Morningstar New Credit Rating: Equinix

by Morningstar Credit Committee | 17 Sep 10

Morningstar is initiating credit coverage of Equinix with a BB rating, reflecting the firm's relatively high leverage, offset somewhat by solid recurring revenue and a sticky customer base.

...

Even with the extension of its maturity profile, we expect Equinix will fall just short of meeting its obligations over the next five years without raising additional funds. This is primarily the result of the fact that the firm is expanding rapidly, pushing free cash flow into the red. We don't expect meaningful cash flow generation for another couple of years. The $700 million in cash the firm has on hand should provide adequate liquidity into 2014 based on our cash flow estimates, though; conversion of any debt to equity would further enhance flexibility.

Equinix, Inc. served with a lawsuit

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

On September 14, 2010, Equinix, Inc. was served with a lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of California in Santa Clara County by 529 Bryant Street Partners LLC (“Plaintiff”) against our wholly owned subsidiaries Switch & Data CA Nine LLC (“Tenant”) and Switch & Data Facilities Company, Inc. (“Guarantor”). The lawsuit alleges that Tenant breached certain non-monetary obligations under its lease (the “Lease”) of our data center located at 529 Bryant Street in Palo Alto, California (the “Premises”) and seeks monetary damages, specific performance of those non-monetary obligations and ejectment of Tenant from the Premises. The lawsuit also alleges that Guarantor has breached its obligations under its guaranty of the Lease. We believe that the lawsuit as a whole lacks merit and that the remedies sought are excessive. We are currently in discussions with Plaintiff to reach a mutually agreeable settlement, but intend to defend the lawsuit vigorously.

The Internet's Most Connected Company

from Forbes:

>>Forbes' Brian Caulfield spoke with Equinix Chief Executive Officer Stephen Smith about the importance of connections, and connectivity, in the Internet age.

Forbes: Ideas like the cloud and infrastructure as a service are all very abstract. But for you, they're extremely concrete. You literally build the bricks and mortar around these transactions. Tell me about that.

Stephen Smith: The cloud as you mentioned is made up of lots of different fancy offerings. It's software, it's infrastructures, platforms all sold as a service. The cloud computing model is evolving around the world today. There are billions of dollars going into it. In our data centers around the world, we are experiencing many public cloud deployments and private cloud deployments coming from enterprises that are putting their infrastructure, servers, storage arrays, and networking gear, which is the guts of what makes up a cloud offering.

Whether it's sold as software off those boxes or you're selling the cycle time of the actual platform or the infrastructure, that's all it is underneath. And clouds sit inside of data centers.

"Sorry, we cannot operate."

‎"Sorry, we cannot operate." Great CyberKnife stories from Stand Up to Cancer.
http://su2c.standup2cancer.org/node/3202

“Sorry, We Cannot Operate” | Stand Up To Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer's purpose is to enable cutting-edge research aimed at finding a cure to all types of cancer, including breast, prostate, skin, brain, lung, colon, cervical, the list goes on

Ethernet Exchanges

from www.von.com/blogs: (HT to TR)

>>“All the data center guys are thinking about creating Ethernet exchanges. I’ve never seen the telecom industry copy and move so fast and not know why in 10 years. I think the data center guys have enough muscle to push, from a pricing structure standpoint, colocation customers into their exchanges.

“It makes perfect sense for Equinix; it’s recurring revenue on top of their colocation business.

“Equinix is in a great position to do that, and we’re all colocated with Equinix. We may not have much of a choice. Rate increases are coming, some have already been announced, and I can’t go a week now without being asked why I haven’t joined the exchange."

AboveNet, Ciena, MEF, Equinix & more to Keynote at Ethernet Expo Americas 2010

28 service providers & exchange companies will participate in Ethernet Expo Americas November 2 & 3 in New York City

NEW YORK, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM TechWeb's Light Reading (www.lightreading.com), the world's leading research-led integrated media company serving the global communications market – in collaboration with Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com), its prestigious market research division – will hold its sixth Ethernet Expo Americas in New York on November 2 & 3 at the Hilton New York. Chaired by Ethernet expert and Heavy Reading Senior Analyst Stan Hubbard, Ethernet Expo Americas 2010 is the premier event covering the hot topic of Carrier Ethernet network technologies and services in the Americas.

Ethernet Expo Americas (www.ethernetexpo.com) will feature keynote speakers Rajiv Datta, SVP & CTO of AboveNet; Kevin Daines, Chief Technologist for Ciena; Joe Weinman, Industry Guru, speaking on the Network and the Cloud; Nan Chen, MEF President & Board Director; and Jarrett Appleby, Equinix CMO.

Additional service providers and exchange players speaking on panels include: AT&T, BT, CENX, Covad Wholesale, FiberTower, Global Crossing, Interoute, IP Only, Level 3, Lightower, Neutral Tandem, NTT America, Optimum Lightpath, Qwest Wholesale, RCN Metro, Reliance Globalcom, telx, Transbeam, tw telecom, Verizon, Verizon Business, and XO. Beyond this, Belgacom, Equinix, expereo, Teragate, tinet, and vega will be participating in a service interconnection demonstration.

"I could not be more pleased at the high level of service provider interest in becoming directly involved in this year's show," says Hubbard. "We have assembled the largest number of carrier professionals ever to speak at a Light Reading event. This is going to be an extraordinary opportunity for industry participants, enterprises, financial analysts, and investors to engage with a Who's Who list of Carrier Ethernet experts who are helping shape the direction of the communications industry."

This year's Ethernet Expo Americas will also provide an additional networking opportunity for sponsors and attendees before and after the show, with the debut of the Ethernet Expo Digital Summit. The Ethernet Expo Digital Summit, which will be live pre-event on October 26 and then again post-event on November 17, will reach thousands of telecom executives in the Ethernet industry who will have the opportunity to network with sponsors, download content, and watch live and on-demand video before and after the live Ethernet Expo Americas show. For more information on the Ethernet Expo Digital Summit visit: http://www.lightreading.com/live/event_information.asp?event_id=29322&survey_id=694&p_id=digitalsummit

Ethernet Expo Americas will also feature the Advanced Global Interconnect Test Program and the Carrier Ethernet Certification Program. The Advanced Global Interconnect Test Program is a service provider interoperability test and showcase program, created by EANTC in collaboration with ancotel and Light Reading, providing detailed insight into current service offerings, to help accelerate the market. The demonstration at Light Reading's Ethernet Expo Americas will conclude the third phase of the test program. The Carrier Ethernet Certification Program, hosted by Ciena, will be collocated at Ethernet Expo Americas and will include a free, four-hour test prep session followed by an optional certification exam.

The leading suppliers of next-generation Carrier Ethernet solutions are sponsoring this year's Ethernet Expo Americas including: SuperPlatinum Sponsor Ciena; Platinum Sponsors AboveNet, ANDA Networks, Fujitsu, Level3 Communications, and Nokia Siemens Networks; Gold Sponsors Accedian Networks, Actelis Networks, ADVA Optical Networking, Alcatel-Lucent, Canoga Perkins, CENX, Cyan Optics, ECI, Equinix, EXFO, Extreme Networks, Hatteras Networks, JDSU, Juniper Networks, Lightower Fiber Networks, Metaswitch Networks, MRV, Neutral Tandem, Overture Networks, Positron Access Solutions, RAD Data Communications, Sunrise Telecom, Telco Systems, Tellabs, Telx, and Transmode; and additional exhibitors Brocade, Champion One, Exar, Infinera, INOC, NEC, Omnitron Systems, Spirent Communications, Subex, Transition Networks, and VeEx.

Piper Jaffray Strongly Reiterates Overweight Rating For Equinix

from www.benzinga.com:

Equinix, Inc. is a top investment idea, according to Piper Jaffray and is also an industry leader in a fast-growing industry with high investment returns and attractive valuation. Strong industry trends are evident for Equinix.

The company earns 20-30% on its investments in new facilities and is driven by ~60% flow through to EBITDA, as customers are willing to pay a premium for Equinix's serivices, Piper Jaffray reports. Equinix is also the only global provider (of one-stop shopping) for its multi-national customers.

Piper Jaffray reiterates its Overweight rating and price target of $124.

New Study looks to 'Vaporize' Pancreatic Cancer

from www.cfra.com:

>>The Ottawa Hospital is set to launch a new groundbreaking study on new treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Researchers will use the new highly sophisticated machine called the CyberKnife in a bid to "vaporize tumours" with ultra-high radiation doses.

A $53-thousand grant from Pancreatic Cancer Canada will help fund the trial.

trigeminal neuralgia

“The pain I experienced was unimaginable, I’m so thankful to have found the
CyberKnife,” said Herb. ”It’s my mission now to tell others with
trigeminal neuralgia that they don’t have to suffer or worry about what
could happen as a result of surgery. The CyberKnife treatment was easy
...and worked incredibly well."
http://cyberknife.com/patient-stories/all/herb.aspx

CyberKnife::Herb's Story

As an entrepreneur, Herb traveled all over the world training employees and factory workers how to use his machines to cut mattes for picture framing. But when he was stricken with trigeminal neuralgia in 2003, Herb could barely walk out his front door.

Equinix - Connect

(click to enlarge)

link

SAS 70 COMPLIANCE - Equinix

(click to enlarge)

http://www.equinix.com/data-center-services/colocation/sas-70-compliance/

a sale of Interxion?

from http://news.stv.tv

INTERXION

Elsewhere in the technology sector, people familiar with the matter said New York-based Baker Capital, which specialises in communications industry investing, has hired Morgan Stanley to explore a sale of Interxion, the Amsterdam-based data-centre operator.

The potential sale comes on top of preparations for a U.S. IPO: Interxion filed a draft registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in May.

Interxion's listed peers include Britain's Telecity Group Plc and Equinix Inc of the U.S. It could entice trade rivals and private equity bidders such as Advent International, Apax and Bridgepoint Capital , these people said.

However, some of the people cautioned Baker sought a high price -- equivalent to more than 10 times the business's EBITDA -- which could deter bidders. That could spell a price tag of roughly 780 million euros or more, based on Interxion's second-quarter adjusted EBITDA of 19.6 million euros (16.4 million pounds).

Interxion declined to comment. Baker Capital founder John Baker did not respond to a request for comment.

Prepare for the future of anytime-anywhere gaming

Prepare for the future of anytime-anywhere gaming with the right platform to mobilize and monetize your assets. Learn about the world-class media ecosystems inside Equinix.

ny games

JOIN US AT NY Games Conference September 21, 2010 Museum of Jewish Heritage 36 Battery Place New York, NY 10280 SPEAKING SESSION Jim Poole, GM, Global Networks, Mobility & Content

Nokia Still Top in Smartphone Sales at 260,000 a Day

from Seeking Alpha:

>>By Simon Chester

For all the crap Nokia (NOK) has been getting lately about falling behind, not innovating, or releasing products that don’t really compare with the competition, you could be forgiven in thinking that it may be on death’s door.

So you’d probably be surprised to hear that Nokia still moves more smartphones than the Big Two. How many you ask? Try about 260,000 a day.

Nokia Launches New Symbian Smartphones

from WSJ:

>>Nokia Corp. (NOK) Tuesday launched three new smartphones to join its flagship N8 model, and announced upgrades to its developer tools as it looks to regain ground lost against rivals in the high-end phone market.

The world's biggest handset maker announced details of the E7, C7 and new C6, alongside the N8, at its annual Nokia World event, all based on its new Symbian operating platform, which Nokia said has more than 250 new features and improvements compared with the old system.

---

from http://noknok.tv.

We’ve had the Nokia C6 – Nokia’s new mid-range smartphone – for a couple of days now, and the more we use it the more it impresses. It had a lot to live up to, following in the footsteps of the Nokia N97 Mini, but we think it delivers. Find out why in our Nokia C6 review…

The Nokia C6 is a 3.2-inch touchscreen smartphone with a sliding QWERTY keyboard. It sits in the middle of Nokia’s smartphone range, so it’s packed with features, but uses slightly cheaper materials to keep costs down. As such, it’s a bit of a bargain.

The 3.2-inch screen is the same panel as you’ll find on the Nokia N97 Mini, with bright colours and sharp images. It’s great for web browsing, and we also found it responsive – although the haptic feedback – with the handset vibrating when you tap the screen – won’t suit everybody.

111 8th Avenue Carrier Hotel is For Sale

from www.datacenterknowledge.com:

>>111 8th Avenue, one of the most important telecom hubs in Manhattan, is up for sale. The enormous building houses major data center operations for Digital Realty Trust, Equinix, Telx and many other providers and networks, as well as 500,000 square feet of office space for Google.

Equinix Receives ISO 27001 Certification for Data Centers in Germany

Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich data centers meet international standard for information security

FRANKFURT, GERMANY — September 13, 2010— Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), a provider of global data center services, today announced that it has successfully completed the external audit for ISO 27001 certification for its [insert number of data centers here] International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data centers in Germany. The ISO 27001 audit specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and improving a documented Information Security Management System, taking into account the organization’s overall business risks. Conducted by a neutral, independent agency, the audit assesses the operation of a data center as well as all available applications, IT systems, processes and services provided by internal and external employees.

This accreditation verifies that the ISO information security standard is now an integral component of all business processes within Equinix’s data centers in Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich, and guarantees the security of all partners and customers’ information.

“Equinix designs and builds its IBXs to the highest standard, particularly where security is concerned,” says Jörg Rosengart, Managing Director of Equinix Germany. “We are delighted to receive this certification across all of our data centers in Germany as it demonstrates our commitment to providing robust information security measures that preserve the integrity of our customers’ sensitive information.”

Tecala to boost cloud service offerings

from www.arnnet.com.au:

>>The company is looking to expand into providing Infrastructure, Backup and Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service.

“Those are the three that we want to invest in this year and take to market,” he said. “Particularly backup and disaster recovery, there are a lot of opportunities there and we’ve had a lot of good feedback on it from customers.” Tecala hosts customer data out of the Equinix datacentre, and would like to acquire more datacentre space.

“We’re still shopping around. It’s a changing market place and we need to make sure that we’ve got the scale right for customer growth and all these things taken care of,” he said.