Navigating the digital landscape necessitates secure, efficient data storage and management. Colocation data centers offer a robust solution for businesses, but choosing among various colocation data center providers can be daunting. This guide provides a detailed roadmap to facilitate your decision-making process.
Colocation Data Center: The ABCs of All Models
Understanding the various types of colocation data centers is crucial for your business’s data management needs.
Wholesale Colocation Services: Unbundled Yet Uncomplicated
Simpler Contracts: Unlike retail or hybrid services, wholesale colocation typically offers straightforward, easy-to-understand contracts that focus on providing basic facilities such as power, cooling and physical security. The absence of complex service-level agreements (SLAs) translates to a simplified billing process and greater ease in contract management.
Massive Space: Wholesale colocation often provides extensive physical space, making it a good fit for large enterprises with significant server requirements. Large physical space availability means businesses can comfortably plan for expansion and scale their operations without the hassle of relocating their data infrastructure.
Cost-Effective: Leasing a large space comes with reduced costs per unit. Lower per-unit costs and the opportunity to sublease extra space offer a cost-effective option for large corporations, providing economies of scale.
Retail Colocation Services: Tailored Services for Every Business
Add-On Services: Retail colocation data center providers usually offer managed services like backup, firewall and security services that go beyond basic hosting. These add-ons relieve businesses from the complexities of data center management, allowing them to focus on core operations.
Flexibility: Space is leased according to specific needs, allowing you to choose the right rack or cage space. This flexibility is particularly useful for medium to small businesses that require room for growth but can’t afford wasted space or resources.
Turnkey Solutions: Most retail services offer complete, ready-to-use infrastructure setups.
Turnkey solutions eliminate the need for businesses to invest in or maintain additional resources, offering a virtually hassle-free management experience.
Hybrid Colocation Services: All-in-One Solution
Customization: A hybrid approach allows you to tailor services according to your unique needs, often combining retail and wholesale colocation features. Customization provides a highly adaptable environment that can flexibly respond to varying business requirements.
On-Demand Scaling: Hybrid services offer scalability without major structural changes, providing a fluid transition for your business growth. The inherent adaptability means you can scale operations up or down as needed without renegotiating contracts or undergoing physical relocations.
Integrated Services: This model often integrates the benefits of both retail and wholesale, providing a comprehensive service range. A multi-faceted approach ensures you don’t compromise on features or quality, offering an all-in-one solution for complex needs.
Colocation Data Center Providers: The Insider’s Checklist for Key Attributes
Power Density: High power density is crucial for ensuring your servers run optimally. Look for experienced colocation data center providers that offer a high kilowatt-per-cabinet ratio.
Floor Space: A data center with ample floor space can accommodate your current needs and offer room for future expansion.
WAN Redundancy: Choose a provider with multiple redundant internet connections to ensure high availability.
Contract and SLA Flexibility: The ability to negotiate and adapt contract terms and service level agreements is essential for a long-lasting, smooth relationship.
Location: A data center near your business operations minimizes latency and speeds up data retrieval.
Compliance: Ensure the data center complies with industry-specific certifications and regulations to avoid legal complications.
Security: A data center should offer robust physical security measures, including 24/7 surveillance and biometric access control systems.
Fundamental Managed Services: Look for add-on managed services like regular data backups and disaster recovery solutions to bolster your data management strategy.
Long-Term Future Plan: Consider the provider’s long-term growth and expansion plans to ensure they align with your business objectives.
Financial Factors: Colocation Costing Consideration
Empty Data Center vs. Managed Colocation: An empty data center may have lower upfront costs but requires significant in-house management. Managed colocation services, on the other hand, offer complete solutions but at a higher initial price.
Power Surcharges: Some providers add surcharges for power consumption over an agreed limit, which can dramatically increase costs.
Colocation Service Pricing: Take into account the full scope of potential costs, including variable costs like add-ons and upgrades.
Connectivity Cost: High-traffic operations may incur additional bandwidth costs, significantly affecting the bottom line.
Desirable Location Costs: Data centers in prime areas often charge a premium for their location.
Hidden Major Fees: Be cautious about hidden costs like setup fees, maintenance and surcharges for additional services, which may not be evident in the initial contract.
Deal Management: Negotiate a Colocation Contract
Before you set out to find the perfect colocation provider, you need a crystal-clear understanding of your business needs and what you hope to gain from this relationship. A well-understood SLA is pivotal for a fruitful colocation experience. Ensure the SLA matches your specific needs.
Onsite and Telephone Support: Evaluate response times for both.
Downtime Policies: Understand the refund or credit policies for planned and unplanned downtimes.
Change Policies: Assess the ease of scaling your setup.
Reporting Mechanisms: Ensure SLA adherence policies meet your standards.
Termination Clauses: Know your exit routes in the contract.
Start Early: Begin the renegotiation process well before the contract expiration date.
Adjustments and Additions: Renegotiate terms based on evolving business needs and value-added services.
Documentation: Keep records of all conversations and issues if the relationship turns sour.
Legal Recourse: If all else fails, be prepared to take legal action with attorneys well-versed in technology service contracts.
Hire Us to Meet Your Colocation Needs
Choosing colocation data center providers is no small feat. Trust Rack59 Data Center for scalable, secure and efficient colocation services tailored to fit your business needs. Elevate your data management strategy by joining hands with us today.
