Building data center functionality for a fluctuating marketplace is difficult and costly. For that reason, many business owners are making the decision to move their company’s infrastructure to a colocation provider. By transferring the housing, maintenance, and purchasing costs of hardware to a service partner, companies can develop data centers that reduce expenses while increasing reliability and performance, which will empower business growth.
However, it’s not always easy to know what to look for in a colocation service, and mistakes can be very expensive. System downtime works like a sieve, siphoning away profits through maximum waste. Therefore, when choosing a provider, it is important to look for the following indicators.
The Five Nines
Ensuring that operations are up and running 99.999% of the time is essential for today’s fast-paced business model. Data centers must be reliable, and a colocation provider should be able to guarantee continuous uptime. One of the main reasons for housing infrastructure with a professional is to ensure functionality, because it’s challenging and expensive to perform this in-house.
The colocation service should include and be able to demonstrate nonstop uptime. Check to ensure that adequate backup power and battery monitoring systems are in place and intensive disaster recovery protocols are available in case of an unforeseen calamity.
Superior Security
The information in colocation data centers should be secure, and the facility itself should conform to security standards that prevent unauthorized access. Client information is sensitive, and businesses have a responsibility to maintain the integrity of the data they collect and use. Therefore, the colocation provider must also be able to ensure that information is safe. Look for:
- facility security that includes closed circuit monitoring;
- multilayered points of access, including password and biometric authentication at entry points; and
- adequate cyber security and firewall defenses.
Customer Service
The level of customer service required depends on the size and requirements of the business, but a great provider will be able to offer help desk and service performance from a fully staffed pool of professionals. The data center’s employees must be available when needed, whether the facility is housing the client’s personally owned equipment or managing rented hardware.
Other SLA Considerations
Effective data centers are only as great as the service level agreement (SLA) that defines their parameters. Rather than focusing on bundles that may or may not be needed, businesses should concentrate on building an agreement that includes agile solutions. Agility will allow for expansion and growth without having to renegotiate a new agreement or incur expensive additions later on. Units of measurement should characterize the SLA, and if possible, performance metrics should be included that allow the customer to gauge how well the provider is keeping its promises.
Companies that make the decision to move their data center to a colocation provider can achieve effective savings and improved IT performance. The key is to ensure that the provider is able to offer infrastructure excellence through a customized service designed to meet the business’s growing needs.