Whither Relera?

There's an old saying that March "comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb." In the data center realm, that saying could apply to Relera, which launched in January 2000 with $300 million in venture capital backing and an ambitious plan to offer managed hosting services in 25 secondary markets.

Partnerships with Exodus and Level 3 gave the Denver-based newcomer further credibility. In the first six months of 2001, as the rest of the colo/IDC industry was hunkering down for lean times ahead, Relera opened 11 data centers. But the managed hosting initiative proved more expensive than anticipated, and in August Relera announced it was cutting 83 percent of its staff and exiting the managed services sector.

Now Relera seems to have dropped off the radar screen. Its web site has been deactivated, and many key employees have moved on to other companies. There's been no bankruptcy filing, but there don't appear to be many signs of life, either.