Choosing the right colocation partner can be a difficult process for any business. Once a colocation provider is chosen, the cost and hassle of changing providers is often prohibitive enough to dissuade businesses from switching to a different service. This makes it essential to select the right provider the first time, which usually requires some extensive research. Making sure that a company’s data is secure and accessible at all times is essential in allowing a business to run successfully. With this in mind, there are a number of things that business owners need to take into consideration when they are selecting a data center to house their servers.

Price

Renting space in a data center can be expensive, and this is particularly true if businesses need to collocate a large number of servers. In addition, things can get even more expensive if companies need things like managed firewalls that data center staff will need to maintain.
Fortunately for businesses in the market for colocation, the number of data centers has increased significantly in recent years. With a little shopping around, businesses should be able to find a quality data center that will house their servers at a reasonable cost.

Adaptability

With current technological developments set to impact the future of data centers, businesses need to be sure the colocation partner they choose is prepared for new security challenges presented by improvements in device technology. Additionally, an ideal partner will be prepared to handle an exponential increase in the amount of both personal and big data to be managed and secured. A business owner or representative should ask potential colocation providers how they plan to handle an increase influx of data, from both a storage and a security standpoint.

Uptime Guarantees

Companies need to make sure that they data center they choose provides them with a substantial uptime guarantee. Reliable data centers will always have multiple redundant Internet connections and backup power generators in case anything goes wrong on their end. Any data center that offers less than a 99.99% uptime guarantee should be avoided, as this demonstrates a lack of confidence in their equipment and abilities.

Location

There are several things that people should take into consideration when choosing the location where they would like their servers to be located. Businesses that run things like ERP systems that need to be accessed from the office should choose a data center near them in order to reduce latency and allow everything to function more quickly. However, companies that have customers all over a certain country or region who use applications hosted on their servers may want to pick somewhere more central to boost access times for clients.

Standards and Compliance

While many data centers invest a significant amount of time, money and effort into making sure their systems are up-to-date and meet (if not beat) all industry standards, there will always be those who fail to make an effort in this regard. A business owner should educate themselves on what to expect a standards-compliant center to provide and be sure they’re measuring each potential colocation partner against these expectations.

Staff and Security


In many instances, data centers do not allow people who do not work there onto the premises, and this includes IT staff from companies that collocate their servers there. A data center technician with a bachelor’s in computer science says this looks good from a security perspective, as businesses know that no one will be able to physically access their servers. However, the downside to this is they need to rely on data center staff to supply hands-on support when issues arise. Companies should make sure that they data center they choose has staff members who are well-versed with the type of technology that they use so that any problems can be resolved quickly.

Stability

Like any other outsourcing service, a colocation provider should demonstrate financial stability before meriting a business’ consideration. Business owners and their IT department should examine a provider’s press releases and other records of financial history to determine the lasting potential of their service. If a provider appears unable to provide the support a business requires for at least five years, it would be wise to look elsewhere.

Customization

If a business has decided that colocation is the right move for their enterprise, they should look for a provider willing to customize their service to best suit the former’s unique needs. A good general rule of thumb is to focus on providers with floor build strength and cabinet power exceeding the average center’s. Businesses and their IT departments should weigh providers’ customization offerings and managed services against each other to determine which offers the best service for their operation.

Although choosing a data center may seem to be a relatively trivial matter, there are serious variations in quality amongst them. With this, businesses should know exactly what they need and what they will be getting when choosing a colocation partner.

For more information, please contact Emma Sturgis

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[Editor’s Note:  In honor of Earth Day, we’ve got a lovely guest blog on how to control the environment INSIDE the data center to allow for proper performance and efficiency.  More heat inside a data center negatively affects the amount of power used, which affects how much of a carbon footprint your facility is leaving.  It’s the circle of life of data centers, sort of.]

The environment of your server room is an important piece of the network puzzle. As the equipment can become quite hot throughout the day, components could become unstable. When these devices become heated, everything from corruption of data transmissions across Ethernet lines to complete hardware failure could hinder your infrastructure. Here are four variables to look at to construct the perfect environment in your server room.

The 4 Most Important Aspects of Server Room Environment Control

Temperature

When it comes to keeping the server room cool, many developers will install conditioning units. However, not all of these AC units will benefit your network infrastructure. Humidity can be nearly as damaging as heat, and your cooling unit needs to emanate very little moisture if any at all. You may also want to ensure that condensation will not occur within the room from these units. Vapor traps and proper drainage hoses leading out of the room may be needed depending on the type of cooling unit you want to install.

Exhaust Fans

Depending on the size of your server room, exhaust capabilities can push the hot air out while the cool air from the conditioning units fills the room. This circulation of air can ensure that the room temperature can be maintained at the proper degree. While it may be possible to keep a server room well managed without exhaust fans, the lack of these devices can make your conditioning unit work harder than it needs consuming more energy in the process.

Proper Rack Assembly

Computer racks can help keep the server room cool by eliminating congestion of airflow. The circulation of air is important in keeping a temperate climate, and too many wires and devices can be detrimental to the movement of this air. Network device and computer racks can help prevent overheating and are designed to allow proper air flow while keeping the equipment and cables from being a hindrance to climate control.  Use color-coordinated ties to group important cables together on racks, and make sure that no equipment is inside the rack that could potentially cause an airflow blockage.

Remove the Clutter

Keep the room clear of non-essential equipment and furniture. Various objects can reduce the flow of air which can make it more difficult for your cooling unit to succeed. The server room is not a storage facility regardless of how much space is available.  Do routine checks to make sure no excess equipment or storage is taking place inside the server room.

In extreme cases, heat can cause irreparable damage to vital components of your network. Some of the more common problems include power supply failure for devices, break down of master switch components and damaged fiber optic converters. Keeping your server room cool and functional can help keep your network running at optimal performance.

For more information contact Emma Sturgis. Emma is a freelance writer living in Boston. She writes most often on health and technology. When not writing, she enjoys baking and rock climbing.

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