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Microsoft's Manos Joins Digital Realty Trust

Michael Manos, who had been a key architect of Microsoft's data center strategy, has left the company and accepted a position with Digital Realty Trust (DLR).

manosMichael Manos, who was a key architect of Microsoft's data center strategy, has left the company and accepted a position with Digital Realty Trust (DLR). Manos will serve as Senior Vice President of Technical Services for Digital Realty, the world's largest data center landlord, the company said today. Manos (pictured at left) had been General Manager of Data Center Services for Microsoft Global Foundation Services, and was responsible for data center construction, design and operations for all Microsoft's data centers around the world. He had been a key advocate for containerized design principles seen in Microsoft's widely discussed Generation 4 design.

In his new position, Manos will oversee data center design and construction across Digital Realty's global portfolio of properties, as well as technical operations. Manos will also spearhead the launch of a new professional services offering that the company will unveil shortly.

Manos' switch follows Microsoft's announcement last week that it had hired former Yahoo executive Dayne Sampson for a key position at GFS, reporting directly to corporate vice president Debra Chrapaty.

Manos said his new position with Digital Realty Trust will allow him to continue advocating for the development of industry standards and shaping the way companies design and build datacenters. 

"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," said Manos. "Digital Realty Trust has been leading a quiet revolution in the datacenter field that is impacting companies everywhere.Joining Digital Realty Trust gives me a unique opportunity to play a significant role in creating this new vision of the datacenter and bringing those advancements to the industry as a whole. It's a very exciting time to be in the datacenter field and an exciting time to be on the Digital Realty Trust team."

"If one were to make a list of the smartest, most respected and most influential people in the datacenter industry, Mike would no doubt be on everyone's list and we are proud to have him join our team," said Michael Foust, CEO of Digital Realty Trust. "He shares our belief in the importance of advancing industrialization of the datacenter and the adoption of best practices. Mike was a tremendous innovator at Microsoft, and his role here at Digital Realty Trust will have an even bigger impact by enabling our customers to directly take advantage of his broad expertise in datacenter architecture, construction and operations."

Prior to joining Microsoft, Manos managed datacenter 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.

TAGS: Microsoft
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