Have you ever wondered what a colocation centre is and what it can do for your business? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Whether you’re tired of managing your own IT infrastructure or you’ve simply run out of space to house more hardware, here’s everything you need to know about colocation centres and how they can help you.
What is a colocation centre?
In short, a colocation centre is a data centre that allows businesses to rent space for servers and other IT equipment. It is ‘colocated’ because the use of a third party remote facility is employed, rather than a private, purpose-built on-site facility.
These remote facilities offer a secure environment to house your critical equipment. In addition to space, they provide power, cooling, and connectivity for your hardware. This gives organisations an affordable way to expand and scale their IT infrastructure without worrying about physical restrictions or management.
You can rent the space you need and bring your own equipment to set up in the data centre. Then, you can remotely coordinate with the staff to manage the hardware from afar. Colocation services are ‘low-touch’ and can provide much-needed flexibility, allowing you to upgrade or downgrade as needed.
Some data centres also allow businesses to buy or rent equipment. They can then connect the equipment for you, so you can avoid the headaches that can come with complex system setups. Colocation centres provide a variety of services like this and tailor them to your exact requirements.
What services do they provide?
Colocation services vary by provider, but the core services typically include:
- Space for IT hardware
- Uninterruptible power systems
- Physical security protection
- Cooling systems and advanced environmental controls
The advantage of teaming up with colocation service provider is space. Colocation centres are designed and built to house sensitive IT equipment. While you can build your own space for IT hardware, it’s going to require a lot of time and money to do so.
On top of that, you need to create an environment in which you can precisely control the temperature and humidity.
With a centre dedicated to cooling, you can forgo building or expanding space within your business to house IT equipment. They handle all of the cooling and temperature controls, and are experts in doing so. These centres also have highly trained security staff to ensure no one can access the sensitive data on your equipment.
Security is paramount in the data centre industry. Many data centres have multiple levels of physical security, from video camera surveillance to biometric authentication. This strict approach to security will keep your kit safer than ever.
Data centres have backup power systems, too. In case of a power outage, the machinery can automatically switch to a redundant power supply. You won’t have to worry about inclement weather or other physical disasters pulling your network offline with an uninterruptible power supply.
Depending on the data centre, you can customise the services you want for your business. For example, you can choose from a range configurations to suit your needs. You may also be able to get services like equipment inspection, consultation from on-site staff, or regular inventory analysis reports.
Why do you need one?
So, now you know what a colocation centre is and what services you can get through one. But why do you absolutely need one?
When you outsource hardware management, you can save money and redirect your IT team’s time elsewhere. It allows you to be more strategic with your resources, which can directly affect your bottom line. Instead of worrying about hardware, your team can focus on your core business function.
As your business grows, you will inevitably need more space for servers and networking equipment. Even if you have enough space onsite today, you will gain more customers and more employees. The most cost-effective way to scale with that growth is to store your equipment offsite.
If you need to scale back, colocation services make it easy to do so. They have staff onsite to handle all the physical needs of your hardware, which allows your organisation to be more flexible. You can save money and scale up or down depending on your needs without having to worry about space.
Colocation service providers may also offer consultation. Their employees are experts in data centre management, so if you have questions, you can turn to them for advice. They can help you maintain and update certifications, ensuring your hardware is functioning at the optimal level.
Data centres used to be the territory of large enterprises, but nowadays, every business has a need for such a service. Colocation centres provide an affordable option for businesses of all sizes. You can find a plan tailored to your needs and expand without having to pay exorbitant prices.
When you choose to house your equipment in a colocation data centre, you receive all the advantages without any of the costs of maintaining a facility that size. You can decrease downtime and save on resources. But you should take the time to vet your colocation partner before picking one to do business with.
Find a data centre you can trust
With all the benefits provided by colocation centres, you may feel tempted to dive right in and pick one to start working with. But before you do, it’s important you choose a company you can trust. Ideally, you should partner with someone who can provide state-of-the-art services and facilities.
Here at Netwise, our London colocation centres deliver world-class services and an unrivalled experience in the marketplace. Our London Central data centre is one of the UK’s leading facilities, and can handle the resilience your critical IT infrastructure demands.
If you’d like to learn more, get in touch today. You can book a virtual tour with us or ask us anything about colocation and our services.