Organizations should ask these questions when evaluating colocation providers and their facilities.
More and more organizations are choosing to get out of the data center business and partner with a colocation provider to support their IT infrastructure. With colocation, organizations “rent” space in the provider’s facility, giving them all the features of an enterprise data center without the cost and headaches of building and managing one.
As more organizations adopt AI and other advanced applications, they are turning to colocation for access to the power and cooling needed to support those workloads. Colocation also offers greater flexibility and scalability to meet changing demands.
Colocation is often the best choice from an IT, financial and operational perspective. However, choosing the wrong colocation provider can be an expensive and risky mistake. Here are some of the questions organizations should ask before signing on the dotted line.
Seven Questions to Ask When Evaluating Colocation
What level of redundancy does the data center provide?
Redundant power, cooling and connectivity provide a critical hedge against downtime. Ideally, there should also be multiple paths for these resources to take. The essential services required to support the data center are often depicted by the variable N. The term “N+1” is used to describe a data center with one additional component, while “2N” refers to a fully redundant, mirrored system with independent distribution. The greater the redundancy, the greater the resilience of the data center.
What network service provider options are available?
Best-in-class colocation providers have developed an ecosystem of service provider partners, giving customers options when it comes to network connectivity. Ideally, customers will have access to IP transit and Layer 2 transport services and on-ramps to the major cloud providers. This enables customers to take advantage of the most cost-effective services and scale as their needs grow.
What are the physical security features of the site?
While logical security is important, physical security is also needed to protect sensitive data. The colocation facility should have a secure perimeter, access controls, 24x7 monitored video surveillance and equipment cages that can be locked. The provider should conduct background checks on all staff who have access to IT equipment. Best-in-class facilities also have onsite security personnel, mantraps, biometric access systems and other advanced controls.
Where is the data center located?
Often, organizations choose a colocation facility near their headquarters. That’s a reasonable approach, although the data center should be protected as much as possible from floods, hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters. Customers with a regional, national or global footprint have more flexibility and can choose facilities in favorable climates. Data sovereignty can also be an issue. Some regulations mandate that data be stored within certain geographic areas.
Which certifications has the provider obtained?
Certifications offer customers a reliable benchmark when evaluating colocation providers. Customers should look for certifications that require data center operators to meet minimum standards for data security and regulatory compliance. For example, SOC 2 Type 2 certification offers insight into the provider’s controls across the five “trust principles” of security, availability, processing integrity, privacy and confidentiality.
What data center services are available?
Putting equipment in a colocation facility doesn’t mean it takes care of itself. The facility should offer remote management solutions so IT teams can monitor various aspects of the infrastructure. Onsite services such as “remote hands” can also be helpful if a server needs to be rebooted, cable reconnected or local indicator checked. “Smart hands” services are more advanced, providing the ability to take care of any task an onsite IT team would perform.
Can the colocation facility support high-density workloads?
Even if organizations aren’t building AI applications now, they may be in the near future and should look for a facility that can support those workloads. The facility will need adequate power, advanced cooling and robust network connectivity with access to multiple providers and redundant network paths. The facility should also provide fast data transfer for training large models and accessing cloud platforms. Facilities with modular designs allow for easy expansion and upgrades as AI needs evolve.
Where to Turn for Help
While these questions provide a framework for evaluating colocation providers, many organizations lack the expertise to make the right choice. That’s why it makes sense to partner with a managed services provider (MSP) as part of the process.
Qualified MSPs understand the requirements of advanced data center facilities and the business and IT needs of their customers. They can help organizations select the right colocation partner as well as optimize their onsite IT infrastructure. MSPs can also manage and maintain IT equipment housed in a colocation facility as part of a managed services agreement.
Colocation often makes good business sense but it’s important to partner with the right provider. A qualified MSP can help organizations identify the features that are most important and evaluate various colocation options.
