Impact on new center uncertain

The director of Apple's data center team, Olivier Sanche, died of a heart attack last Thursday, news has emerged. Prior to his last job, Sanche is said to have worked on streamlining operations at several major technology companies like AT&T and eBay, with a particular emphasis on energy efficiency. The move to Apple came in August 2009, and led to Sanche preparing the company's new North Carolina data center.

The facility is worth about $1 billion, and officially expected to launch by the end of the year. Because the center was already on the verge of beginning operations, it's unclear what if any impact Sanche's death may have on Apple plans. The company has also yet to reveal the purpose of the building, although most reports have suggested that it will be involved in streaming iTunes content. It could also alleviate some current burden, which has allegedly brought Apple servers to the verge of crashing during events like the European launch of iOS 4.2.1.

by MacNN Staff