 19:52 How big is the 55 Marietta building? 21:32 What inspired you to stay fixated only in the Atlanta market? 23:32 How Tim met Hunter Newby 27:00 What has shaped Tim into the man he is today and the way he conducts business? 30:18 Defining moments in Tim’s life that helped solidify his practice and deal with people 33:45 What was it like to go all in? 37:07 Did you make sure the tenants you were bringing on were unaffected from the major downturn in the market? 40:55 Karma in business 45:02 Tim’s most memorable failures he has learned from 50:57 Tim’s tips for managing a team 01:00:03 Tim’s long term plan for the future 01:05:20 How have you seen the industry evolve since you’ve been in it? 01:10:13 How has the growth within the Atlanta marketplace affected you? 01:14:11 What is the backdrop to your laptop? 01:18:20 When was the last time you had a client impacting event? How did you manage it, what did you learn, and what changes have been made because of that event? 01:21:11 Tim on Cloud Services 01:22:28 If you could go back in time and offer advice to yourself when you were just getting started in this industry, what would it be? Links mentioned in this episode: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtcommunications/

Episode 015 - Meet Me Room and Internet Exchange Innovation in the Data Center Industry Hunter Newby Sep 28, 2017

This week on the I Love Data Centers podcast: Meet Me Room and Internet Exchange Innovation in the Data Center Industry, I interview Hunter Newby. If you've worked in the data center industry for more than a few years and haven't heard name Hunter Newby, you simply haven't been paying attention. Hunter is a 20 year data center industry veteran who innovated the concepts of the Meet Me Room (MMR) and Internet Exchange (IX). Our paths finally crossed last year during a data center conference in DC and a friendship quickly ensued. The conversation shared here covers how Hunter got started in the industry post college, the large impact his father has had on his approach to life, what the catalyst was for starting Telx in 1998 and what it was like boot strapping and growing the company through 2009. I am certain you will enjoy listening to this interview as much as we enjoyed having the conversation together! Episode 15 Show Notes 2:16 Interview starts 3:48 Where Hunter comes from 6:21 How did you get involved in tech? 13:10 Hunter’s first experiences with computers 14:45 Hunter’s first experiences in data centers 19:36 What led you to want to work at places like MCI WorldCom? 21:00 Going to WorldCom for the first time 26:16 What it took to get Telx up and running 30:09 Did the bubble bursting in 2001 affect your business? 40:43 Thoughts on Open-IX (OIX) 44:57 Why has nobody revolted? 51:15 How Hunter got Telx to become Digital’s exclusive Meet Me Room Provider 58:51 When did things shift to charging for cross connects in Meet Me Rooms? 01:00:20 Where did the peering exchange come from? 01:16:39 What is one belief you hold that most people would find crazy? 01:20:36 What is a common misconception about the data center industry? 01:25:17 What is one of the most influential pieces of advice you received when you were young in the data center industry? 01:28:22 Hunter’s upcoming work, and how to get in touch with him Links mentioned in this episode https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunternewby http://www.hunternewby.com/

Episode 014 - Systems Theory, Technology, Ethics, and Corporate Transformation Sep 13, 2017

"We Need a revolution in our behavior, in our ethics, rather than just a revolution in our technology." -Brian Patrick Green I was introduced to Stuart Robbins through reading his book, "Lessons in Grid Computing: The System Is a Mirror," over a decade ago. As a young professional that had just transitioned from being a full time entrepreneur to working in "Corporate America," the book provided a foundation in systems theory as it applies to corporations and Information Technology. After reading the book, I reached out to Stuart directly and somehow convinced him to join me for lunch in San Francisco back in 2005, which initiated a friendship that has persisted ever since. In truth, there are few books, outside maybe Frank Herbert's science fiction novel "DUNE," that have as many passages underlined and my chicken scratch throughout the open margins than Stuart's. There are also few executives and consultants I have ever met as humble and enlightened as Stuart who can navigate and intertwine fluently the topics of sociology, psychology, technology, systems theory, theology, politics, ethics, entrepreneurship and corporate culture. As such, you can imagine how overjoyed I was to have the stars align to spend a week with him in Raleigh as he mirrored me in my office (even living in the guest wing of my home) for an entire week! This episode is a snap shot into one of the many reoccurring and enlightening conversations Stuart and I had throughout the time we had together. Please note, this episode is different than most and, to be blunt, rather heavy listening. My hope in sharing this conversation between Stuart and myself, however, is that it contributes to your evolutionary journey and experience within the intense and rather overwhelming times we live in today.

Episode 013 - Data Center M&A, Elite Sales DNA, and Women in IT - Shelagh Montgomery Aug 18, 2017

When I was a fast moving young sales executive working for the national data center company QTS from 2009-2011, Shelagh was one of my favorite people because she knew how to quickly get things done within the company. She was respected by both her peers and the senior leadership within the company and was able to deliver answers quickly and accurately based on her relationships and experience watching 1000's of deals cross her plate. By the time our paths crossed she had already been with QTS for 5 years and will soon be celebrating her 14 year anniversary there. Our conversation covers a wide variety of topics; from our reactions to all the recent M&A activity taking place, to what she feels are the key characteristics of an elite sales executive and sales manager, to what her experience has been like specifically as a woman working within a predominately male industry. The insight and advice Shelagh provides throughout this episode is essential for anyone working in the data center industry. I was excited to even hear her share a story about what it was like managing me during our brief time together at QTS!

Episode 012 - Selling the Data Center Marketplace to IT and the C-Suite - Todd M Smith Aug 01, 2017

When we started the I Love Data Centers podcast a few months ago I committed to providing you with raw, honest advice and entertaining stories that will bring you some new, thought-provoking perspectives from people I have met in my career who are unequivocal experts in the data center industry. If you are in any way involved with selling within the data center marketplace, this specific podcast is a MUST LISTEN! In the 12th episode, I am stoked to introduce you to one of the industry experts from our own team. Todd Smith. Todd is a partner with Open Spectrum who loves data centers and cut his teeth on the industry by working at Cyrus One. During the interview, Todd and I stress the importance of understanding the nuts and bolts of your customer’s infrastructure during any engagement. Speaking to business drivers, applications and day-to-day operations are the most important conversations that must be had with executives. Your ability to tie the whole conversation together, marrying technology with practical business needs and requirements, significantly elevates the value you should be bringing to your clients within every engagement.

Episode 011 - Data Center Patents And Perspectives On Artificial Intelligence - Scott Noteboom Jul 17, 2017

In this episode of the I Love Data Centers podcast, Data Center Patents and Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence, we have Scott Noteboom. Scott is the founder and CEO of LitBit, a company focused on making Artificial Intelligence (AI) a useful and practical tool for companies to leverage on a day to day basis. Scott’s roots are in the data center, having worked for many years starting an ISP, working for an integrated voice and data startup and then joining the likes of Abovenet, Yahoo! and Apple overseeing data center engineering and operations. With a core background in software, his perspective on the industry is unique in that he’s always been working toward developing solutions that will make data centers smarter, and more importantly, communicate with one another intelligently. Hence, his pivot in 2013 toward the AI space and work toward developing an AI specifically for the data center vertical (among many other verticals) makes total sense. Our conversation explores primarily what AI is, and is not, along with some of the practical ways AI is being used today and will be used over the coming years and decades to come. Having accepted the reality that AI will play a large roll in our future as a species, I admire and stand behind Scott’s commitment to educating people on the topic and technology and also doing his part to ensure the technology is used for good. Scott Noteboom Interview Show Notes 2:09 Interview starts 3:28 Where are you right now? 4:41 Where were you born? 5:51 What was the earliest computer you had? 7:15 How did your education in technology play out? 11:02 Patents and data centers at Yahoo! 17:14 Scott’s first time in a data center 19:22 How Scott got started working in an ISP 21:40 What Scott has learned from working on the data center side with big companies 24:29 Why Scott chose to go into AI 33:03 Is it risky using AI in a business? 39:05 Scott explains Lit Bit 41:46 How DAK differs from a typical BMS solution 45:34 What checks, balances, and controls can you put in AI? 55:07 Will machines and humans integrate with one another in the near future? 1:00:53 Where can people find out more about LitBit? 1:05:15 How to get in contact with Scott 1:06:27 What is the backdrop to your laptop? 1:07:55 Scotts advice to newcomers in the industry 1:09:36 What an unpopular opinion you have? 1:11:08 What is a common misnomer about the industry? LitBit http://www.litbit.com/#/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottnoteboom

Episode 010 - The Art of Troubleshooting from a Master Troubleshooter Jun 29, 2017

As the CTO and co-founder of an IT firm focused on delivering bleeding edge services to law firms, Jason was one of my first clients when I joined the industry. He quickly became one of my favorite clients when he routinely asked hard questions and held both himself, his team and his providers (me included) accountable. I knew every time we talked that I would walk away learning something important and having gained a more complete and honest picture of how his business, and my own business for that matter, actually worked. After a few acquisitions, Jason stepped away from the industry to travel the world and author a book, "The Art of Troubleshooting". His book is one I have gifted frequently to current clients and partners over the past few years and I was thrilled to talk with him about the lessons he learned as an IT executive, entrepreneur and career problem solver.

Episode 009 - History of Internet Protocols, ISPs, SPAM, Internet Exchanges and Peering Jun 19, 2017

There are only a few dozen people on the planet, still working today, who both understand how the internet was originally developed and were actually present and involved during its early evolution. Tim Pozar is among this respected and elite tribe. Our interview attempts to add color to these early days as we follow his vast career and the decisions he made pre and post running the first ISP in San Francisco and his work with Alexa and The Internet Archive. Tim is a genuine and humble technologist, problem solver and entrepreneur through and through. Today, he works to solve complex network problems for enterprises large and small while also running the San Francisco Metropolitan Internet Exchange. Unfortunately we did not have time to cover even a fraction of the projects he's been involved with over the years, or discuss the countless hours he has spent pro-bono working to bring the freedom of the internet to every nook and cranny of Northern California. Episode 009 Show Notes Interview Starts 2:23 What is “TwoP”? 2:59 Where are you right now? 4:21 Tim’s background 5:47 How do you first get into technology? 6:41 Starting the first ISP in San Francisco 13:15 Limiting South Africa during Apartheid 16:00 Usenet 18:05 How does Usenet tie to ISP? Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) 21:14 What inspired you to create your own Internet service providing company? 21:44 Tim’s first time walking into a data center 31:50 What was the next chapter in your career after Little Garden? 38:33 What is Alexa? 39:42 WAIS 44:31 Canter Seagull Incident 47:23 Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) 50:08 Bright Mail 52:43 Reasons to go to a data center 55:18 The MAE 58:29 365 1:05:26 Telx 1:06:40 3 Layers to Internet exchange 1:11:51 Lobbying in DC 1:14:38 What’s the backdrop on your laptop? 1:17:55 What is some advice you would give a newcomer in the industry? 1:19:17 How to contact Tim 1:23:59

Episode 008 - A High Density Data Center Colocation Startup Story Sean Holzknecht May 25, 2017

This week we have on deck Sean Holzknecht, the co-founder and CEO of Colovore, a high density colocation provider in Santa Clara, CA. Some rich content is in store for you as we explore how Sean migrated from a small town in Alaska to San Francisco where he happened to land a front row seat to the colossal boom and bust that occurred from 1998-2002. Our story here is a bit unique as it focuses on the infrastructure providers that were responsible for supporting the growth during this era and how they were affected by the $Billions to Bankruptcy phenomenon. Coming from engineering roots, Sean's perspective is unique through all this. The lessons learned helped spawn his current data center venture Colovore, and we get to hear the complete journey Sean and his partner followed to grow the company from inception to success.

Episode 007 - The Godfather of the Colocation Indirect Sales Channel May 19, 2017

In this week’s I Love Data Centers episode - The Godfather of the Colocation Indirect Sales Channel - Sean’s guest is Dany Bouchedid, the Founder and CEO of COLOTRAQ. Sean and Dany discuss a great many topics during their time together; such as how he got involved in the industry after a brief conversation with a young entrepreneur (who has since become one of the richest men on the planet) as well as the evolution of the telecom and data center indirect channel. We cover a few of the major events that take place within the industry as well as some of the organizations that support the channel. If you work in or around the indirect sales channel or simply want to gain a perspective on how it works and has matured over the years, this episode is a must listen! Episode 007 Show Notes Intro 1:17 Interview starts 2:48 Where are you right now? 3:53 What is it that you actually do? 4:48 How did you get started in IT? 7:10 Data center infrastructure demand drivers 15:50 Virtualization, Cloud, and Hybrid IT 18:10 The early days of the Technology Channel Association (TCA)? 19:50 What drove the evolution of the colocation indirect sales channel? 22:90 The role of a master agency 31:30 WTF is cloud computing? 36:50 What is the desktop of your computer? 59:00

Episode 006 - The Evolution of Data Center and Cloud, Insights on AsiaPac and Canada - Philbert Shih May 12, 2017

This week's episode of the I Love Data Centers podcast, The Evolution of Data Center and Cloud, with Insights on AsiaPac and Canada, we have a more targeted conversation as Sean interviews Philbert Shih, the Founder and CEO of Structure Research, an independent research and consulting firm. Structure Research is also a member of the Open Spectrum Alliance, and contributes to the Open Spectrum Data Center Market Report intelligence. Sean and Philbert dive in by discussing the business drivers behind the evolving MSP and data center industry. Conversation then shifts to the AsiaPac and Canadian markets where Philbert and his team have some unique and deep experience within the marketplace there. This episode is rich with practical information, best practices and industry insight. We hope you enjoy.

Episode 005 - Data Center Trials, Fiber Optics, and House Music - Garrick Sturgill Apr 27, 2017

In this week’s I Love Data Centers episode - Data Center Trials, Fiber Optics, and House Music - Sean’s guest is Garrick Sturgill, the Director or Technology, Carrier Relations and Colo Operations at Centeris Data Centers based in Puyallup, WA, just south of Seattle. First, Sean explores the three main threads within Garrick’s early and eclectic life (because it's just that interesting); creating with 1980’s computer hardware, working as a Cyberpunk community DJ at tech savvy parties in Seattle, and learning how to work with fiber optics. Next, you'll hear how these threads merged, eventually connecting Garrick into the broader world of the data center marketplace. Once inside the data center marketplace, Garrick experienced numerous trials by fire at the Westin Building Exchange (WBX), which has serves as the primary Internet Exchange in the Pacific Northwest. Finally, Sean helps introduce you to Garrick’s inner geek and how it grew into the ultimate geek job of playing with all the cooling, power and network infrastructure that makes a data center work. Garrick and Sean also explore Big Brother's role in the data center marketplace, although an attempt was made to keep the conversation light, because Big Brother is always listening.

Episode 004 - Evolution of a Telecommunications and Data Center Industry Titan - with Raul Martynek Apr 19, 2017

In this week’s I Love Data Centers episode, Evolution of a Telecommunications and Data Center Industry Titan, our guest is Raul Martynek. Raul currently works as a partner with the communications focused private equity firm Digital Bridge. He has led numerous companies through successful acquisitions while speaking the language of finance just as fluently as that of the telecommunications, data center, hosting, and virtualization industries he serves. This interview has some rich content. We cover topics such as Raul’s humble roots, his thoughts on the current acquisition spree taking place in the industry and what some of the key differences are between providers in hyper scale mode and those who are barely surviving.

Episode 003 - DevOps, Selling Complex IT Solutions and Why the Future is Hybrid - Pete Sclafani Apr 12, 2017

In Episode 3 of the I Love Data Centers Podcast, you'll meet Pete Sclafani, COO and Co-founder of 6Connect. Pete's expertise allows him to speak up and down the IT stack. I call Pete a "life decathlete" because of the breadth of experience he has as an IT expert, businessman, husband, and father. Episode 003 Show Notes • Where are you right now? [3:13] • Pete’s background [4:18] • Norwich University [6:03] • How did you get into technology? [8:37] • Pete’s college experience [11:26] • First job out of college [15:10] • “Saddest Cubicle” [18:59] • First time walking into a data center [20:06] • Pete on the evolution of 6Connect [23:22] • How do you go about speaking with different archetypes in the industry? [27:13] • Speaking to executives [29:42] • Speaking with operational people 31:01 • What have you learned in this industry that has surprised you? [31:54] • “Lessons in Grid Computing” [34:37] • How do you see things evolving in the industry? [39:21] • Pete on innovation in the industry over the past 15 years [45:16] • What is a common misconception people have about the data center industry? [52:32] • What is on the backdrop of your computer right now? [54:23] • Mac or PC? [54:49] • What have you read lately that you found fascinating? [55:30] • “A World Undone” book [55:54] • What advice would you give someone new to the industry? [57:25] • How to contact Pete and learn more about 6Connect [59:19] Links mentioned in episode Saddest Cubicle https://www.wired.com/2014/10/saddest-cubicles/#slide-4 Lessons in Grid Computing https://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Grid-Computing-System-Mirror/dp/0471790109 A World Undone https://www.amazon.com/World-Undone-Story-Great-1914/dp/0553382403

Episode 002 - Data Center Industry Education On Capitol Hill - Christian Dawson Apr 05, 2017

Episode 002 - Data CenterIndustry Education on Capitol Hill Raw and honest advice, plus some entertaining stories about the data center industry that drives the digital world in which we live. In this episode, Sean interviews Christian Dawson with Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition). Show Notes: Where are you right now and what are you working on? [2:39] What is the I2C? [3:08] Involvement with I2C [3:36] What motivated you to move into policy work in DC? [3:55] Description of PIPA and SOPA Bills – [5:45] Companies that are part of I2C – [9:07] DC Fly-Ins [10:15] How many members are in I2C? – [11:28] Christian on changes in I2C – [15:05] Do you remember your first experience walking into a data center? [18:50] What is one of more impressive Data Centers you have been through? [25:18] What was your experience growing up around technology? [29:06] Where did you grow up and how were you introduced to first mac? [38:38] Legislators understanding the industry [41:40] What are other resources that are available to those in the industry? [43:46] Electronic Frontier Foundation [44:37] Where do you think the focus will be moving forward for our industry from a legislative perspective? [45:28] Are there private interests outside of government that are advocating for further regulation of the data center and telecommunication industry? [48:27] Do you believe that government agencies that deal with security have the access they need to information that is traversing the Internet? [50:19] Some positive things happening in DC [56:52] What specific points would you want to get across to Data Center professionals? [59:43] How to reach Christian [1:01:18] Links Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Christian on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiandawson The Electronic Frontier Foundation https://www.eff.org/ i2coalition https://www.i2coalition.com/ 2017 Congressional Fly-In https://www.facebook.com/events/1153061131448200/ Digital Education Institute http://digitalei.org/

Episode 001 - The Heart and Soul of eBay's Infrastructure Mar 28, 2017

Raw and honest advice, plus some entertaining stories about the data center industry that drives the digital world in which we live. In this episode, Sean interviews Richard Donaldson with eBay. Show Notes: Introduction [1:12] Where are you right now? [3:33] Background and role at eBay [09:13] What got you interested in tech? [13:41] Why Richard was brought into eBay [22:07] First data center experience? [27:15] Trace routes [29:45] First computer you owned? [36:16] Changes in the industry over the past decade [38:51] --Edge Connex [45:15] Common misconceptions in the industry today? [51:16] Most fascinating things you have learned since working in the industry? [53:04] Advice you would give someone new to the industry to help accelerate their career? [56:43] On specialization and the medicinal marijuana industry [01:00:04] How to connect with Richard [01:01:39]

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