Colocation Solutions
A colocation data center, often referred to as a ‘colo,’ is any large datacenter facility that rents out rack space to third parties for their servers or other network equipment. This is a very popular service that is used by businesses that may not have the resources needed to maintain their own data center, but still want to enjoy all the benefits.
What is Colocation?
The term colocation refers to several aspects of this type of data center. First, the term references the fact that servers and other equipment from many different companies are ‘co-located’ in one data center. The hardware is usually owned by the company’s themselves, and simply housed (and sometimes maintained) by the data center staff.
It also refers to the concept that a company can have their equipment located in multiple places. They may have servers, for example, in three or four different colocation data centers. This is important for companies that have large geographic footprints, and they want to make sure their computer systems are located near their physical offices.
Colocation vs cloud?
The main difference between cloud and colocation is how data is managed and stored. In cloud, servers are owned by the cloud provider and data is managed virtually. In colocation, servers are not owned by the colocation facility, but instead by the business that is leasing the space.
Benefits of Colocation
- Lower Costs – When comparing the costs of a colocation data center with the option of building your own facility, it is an obvious choice. Unless your equipment requires a huge amount of room, the costs will be far lower when using a colocation option.
- Fewer Technical Staff – You don’t need to worry about things like running cables, managing power, installing equipment, or any number of other technical processes. In many cases, the colocation data center will even be able to replace components or perform other tasks as needed. This means you don’t need to have a large IT staff employed to handle this work.
- Exceptional Reliability – Colocation data centers are typically built with the highest specifications for redundancy. This includes backup power generators, excellent physical security, multiple network connections through multiple telcos, and much more.
- Geographic Location – You can choose the location of your data center so that it is near your users.
- Predictable Expenses – The costs associated with a colocation data center will be very predictable. You can typically sign contracts that last one or more years, so you know exactly how to budget your IT needs.
- Easy Scalability – When your business is growing, you can quickly have new servers or other equipment added to the facility. When you have your equipment in a small local data center or server closet, it can be much more difficult to expand.