Leaseweb: Statement on former client MegaUpload

On Twitter today we saw Kim Dotcom tweeting some statements saying Leaseweb wiped data from dedicated servers formerly in use by his storage service MegaUpload. I think this calls for a reaction.

First of all, we appreciate the long period of time MegaUpload has been a valued customer. Secondly, we hope Kim Dotcom will succeed in copying his success and his innovative business ideas to his new storage market initiative.

630 dedicated servers

Having said this, let me explain what happened in the last couple of months. Although we didn’t mention the client name before officially, we now feel we have to respond. When Megaupload was taken offline, 60 servers owned by MegaUpload were directly confiscated by the FIOD and transported to the US. Next to that, MegaUpload still had 630 rented dedicated servers with Leaseweb. For clarity, these servers were not owned by MegaUpload, they were owned by Leaseweb. For over a year these servers were being stored and preserved by Leaseweb, at its own costs. So for over one whole year Leaseweb kept 630 servers available, without any request to do so and without any compensation.

Leaseweb has 60,000 servers under its management and more than 15,000 clients worldwide. The storage of the 630 servers – while a relatively small burden – must serve a purpose. During the year we stored the servers and the data, we received no request for access nor any request to retain the data. After a year of nobody showing any interest in the servers and data we considered our options. We did inform MegaUpload about our decision to re-provision the servers.

MegaUpload didn’t respond

As no response was received, we commenced the re-provisioning of the servers in February 2013. To minimize security risks and maximize the privacy of our clients, it is a standard procedure at Leaseweb to completely clean servers before they are offered to any new customer.

We absolutely regret the setbacks Kim Dotcom has had since MegaUpload was taken offline, but we hope he as an entrepreneur will understand our side of the story and the decisions deliberately taken.