[ad_1]
Ever wondered what is a data center? Simply put – a data center is a highly secure building which provides World Class Server Environment. One can host all types of servers in data center.
An enterprise data center is a certified facility which offers multiple services including data colocation, server co location, dedicated server hosting etc.
What is co location or data colocation?
Also known as “colo”, colocation is a service offered by enterprise data center where one can pay to use space, power and high-speed connectivity on rental to house equipment.
Here are some tips on what to look for in a co location provider?
- Power density
- Floor space
- WAN redundancy
- Location
- Compliance
- Security
- Services
- Cost and pricing
- Hidden fees
Power density
It is essential to know how much power in kilowatts or even megawatts the co location provider can deliver along with the cooling requirements.
The modern-day server hosting or dedicated server setups are built with multiple CPU and a lot of RAM.
Such servers need a co location in an enterprise data center which have high power HVAC systems and multiple power distribution units.
These can only be provided by a colocation data center which has high density power supply.
Floor space
Most businesses manage rack power density, cooling and floor weight distribution by reducing spacing out the servers and other racked gear.
Check for a co location provider that can accommodate the added power and cooling density of full or taller rack to be able to fit more gear into a smaller data center footprint.
Exabytes runs colocation data center which also doubles up as an enterprise data center with World Class HVAC systems and redundant power supply capabilities.
WAN redundancy
A colocation data center should be carrier neutral and include connectivity to varied network carriers at the facility.
Clients pay additionally for network connectivity, so more the wide variety of network carriers provided, the more the competitive WAN pricing for client businesses.
The advantage of working with a specialist colocation data center is that they have multiple high speed network connections directly from the backbone providers which offers connection redundancy.
Another answer to the question “what is a data center” is –
An enterprise data center setups also offer transitional services to public clouds and extend a part of public cloud infrastructure into the co location facility.
Connectivity costs may be a part of co location agreement.
Location
Ensure the colocation data center is within 100 miles of the main business but far enough away to guard against fire, flood, hurricane or other threats that drive the need for a DR site.
If you are looking for global presence, go for co location providers who offer facilities to serve the marketplace.
Compliance
Verify if the colocation data center complies with the certifications or industry-recognized data center tier levels.
Exabytes being one of the leading players in South East Asia regularly updates its certifications and follows all the essential protocols to ensure the client data is safe and secure.
Security
Co location providers usually offer stringent physical security which needs to be reviewed when evaluating the firm.
Services
Evaluate the services offered by the co location provider. Services can help support clients with vital tasks, such as backup and DR planning/testing.
Cost and pricing
Colocation data center vary in their offerings and pricing. Evaluate the pricing against what’s been offered when deciding a provider.
Hidden fees
There are many colocation data center and enterprise data center setups who may have a number of secondary service charges which may not be upfront.
Data colocation is a very strategic and operationally important function. Most times, these are mission critical – it is vital to ensure your co location provider does not have hidden charges.
While looking for a co location service provider – always remember to check for setup and change fees, redundant power or other availability features, backup and data protection services, network bandwidth and connectivity fees.
It is necessary to have everything clarified with your colocation data center provider including primary service agreement, SLA and uptime guarantees.
Here are some more factors the businesses need to evaluate before deciding on the provider
- Onsite support response times
- Telephone support response times and escalation policies
- Refund or credit policies for both planned and unplanned downtime
- Scaling or change policies
- Reporting and notification — SLA adherence — policies
- Root cause analysis for any downtime
- Agreement or relationship termination clauses
What businesses look forward to when going for colocation data center?
- Reliability – A colocation data center offer redundant cooling, power and communication systems for constant connection. Companies work with an enterprise data center to reduce capex and space.
- Performance – Electronic equipment performs best in a constant cool temperature and a dust-free environment. A co location provider guarantees high quality HVAC and power supply at all times.
- Security – When there is a need for protecting the systems from burglars, fires, and other things that can compromise the security of your information.
- Speed – When there is a requirement for cost-effective fast connections for top performance and redundancy in the event of connection interruption or overload.
- Experience – When there is a need for skilled staff who have experience in handling the servers, and are experts who are hired to build, implement and maintain the best state of the art infrastructures utilizing high-performance equipment.
- Cost and Space Savings – When business have to cut capital expenses on space, it is recommended to host the servers at another data centers that provide a clean room, redundant systems and around-the-clock monitoring, while freeing up valuable office space.
- Risk Management – When companies want to mitigate risks, it is recommended to place the mission-critical equipment with a colocation data center, an enterprise data center and opt for data colocation services. This helps have redundancies and security in place to continue operations unaffected.
Now that you know how to choose colocation data center, and you feel that as a business you need to have co location, connect with us at Exabytes to understand more about the service and how best you can use for your business.
Related articles:
Colocation vs. Dedicated Server Hosting
[ad_2]
Article link
