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Tech Hermit Blog Returns
September 22nd, 2009 : Rich Miller
Back in July I noted the passing of Shane McGew, who wrote about the data center industry at his Tech Hermit blog. So I was surprised to find new posts at the Tech Hermit blog this week.

Here’s the story: “Today we are announcing that through detailed negotiations with the McGew family a group of avid readers have purchased the rights to the Tech Hermit brand and will continue to post under this heading and keep the same edgy feedback that we came to love with Shane. We hope to earn the same level of trust and respect in time.”

Shane was always pretty plugged into goings-on in data center operations at Microsoft, a trend that continues with the new team (whose members remain anonymous). A post today notes the departure of another Microsoft data center executive, Joel Stone, who is headed to Global Switch. Stone’s departure follows the exit of Global Foundation Services corporate VP Debra Chrapaty, who is off to Cisco.

TechHermit’s latest blog entry speculates on the future of Microsoft’s data center program.

More Bad News for Microsoft Data Center Program
September 22, 2009
Following on the terrible blow that Debra Chrapaty is leaving Microsoft for greener pastures at Cisco, the program received another huge blow with the resignation of Joel Stone who was responsible for the Operations of all North America based facilities. Moreover, he is taking a prominent position at Global Switch overseeing worldwide data center operations and will be based out of the United Kingdom.

His resignation letter begins with:

“It is with mixed emotions that i have decided to leave Microsoft after 9 years. I consider the time, successes, failures, challenges, personal growth and friendships that I have gained to be something that I will appreciate and treasure for years to come. I will be moving to London to take on the Group Operations Director role at Global Switch”

Then the TechHermit staff speculates.

The many mails we have received here at Tech Hermit feel that these resignations have more to do with a failure or at least troubled integration with the various Yahoo executives integrating into the program. As you may know, Dayne Sampson, and Kevin Timmons from Yahoo recently joined the Microsoft GFS organization the latter having responsibilities for Data Center Operations previously run by General Manager, Michael Manos.

One thing is clear that after the departure of Manos, the only real voice from Microsoft around infrastructure leadership was Chrapaty. With her departure and now key operations leadership as well, we have to ask is Microsoft’s data center program done for?

The style of this blog reminds of the infamous Mini-Microsoft blog.