Today most of the small and medium businesses are on an expansion spree and are scaling like never before. With businesses booming their IT infrastructure needs are increasing at a very fast pace. Businesses feel the need for safe and secure data storage, effective communication (online) etc. Some of the businesses have already invested heavily in data centers, which leaves them with hardly enough budget left for their core activities. There is now a great need for upgrading to a data center at the earliest to cut costs and leave data storage-related hassles to a data center colocation service provider.
For companies who have not attempted building their own data centers, there is a lot to learn before they take that step. Building and managing your own data center carries its own risks that can only increase your stress levels. Moreover, the cost is prohibitive and so is the time you will end up spending on setting up your own data center. Right from choosing the best server, laying the cables and setting up the cooling systems to ensuring security, and adding/permitting diesel generator backup, there are umpteen things you need to consider and worry about.
There are several ways in which a colocation service provider can help you out, and the price you pay is quite negligible; particularly if you hire a colocation consultant to negotiate rates for you. Here are a few advantages of reaching out to a data center colocation service provider:
The Reliability Factor
It is common for business owners to be apprehensive when they think about the prospect of setting up their own server equipment for an in-house data center. There is a huge element of risk involved. The internet service may not be all that great and more often than not it is quite unreliable, especially if you have just one internet provider. You chose the location of your business probably because of the convenience it offers to the customers, your employees and the cost of office space. The network reliability factor is usually not taken into account and often leads to a lot of heartburn when the internet seems to be down perpetually. Whereas a data center colocation service provider takes all these aspects into account.
The location advantage
Datacenter colocation service providers always choose a location that offers high-quality internet and network services that are reliable and redundant. They never rely on a single service provider and have multiple carriers. With larger quantities of services the provider orders, this translates into lower rates for their customers. Even in cases where the in-house data center happens to have a good internet service provider, scaling the bandwidth requirements of your growing business needs quickly can be difficult or costly. There could be downtimes which will lead to losses in the business. Once you leave it to the colocation service provider you have all the time to focus on your core competencies.
The Network Speed and Bandwidth Factors
Your IT needs will grow steadily and will be proportionate to the growth in your business or services. Very soon you will be bogged down by bandwidth issues that cannot be upgraded at will simply due to non-availability or equipment upgrades. The situation can only be worse if you are relying on a single internet service provider who will simply throw up their hands in despair when they cannot fulfill your demands. Data centers, on the other hand, have negotiated with multiple service providers and can always rely on one or the other to save the situation. Hence, costly downtimes and unwanted errors are prevented.
The Data Center Security Factor
When it comes to security your best bet yet is to opt for colocating your servers in a data center as the service provider offers the best security, which is extended 24/7. It includes not just video surveillance but physical security as well. Your data is well-protected against cyber attacks, which may not be the case with an in-house data center. Given the increased instances of cyber-attacks security of your data is paramount.
The Redundancy Factor
A data center is known to focus on the redundancy factor in their data centers. With the several ways they handle multiple entrance facilities, redundant network equipment, redundant diesel generators, and redundant UPS systems, this increases the uptime to services in excess of 99.9+%. Complete Power outages are rare, thanks to the redundant power sources that are in place.
About DataCenterandColocation
DataCenterandColocation is a free professional and non-bias service provided to clients for selecting the right data center, colocation, managed hosting or cloud facility for their requirements. DataCenterandColocation is one of the largest colocation site consulting firms in the United States. They represent approximately 3000 data centers and colocation centers in the United States and Canada. At no cost to clients, they identify specific space, location, power and security requirements, solicit proposals, professionally analyze the responses, compare the strengths and weaknesses of each facility, negotiate pricing and deliver highly competitive bids for colocation. They also perform comparative analysis of in-house vs. design build services, wholesale data center space and data connectivity.