SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - GoDaddy.com, the No. 1 registrar of domain names worldwide, recently donated ,000 to the OpenSSH project, which provides free secure server management tools utilized extensively by Go Daddy(R) in its server infrastructure.

OpenSSH has become a staple of all free Unix and Linux operating systems in the world. With a long history of security and quality, OpenSSH is the core component used by millions to log in and manage servers. SSH, or Secure Shell, is a service used to log into computers over a network and then execute commands on the remote machine and move files from one machine to another. The service encrypts connections, thus protecting the security of the host machines and the connection itself.

OpenSSH is provided and managed by the OpenBSD project. Like most open source projects, OpenBSD is composed solely of volunteers throughout the world who contribute their time and expertise to creating critical software free of charge.

Support from companies like Go Daddy help ensure the continued success of the vibrant open source engineering community and the introduction of new technologies for the benefit of all. Donations help the project fund acquisition of test hardware and maintenance of needed equipment. The assistance also allows OpenSSH to organize conferences for volunteers to meet and share ideas.

"OpenSSH and the work of the OpenBSD project volunteers are integral to online security. Go Daddy is pleased to be able to help them continue their great contributions to the Internet community," said Bob Parsons, GoDaddy.com founder and CEO. "At Go Daddy, we use OpenSSH extensively to manage our large and rapidly expanding technical infrastructure. Our engineering staff relies on it on a constant basis. Go Daddy is very grateful and we want to show our appreciation to this extremely vital organization."

"We are very thankful Go Daddy has the vision to financially support the mission of OpenSSH," said Theo de Raadt, founder and leader of the OpenBSD and OpenSSH projects. "This will allow us to keep improving the quality and security of the product which system administrators around the world rely on to do their jobs."

For information on Go Daddy products and services, visit http://www.godaddy.com/. About The Go Daddy Group, Inc.

GoDaddy.com, Inc. is the "on-ramp" to the Internet for individuals and businesses worldwide, providing a one-stop shop for acquiring, creating and safeguarding a unique online identity. GoDaddy.com offers a comprehensive line of Internet products and services, including domain name registration, web hosting solutions, personalized email packages, SSL certificates, web development tools, eCommerce utilities and more. GoDaddy.com is the world`s No. 1 domain name registrar, both in terms of new registrations and domains under management. The Go Daddy Group includes three ICANN-accredited domain name registrars: flagship registrar GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com/), membership-based registrar Blue Razor(R) Domains, Inc. (http://www.bluerazor.com/) and reseller registrar Wild West Domains(R), Inc. (http://www.wildwestdomains.com/). The Go Daddy Group also offers private domain name registration services through Domains By Proxy(R), Inc. (http://www.domainsbyproxy.com/), as well as SSL Certificates through its SSL Certificate Authority, Starfield Technologies(R), Inc. (http://www.starfieldtech.com/). The Go Daddy Group registers or renews a domain name every 3 seconds and more than 13 million domain names in its portfolio. The Go Daddy Group is also the world`s largest web host in terms of hostnames.

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Probably the most reported Web hosting news this week, if not absolutely the most important, was the conclusion to the lengthy and much-discussed struggle by Web hosting provider Go Daddy to have its Super Bowl ad approved by network sensors.

Developing a story that had been going on for weeks, Go Daddy announced on Monday that its 13th submission had been rejected by the standards and practices division at Super Bowl broadcaster ABC TV. Go Daddy had been involved in controversy during last year`s big game, when it`s racy ad was pulled from a second slot late in the game after sparking some controversy with its first airing. The company had been working to recreate the atmosphere surrounding the previous ad, but was struggling under the close watch of ABC censors.

On Wednesday, the company announced that it was holding a press conference to discuss the state of its Super Bowl ad. Go Daddy said its 14th and final submission was in ABC`s hands, with the game just four days away. Go Daddy president and founder Bob Parsons said he had made compromises in an effort to meet ABC`s standards, but remained steadfast in his determination to air an ad that he considered "godaddy-esque."

Despite the 11th-hour grandstanding, it seemed a safe bet that Go Daddy, with millions invested in the marketing project, would be able to produce an agreeable ad in its final attempt.

And on Thursday morning, the company confirmed that ABC had approved its 14th submission.  After weeks of debate, Go Daddy said it was excited to be advertising in the Super Bowl.

"This showdown went down to the wire," said Parsons in the press release. "We were about out of time and had produced our 14th and final attempt. I`m ecstatic about being in the Super Bowl again."

While Go Daddy was embroiled in matters of pageantry, several other major telecommunications companies were mixed up in matters of legality.

On Tuesday, it was reported that England`s High Court had ordered 10 ISPs to hand over information on 150 customers accused of using the Internet to illegally download and share pirated software. The users were identified in an investigation conducted by the Federation Against Software Theft, which has obtained a court order forcing ISPs to hand over personal user details. ISPs targeted in the order include BT, NTL, Telewest and Tiscali.

Also on Tuesday, telecommunications carrier Cable & Wireless announced plans to restructure, while the company`s CEO announced his intention to resign. Francesco Caio said he would resign as CEO as the company issued warnings that it would fall significantly short of profit forecasts for the coming year. Cable & Wireless said it would be split into two separate divisions, a UK business and an international business, each with a separate head. The new organizational structure would make the role of a chief executive obsolete. Analysts believe the restructuring may be the prelude to a sale.

While telcos encountered some legal and regulatory issues, Internet regulatory body ICANN found itself involved in some debate, as it worked to reach an agreeable amendment to its recent deal with VeriSign.

ICANN had recently renegotiated its deal with the operator of the .com registry as part of the settlement to a series of lawsuits related to a policy dispute. The original deal had extended VeriSign`s control of the .com registry until 2012, a decision that many in the Internet community were vehemently opposed to, calling it tantamount to a monopoly. The renegotiated deal would eliminate transaction fees charged for .com domain sales and limit VeriSign`s ability to raise prices while requiring the company to pay ICANN a contribution. The Coalition for ICANN Transparency, one of the loudest opponents of the original deal, said it would continue to oppose the new deal.

Most of this week`s biggest Web hosting stories are likely to remain relevant in the weeks to come, as ICANN takes comments on the renegotiated deal, English authorities attempt to prosecute the software pirates they identify and Cable & Wireless sets out to enact its restructuring plan. And, of course, we can all watch Go Daddy`s ad on Super Bowl Sunday.

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Data from TeleGeography`s Global Colocation Database indicates that colocation facilities in Asia average much more floor space than any other region profiled, with a regional average of 12,831 square meters per site. The United States, by comparison, averages just over 9,500 square meters. Europe and Latin America have much smaller site dimensions, averaging about 4,000 and 900 square meters respectively.

Although Asian colocation centers are the largest, U.S. cities tend to have more total sites and total floor space. All of the world`s top five cities by total colocation floor space are in the U.S.: New York (916,851 square meters), San Francisco (531,071), Los Angeles (512,215), Washington, DC (485,745), and Chicago (463,539). The leading non-American city was London, with 247,714 square meters of space.

This data is drawn from TeleGeography`s Global Colocation Database, a comprehensive database of 800+ carrier-grade colocation sites in the world`s top 50 markets. In addition to colocation sites, the Database features profiles of more than 170 facility operators and over 250 major bandwidth providers worldwide.

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