DURHAM, N.C., April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sentinel Data Centers, a leading enterprise data center provider, and MCNC, the technology non-profit that builds, owns, and operates a leading-edge broadband infrastructure for North Carolina's research, education, and non-profit health care community, today announced a broad ranging collaboration through which MCNC has extended  fiber on the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) into Sentinel's NC-1 data center in Durham to serve current and future Sentinel customers. Through the alliance, MCNC also will seek to house its customers' future data center needs at Sentinel's state-of-the-art NC-1 facility.

"With its enterprise focus and customized approach, Sentinel is a unique provider of data center services in North Carolina," said MCNC Chief Executive Officer Joe Freddoso.  "The education, health care, and research organizations we serve every day require both the secure, scalable and predictable connectivity that our network delivers as well as the most reliable and flexible data center solutions. Combining our network and Sentinel's facility capabilities provides a truly best-of-breed infrastructure solution for North Carolina's rich universe of NCREN users."

"NCREN  is essential to the numerous research, health care and educational organizations that comprise the foundation for North Carolina's culture of innovation and academic leadership," added Sentinel Data Centers Co-President Todd Aaron. "Having NCREN built into our NC-1 facility is a core differentiator for Sentinel in serving our and MCNC's mutual constituents. We look forward to building upon what we truly consider a 'win-win' relationships."

MCNC joins a rapidly expanding roster of network providers within Sentinel's NC-1 data center. As a carrier-neutral, enterprise-class data center provider, Sentinel's facilities offer potential tenants a wide diversity of providers from which to choose, ensuring flexibility and price competitiveness.

The 420,000-square-foot NC-1 facility is North Carolina's first large-footprint, multi-tenant data center.  The facility provides large enterprise users with dedicated, secure, customizable suites for locating IT infrastructure. 

About Sentinel Data Centers

Sentinel Data Centers, LLC, is a leading owner, developer and operator of multi-tenant, and build-to-suit enterprise-grade data centers. Founded in 2001, Sentinel was an early pioneer in the "wholesale" data center business. Since its inception, Sentinel has developed more than 1.6 million square feet and 120 megawatts of best-in-class data center solutions for a diversity of Fortune 500 enterprises across multiple industries, including financial services, healthcare, technology and biotechnology. Sentinel strives to stay at the forefront of evolving best practices for data center design, development and operation and maintains a flexible and transparent business model that is grounded in customer service.  Further information is available at www.sentineldatacenters.com.

About MCNC

MCNC is a technology non-profit that builds, owns, and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN). For more than a quarter century, a growing number of research, education, non-profit health care, and other community institutions have connected to MCNC to utilize this leading-edge broadband highway. Today, MCNC serves the broadband infrastructure needs of more than 450 of these institutions including all K-20 public education in North Carolina. The recent expansion of MCNC and its capabilities allows us to customize network services and applications for each of these institutions more than ever before as we also look to further enable private-sector providers to bring cost-effective broadband infrastructure to rural and underserved areas of North Carolina. Our business and partnering strategy gives our state a real competitive advantage and is driving the new broadband economy in North Carolina. www.mcnc.org.

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SOURCE Sentinel Data Centers