Sale of 451 Research division to S&P Global Now Complete, Management to Focus on Worldwide Growth & Industry Influence of Uptime Institute

December 12, 2019, NEW YORK, NY – With the sale of its 451 Research division to S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) completed, The 451 Group’s strategic focus will move to accelerate the global expansion of its Uptime Institute business. There are no anticipated impacts to Uptime Institute clients resulting from the sale of the 451 Research division as the two 451 Group companies have always been operated separately, as two fully independent entities. Uptime Institute clients will continue to enjoy all existing engagement processes, award certifications, business relationships and Uptime personnel.

Internationally recognized as the Global Digital Infrastructure Authority, Uptime Institute has staff in 22 countries, and is known throughout the world for its unique, proprietary Tier Classification system. For over a quarter of a century, Uptime Institute’s distinctive offerings of certifications, accreditations, peer networks and thought leadership, and, most importantly, its Tier Standards for digital infrastructure, have helped owners and operators discipline tens of billions of dollars of data center and digital infrastructure investments and ongoing operations.

“There is a rising sense of urgency among our clients around the world, and in the market at large, to create and operate available, resilient digital infrastructure that both respects risk and cost profiles at the business level,” said Martin McCarthy, CEO and Chairman, Uptime Institute. “The mission critical nature of all digital infrastructure has become more apparent in the ‘Age of Cloud.’ Rapidly expanding colocation services amidst recent dramatic consolidation of colocation service providers underscores the importance of selecting the appropriate service provider partner(s) to deliver reliable, cost efficient computing. Moreover, with almost two thirds of computing still being serviced by non-cloud resources, the importance of data centers owned and operated by growth-oriented enterprises and co-location providers alike remains fundamental. With our universally acclaimed Tier Standard Classification System, and our unique Tier Standards of Topology and Operational Sustainability, along with our 25 years of hands-on practice in thousands of sites in almost one hundred countries around the world, we are perfectly positioned to serve our clients as they construct, deploy and evolve hybrid digital infrastructure and architecture.”

Going forward, Uptime Institute plans include leveraging its vast understanding of client experiences and business results along with decades of certifying data centers around the globe to guide clients looking to create, operate and grow digital infrastructure. In addition to expanding its certification and assessment business globally, this strategy includes the expansion of its Uptime Institute Intelligence team, Uptime Institute Education business, Uptime Institute “Peer-to-Peer” Network communities and its recently launched Digital Resiliency Services.

About The 451 Group:

The 451 Group is a leading information technology research and IT advisory and certification company, previously consisting of two divisions, 451 Research and Uptime Institute, the Global Digital Infrastructure and Data Center Authority. Post the sale of 451 Research, the Group's sole focus will be the continued global expansion of Uptime Institute. Uptime Institute has staff in 22 countries and is known globally for its proprietary Tier Classification system and its unique Tier Standards for digital infrastructure that have been downloaded tens of thousands of times annually from almost every country on the planet. It has helped owners and operators discipline tens of billions of dollars of data center and digital infrastructure investments for more than a quarter century. Uptime Institute has awarded over 1,500 data center design, construction and operations certifications, accredited over 5,000 highly specialized technical experts and provided advisory services in over 95 countries.

Uptime Institute - The Global Data Center Authority®, a division of The 451 Group, has office locations throughout the world, including those in North and South America, Europe, U.A.E., Russia, and Asia.