Tag / uk data centre

by Matt Seaton

What are data centre solutions?

Who do you trust to store your critical company data?

Gone are the days of businesses storing all their records on-site. Even self-contained computer systems can’t cope with today’s networking needs.

Enter the data centre.

Data centre solutions offer storage, collection, processing, and distributing huge volumes of data. The service runs 24/7 with ongoing support. Customers range from small businesses up to large enterprises.

It’s estimated that the number of internet users is to grow to 5.3 billion by 2023. Transferred data will climb to 3.3 zettabytes by 2021. Data centres lie at the very heart of this global communication infrastructure.

As new technologies emerge, like the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G, it’s essential to choose the right solution for your business.

This guide examines what to look for when hosting your data. How can you save money, increase productivity, and take advantage of ‘the cloud’?

Read on to find out more about data centres and how they can help your business.

What are data centres?

Simply put, a data centre offers a dedicated place to store your data.

Emails, customer files, reports, orders, and communications need to be saved somewhere safe. Traditionally this happened on-site at your business premises. A small server would be hooked into your local network and data simply flowed through it.

But what if you got bigger? What about larger firms needing remote access? What about physical and digital security? And who was going to manage it all?

New data centre technologies don’t have the limitations of old local area networks.

Data is centralised and distributed as required. A good facility is hooked directly into the backbone of the internet to offer high-speed access every second of every day. Your records are always accessible and kept secure from digital and physical attacks.

How does a data centre work?

Every data centre is comprised of similar core components, including:

  • Resilient power infrastructure (at least A+B)
  • Resilient network infrastructure
  • Efficient cooling systems
  • Highly secure rack space
  • 24×7 on-site technicians

Everything is housed in a secure, closely monitored environment. Data is routed in and out of the facility by carriers and ISPs, and processed on systems within the data centre. Security of the information is paramount, so system administrators and engineers are constantly monitoring the network and facility infrastructure.

Our London data centre is 11,000 square feet and has capacity for two-hundred racks. We are qualified Cisco specialists and offer a best-in-class 40/100GigE network.

The facility is deployed in a two data hall configuration. We use N+2 CREC cooling units to make sure client hardware is kept cool. Power is regulated through dedicated UPS infrastructure.

How can data centre solutions benefit my business?

Customer’s who have made the jump to data centres say the service is now critical to their business functions.

Here are some major benefits for you to consider:

  • Reduced operations costs – kit is looked after for you off-site
  • Dedicated support – on-call day and night
  • Colocation – rent dedicated space for your systems
  • Modern infrastructure – faster, more powerful technology
  • Fully protected – physical and digital security
  • Fewer overheads – no air conditioning and power bills on-site
  • High up-time – business systems keep going 24×7
  • Monitored data flow – resilient, high-speed internet connection
  • ISO 27001 – certified information security

Don’t just take our word for it. Check our client success stories to read how we helped benefit their businesses.

How to choose the right data centre

From server colocation to how to set up data centre security systems, what do you need to consider when choosing a provider?

Space

Data centres are sometimes called server farms because they host multiple computers. They are stacked into racks and the greater the square footage the greater the volume of servers.

Question what the size of the data centre is. How much to rent a rack? Are there discounts for renting extra space, on longer term agreements?

Power

Data centres use a huge amount of electricity every year. How is that generated? Is the energy renewable and green? 

Our flagship data centre in London relies on 100% renewable energy. We were awarded the Best Green Business by SLBA and are committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

Connectivity

Latency, or the delay in transferring data, impacts how your business applications work. The lower the delay, the faster your software can communicate with users, for example.

Connectivity includes speed and reliability. Has the data centre got a good track record delivering these? Do they offer specialised services such as P2P circuits and leased lines?

Security

Major security concerns include ransomware and DDoS, but not all threats are digital.

A good data centre also considers physical threats. With the increasing likelihood of an attack happening on a data centre’s premises, how effective is their security?

Support

Ticketing systems are the gateway to support requests. What is the average time to respond to a ticket? Will you be speaking to the same person on the next important call?

We have an average response time of just 2 minutes. Our network status page highlights any downtime and upcoming events.

Additional Services

Some industries require a specialist service. For example, companies storing chemical substance data must conform to the format of OECD and REACH.

We offer a dedicated IUCLID 6 hosting plan. Data remains private and scales on an enterprise-class platform.

House your data in a data centre today

The benefits of data centre solutions are clear.

Take full advantage of the latest technology for your business. Be it colocating your servers or buying a dedicated hosting plan, our facilities are purpose-built for you.

Get in touch today to discuss your requirements. If you live nearby feel free to come in for a cuppa and a tour.

We’ll put the kettle on!

by Matt Seaton

Trends to watch for in colocation services in 2020

Jules Verne was right about so many things.

After all, the concept of nearly unlimited computer systems holding the full store of human knowledge is practically a reality. Experts estimate data storage totalling 175 zettabytes by 2025.  

The Jules Verne visions of the modern era viewed through a 19th Century lens look very different from the actual article. The submarine, for instance, is much less a luxurious masterpiece than a precisely engineered marvel. 

The same can be said of data centres. Colocation services mean that the clunky,  out-of-date in-house comms room is replaced with efficient, modern and cost-effective data centre solutions.

Trends in colocation services

Maintaining on-premise space for IT equipment instead of people is a choice many businesses are weighing up. The cost of commercial space in pricey Mayfair in London, for example, is £115 GBP per square foot. Would you rather have that space occupied by your valuable sales force, or your computer systems?

Even though the trend for server size moves ever smaller, many companies find it more cost-effective to house their servers in a purpose-built space. However, why maintain that space in-house? Much like companies rent office space rather than building and maintaining a facility of their own, colocation services fill the same need.

Old school data centres to colocation

Building and maintaining a server farm is a daunting process. Computer processing equipment used to take up entire rooms and require countless dedicated operators. That slowly changed a single large room of equipment. Now, what used to take dozens of operators and acres of space is contained within just a few racks.

Refurbishment of space and infrastructure can prove costly. Many companies have elected to give up their old in-house data centres. The associated capital expenditures of building, maintaining and updating an in-house data centre rarely pencil out.

Colocation services provide the building, cooling, power, bandwidth and physical security; the perfect environment for clients to house their own servers and storage equipment.

Not everything is in the cloud

Ongoing data breaches and scandals mean that many companies try to avoid cloud solutions for some core proprietary functions. Control over their own servers and data is a growing primary concern. Colocation is the ideal solution to this concern.

Many enterprise management software platforms base themselves on and around critical network architecture. A cloud-based service simply doesn’t work well to this end. For companies with highly customised software, maintaining a proprietary network makes sense.

Companies making the transition to cloud-based services may find that colocation is an important step in the transition, and forms the basis for any fixed workloads in a hybrid solution for the future.

Hybrid cloud

Getting services closer to the end-user is a goal for many IT professionals. Cloud services offer great mobility and access, but do not protect company data as effectively as hardware under direct company control. Apps and tools to make this bridge simpler are part of any modern, agile colocation service.

A mixed approach to infrastructure is often the answer.  User automation, micro-services, APIs, easy software-based provisioning; with these elements in mind, the ongoing management of the various different infrastructure types into a seamless whole is the challenge.

The right provider can offer services that let a company’s IT department create dynamic, hybrid solutions; fixed workloads in colocation interconnected with flexible workloads and content delivery networks in the cloud.

Carrier readiness

5G mobile networking is an estimated 100x faster than existing 4G networks. Telecom providers turned London on in 2019, and other cities are expected to have full 5G service in a short time. User-facing service providers need to be ready for the rapid changeover, bringing with it much-increased demands on data, enabled by faster download speeds.

Colocation services offer superior network connections in many different ways, offering a blend of different carriers. More than one carrier is always recommended for redundancy and reliability.

Prepared for growth, prepared for disaster

Unlike self-maintained and owned data centres, outsourced colocation means that changes or interruptions to business are quickly recoverable. Colocation services offer:

  • Redundant network connections – business-critical applications run around the clock
  • Redundant power –  a combination of the power grid, backup generators, and battery backup systems protect against service interruptions
  • Room for growth – colocation allows for infrastructure expansion without having to take on additional capital expenditure
  • 24x7x365 support on-site – experienced technical personnel are on-site for emergency and routine maintenance

Our London Central data centre also offers a fully serviced, 33 desk business continuity suite inside our 11,000 square foot facility. The central London location takes advantage of well-developed telecom network access and proximity to many major companies / operators.

Is colocation right for your company?

Trends in colocation services indicate a need for companies to save operating costs as well as protect against business interruptions. Colocation is also an effective way to expand workloads without expanding footprints in existing office facilities.

Colocation will usually provide significant savings in the management of critical IT infrastructure. The day-to-day operational care of the servers, power and cooling will be outsourced to a specialist operator. Colocation services will almost always provide improved resilience over in-house operations. 

Companies that have great variability or seasonality in their data resource utilisation may find colocation solutions useful. Spikes in usage are absorbed by the whole, often at a lower cost.

Colocation services offer a combination of flexibility, cost savings, and reliability.

How can Netwise help?

Netwise provides global-level colocation services in private facilities. Our bespoke tools, built entirely-in-house, provide both large and small users alike with the reliability and up-time they need for faultless technical operations, around the clock.

Netwise offers:

  • Superior London and European locations
  • 100% renewable energy
  • Sustainable and eco-friendly cooling systems
  • Fully-stocked build rooms
  • 33 desk workplace recovery suite
  • Leading SLA
  • 10+ years track record

Contact us today to discuss your critical IT infrastructure needs.

by Matt Seaton

Rebranding to Netwise

As we head towards our 10th birthday this December, we’ve drastically changed the way we look, both to celebrate 10 years in business, and also to reimagine our brand for the next 10 years of doing what we love.

It’s fair to say that over the last 10 years, we’ve changed a lot. The earliest iteration of what would eventually become Netwise actually started life way back in 2005, in the loft of Matthew’s parents’ house, which had been converted to house a small collection of IBM tower servers. Over the next few years, this would lead into the beginnings of Netwise Hosting, which incorporated in 2009.

The early days, while always coloured with the build and ownership of private infrastructure, focused on almost entirely on enterprise dedicated servers, with a side-focus on small-scale per unit colocation for clients with their own hardware.

As the business quickly developed, and the move to building the company’s first private data centre came to the fore in 2011, Netwise would very rapidly move into the colocation space more completely.

Netwise is now a fully-featured turnkey colocation and connectivity specialist, operating from its flagship 11,000sq ft London Central data centre in Bermondsey – the second private facility built in-house by the Netwise team.

Our bold new look

Dropping the ‘hosting’ portion of our name is only the headline change here. Beyond this, the entire look and feel of our brand has been completely reimagined.

We’ve always been known for our signature orange, which we had front-and-centre for many years early on. This did then become more of an accent colour as we moved from London South to London Central, however it always formed a prominent part of our identity. Our longest-standing customers will likely remember our (extremely) orange data hall floor at the London South data centre!

The orange has now been muted slightly, and serves as the primary accent colour to our new headline shade, which is a purple-tinted grey.

This far better embodies the characteristics we’re known for, more now than ever before. These include quality, security, robustness and professionalism – with an injection of real personality, something our customers hold very dear to their relationships with us.

The design, both of the bold new corporate identity and exciting new website, comes courtesy of leading design studio Juice London. This process started many months ago, with plenty of on-site meetings here at the Netwise HQ to discuss the visual direction, delving deep into what Netwise is at its core, and how best to represent this publicly as we grow.

Juice also spent a huge amount of time completely rethinking the website, both for desktop and mobile users, with a deep-dive into UX and UI, giving users the cleanest possible experience when interacting with us online.

Visitors to the new site will also see that, as part of the new look, we’re now running almost exclusively with black and white photography (sometimes with a purple-grey overlay), which gives our facility a timeless robustness befitting of our current standing in the industry.

The new look is head and shoulders above our legacy design, and something that will serve us very well as we head into our second decade of doing what we enjoy most.

Let’s get technical

Let’s talk about the new website; a slightly deeper chat than normal, as we’re sure our more technical readers will appreciate the added information.

This was a ground-up rebuild, starting from scratch, using the Bootstrap (4) framework as a starting point, which gives the out-of-the-box responsive front-end goodness we needed for a speedy deployment. This, coupled with the comprehensive design plans we received from Juice London, allowed for the front-end to be built out very quickly.

The main front-end came together nicely across a two to three week period, running on the new domain which sat completely separate from the existing domain. This allowed us to quickly sketch out design adjustments and alterations for immediate testing, with our Git and auto-deployment working seamlessly in this test environment.

Once we had the front-end together, but lacking some of the more complex functionality required for the colocation calculator and status pages, we were able to bring our long-time collaborator and development wizard Josh, owner of software house Grizzlyware, in-house for a week of pre-deployment works.

Grizzlyware proved to be an invaluable partner in developing our new colocation calculator, which has again been built from the ground up, giving much improved functionality, accuracy, and intrinsic security.

For the final stages of development, we converted the site from a PHP-based, dynamic, server-side site to a completely flat, minified static site, built using Node.js / NPM and deployed in both staging and production versions. This has made the new site extremely fast to load, and relies less on server-side processing in delivering content to end users.

This also bolsters the security of our digital assets, given that the site is now built ahead of being pushed to production, without need for any intensive server-side processing ahead of content delivery.

Our future as Netwise

The future as Netwise looks as bright as ever, which matches our shiny new brand perfectly!

We’re entering into a period of rapid development and expansion; as we head into 2020, we’ll be firming up plans for our next major step, which will involve a second private, bespoke data centre.

To keep abreast of these developments as they happen, keep an eye on our new latest news section, which forms part of our new website.