Colocation – On-Demand Scalability
To colo, or not to colo? That is the question.
There are many reasons why a business would select a colocation facility over building its own data center. Between management, monitoring, and automation tools – cost is definitely at the front of the line. As a result, colos work well with cloud service providers. In turn, their popularity has expanded to organizations that don’t have enough IT staff or the capital to keep up with it.
The Benefits of Colocation Services
Colocation services offer scalability, security, and high uptime.
Scalability
Scalability in colocation terms means that as your infrastructure requirements grow, your facilities grow too. Facilities with high-density capability offer advanced connectivity and high-performance options, on demand. Carrier-neutral colocation facilities can connect your infrastructure to multiple third-party carriers, enhancing global expansion opportunities and site-to-site connectivity improvement for geographically dispersed locations.
Security
With data security on the rise, your colocation facility security should be no different. Many colocation facilities have strict security measures in place. From on-site security personnel to 24/7 facility video surveillance inside and outside the data center, the cabinets and cages within a facility are monitored through password-protected devices.
Uptime
Uptime matters. Facilities offering high redundancy ensure availability to your business applications. Companies seeking disaster recovery strategies can rely on colocation facilities for risk mitigation that are not typically available to on-premises server rooms.
Aside from scalability, security, and uptime, when you begin evaluating colocation services, the following criteria can be used as a guide:
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) – This outline what the colocation provider must adhere to. Pay close attention to uptime percentages and how the metric is calculated.
- Geography – Whether you’re looking for a primary or backup facility, the location of the facility should complement your businesses needs.
- NOC Support – Support should be included not an additional fee. In the event of a problem, technical support should be available to you via email or phone.
Want additional information? Check out our Things You Should Know About Colocation checklist.
