Roundup: Level 3, AboveNet, Sentrum

Here’s a roundup of some of some of this week’s headlines from the data center and hosting industry:

• Level 3 works to deliver HD Super Bowl. Level 3 Communications (LVLT) announced it will provide the first-ever live compressed and uncompressed high-definition (HD) television broadcast video services to CBS for Super Bowl XLIV.  The NFL has worked with Level 3 for 21 consecutive years for broadcast services to deliver the most-watched television event of the year.  In addition to working with the NFL to test uncompressed HD feeds during the regular season Level 3 has created a virtual private network to connect clubhouses as well as providing a secure means to share footage from games, interviews, practices and more.  The Level 3 Vyvx services platform will take over 2,800 hours of video content and acquire, encode and transport it from Miami to CBS studio headquarters in New York at an uncompressed 1.5 Gigabit per second.
• AboveNet provides fibre to Sentrum.AboveNet Communications announced extension of its dedicated fiber network to data centre operator Sentrum's new 200,000 square foot facility in Surrey, just outside of London.  "With this connection, AboveNet again confirms its determination to extend the scope and connectivity of our London metro network," said John Donaldson, managing director at AboveNet UK. "We're looking forward to expanding our data centre activities as we accelerate into our second decade of providing high speed fibre to organisations across the London region." With the addition of a connection to Sentrum AboveNet connects to more than 30 data centres across the London area.
• Riverbed reports 4th quarter results. Riverbed Technology (RVBD) announced fourth quarter 2009 and fiscal year end results Tuesday, recording $113 million in fourth quarter revenue.  Fiscal year 2009 GAAP revenue was $394.1 million, up 18% from $333.3 million in 2008.  "In addition to providing a solid return on investment, WAN optimization was recognized as a critical enabler to the success of a variety of important IT projects including virtualization and consolidation, firmly establishing WAN optimization as a top priority item on IT spending surveys," said Jerry M. Kennelly, Riverbed chairman and CEO.  The outlook for both WAN optimization and Riverbed is promising for 2010.