Colocation FAQs.
In this FAQs section on colocation, we answer common questions to help you understand how colocation can benefit your business. Whether you’re new to colocation or looking to optimize your setup, our answers provide clarity on important aspects.
What is colocation?
Colocation, often abbreviated as ‘colo’, refers to the practice of housing privately-owned servers and networking equipment in a third-party data centre. This arrangement provides a range of benefits, including enhanced security, reliability, and scalability, without the need for a company to invest in and manage their own data centre infrastructure. Colocation is a smart solution for businesses looking to optimize their IT resources while focusing on growth.
What is the difference between a data centre and a colocation?
A data centre is a facility owned and operated by a company to house its IT infrastructure, including servers and networking equipment. The company controls all aspects, including power, cooling, and security.
Colocation, or colo, is a facility where multiple businesses rent space in a data centre to house their own servers and hardware, but the third-party provider handles the physical infrastructure and overheads like power, cooling, and security.
What are the key challenges addressed with colocation?
High Office Space Costs: Colocation frees up your office space by housing your IT infrastructure in a secure data centre, reducing real estate expenses.
Hardware Security Concerns: Your equipment is protected in secure, monitored facilities with advanced physical security and environmental controls, ensuring 24/7 protection.
Not Ready for Cloud Technology: Colocation offers a flexible solution, allowing you to maintain control over your hardware while gaining scalability without fully transitioning to the cloud.
Limited IT Resources and Expertise: Managing an in-house data centre requires significant IT expertise and resources. Colocation allows you to offload the complexities of maintaining infrastructure, with access to expert support and reliable facility management, freeing up your team to focus on core business activities.
What are the key components of colocation?
Data centre Facility:
- The physical building where servers and other equipment are stored.
- These facilities are equipped with high-speed Internet connections, advanced cooling systems, backup power supplies, and robust security measures.
Rack Space:
- Customers rent rack space (measured in rack units or ‘U’) within the data centre to house their servers.
- Options range from 10 rack units to entire multi-rack suites, depending on the customer’s needs.
Power and Cooling:
- Reliable power supplies with backup generators and UPS systems to ensure continuous operation.
- Advanced cooling systems to maintain optimal temperatures and prevent overheating of equipment.
Network Connectivity:
- Access to high-speed Internet and multiple network providers for redundancy and optimal connectivity.
Security:
- Physical security measures such as surveillance cameras, biometric access controls, and security personnel.
- Cybersecurity measures to protect against digital threats.
How does colocation work?
Colocation works by allowing businesses to rent space in a third-party data centre to house their own servers and IT equipment. Here’s how it typically works:
Leasing Space: Companies lease physical space in a colocation data centre, which could range from a rack, cabinet, cage, or even an entire room depending on their needs.
Moving Equipment: The business moves its servers, storage, and networking equipment into the colocation facility.
Power and Connectivity: The colocation provider supplies reliable power, including backup generators and UPS systems, ensuring the servers stay operational 24/7. They also offer high-speed internet connections and network services.
Cooling: The data centre provides cooling systems to maintain the optimal temperature for equipment, preventing overheating and ensuring smooth operation.
Security: Colocation facilities have robust physical security measures like biometric access, surveillance cameras, and on-site guards, protecting the equipment from unauthorised access.
Maintenance: While the data centre takes care of physical infrastructure (power, cooling, etc.), the company is responsible for maintaining and managing its own IT hardware remotely or on-site.
Scalability: Businesses can increase or reduce the amount of space they lease as their needs change, providing flexibility.
Colocation allows businesses to focus on managing their IT systems while relying on the data centre provider to handle the facility and infrastructure.
The overheads of running a data centre can be complex and expensive, so colocation services are a great way to reap the benefits of a data centre without running your own.
What is the difference between colocation and hosting?
The main difference between colocation and hosting is in who owns the hardware. With colocation, the organisation using the service owns the servers and IT infrastructure but rents space in a third-party data centre. In data hosting, all servers and IT infrastructure are typically owned and maintained by the third-party provider.
What is cloud services vs colocation?
Cloud Services vs colocation refers to two different approaches to hosting and managing IT infrastructure. Cloud services use infrastructure provided by Cloud providers (like AWS, Azure or Google Cloud) while colocation means that businesses use their own servers and IT infrastructure within a third-party data centre.
Cloud services typically offer more scalability as a business’s needs change, while colocation gives you more control over the specific IT equipment you want to use.
With cloud services, the maintenance of equipment is the responsibility of the cloud provider. With colocation, the maintenance of servers and IT infrastructure falls on both the customer and the third-party data centre provider.
In summary, cloud is best suited for businesses seeking flexibility, ease of scalability, and minimal management of physical infrastructure.
On the other hand, colocation is ideal for businesses that require complete control over their hardware, need consistent performance, or have strict compliance needs.
How can I get started with colocation?
Speak to ANS today! Our team of experts will assess your needs, guide you through the available options, and help you choose the right colocation services tailored to your business requirements. Whether you have questions about our facilities, services, or pricing, we’re here to provide the support you need to make an informed decision.
Contact us now to begin your journey toward a more secure and efficient IT infrastructure.