Michael Manos, Digital Realty Trust's senior vice president of technical services.
(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Data center provider Digital Realty Trust (www.digitalrealtytrust.com) announced on Thursday that Michael Manos, former general manager of data center services at Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), is leaving the company to serve as Digital Realty Trust’s senior vice president of technical services.
Manos previously lead Microsoft’s efforts in shaping the overall data center architecture, construction, design, operations and research for the company’s global network of data centers.
Now as Digital Realty Trust’s senior vice president of technical services, he will lead the data center design and construction of the company’s data centers, oversee its technical operations, and direct the launch of a new professional services offering that the company says it will soon announce.
Digital Realty Trust CEO Michael F. Foust had high praise for Manos, calling him one of the “most respected and most influential people in the data center industry,” adding that by joining Digital Realty Trust Mano “will have an even bigger impact”.
Manos is the second key member of Microsoft’s data center staff to leave recently.
In December, James Hamilton, one of the company’s key data center engineer, left Microsoft to join Amazon Web Services as vice president and distinguished engineer.
Hindered by the global recession, Microsoft recently scaled back its data center expansion, and announced last October it would reduce its data center investments by $300 million.
Following this announcement, the company postponed its $500 million Iowa data center build in January, as well as delayed the opening of facilities in Chicago and Dublin.
Before joining Microsoft, Manos managed data center and network operations for the Disney’s Internet business unit, which included properties such as Disney.com, ESPN.COM, ABC.COM and Disney Park and Resorts.
He has also served in executive roles at Nuclio, which was acquired by Sun Microsystems; Rhythms NetConnections, which was acquired by Verizon, and O/E Systems.
“During my time at Microsoft, I have been able to devote a significant portion of my time to industry education concerning data centers, including development of industry standards and shaping the way companies design and build data centers. That has been very rewarding,” says Manos. “One of the most appealing aspects about joining Digital Realty Trust is that I will be able to do that on an even larger scale.”
As a wholesale data center operator, Digital Realty Trust owns, acquires, redevelops, develops and manages technology-related real estate.
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