MSP Atmosera has sold its data centers and colocation business to Digital Fortress in order to focus on delivering Microsoft Azure services.

The Portland, Oregon-based MSP has offloaded three data center facilities located in Beaverton and Downtown Portland to the colocation provider.

“This transaction reinforces Atmosera’s commitment to its managed Azure strategy and allows us to focus 100 percent on delivering world-class Azure services. I’ve known Digital Fortress for many years, and with this transaction, they are well-positioned to maximize the opportunities these facilities represent for businesses seeking colocation and data center services,” said Jon Thomsen, CEO of Atmosera.

Atmosera has been in the data center business since 2001, but over the last six years has been increasingly focusing on Azure as its core business strategy.

“Initially our Azure services were part of a hybrid approach, but quickly, Azure became the focus as demand for Azure assessments, deployments, and management skyrocketed. Selling the data centers is an intentional step to hyper-focus on what we do best – Azure management,” said Atmosera CFO Ryan Randall.

Washington-based Digital Fortress offers colocation services from seven data centers across Washington, Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey. Three of those facilities were acquired in the previous 18 months. The Atmosera deal is the first acquisition under its new CEO, Juan Saca, who joined the company in November 2020 from Puerto Rico telco operator PRWireless.

“I am delighted to kick off 2021 with a transformative acquisition for the company. This acquisition expands our geographic and infrastructure footprint, adds important customers in a highly strategic location, and provides valuable opportunities for expansion in the Portland region,” said Saca.

Digital Fortress was originally formed in 2012 from the merger of digital.forest and Fortress Colocation Services and owned by Halyard Capital, Meritage Funds, and Sweetwater Capital. It was bought by Chirisa Capital Management in 2017.