How Can Server Colocation Benefit You

Server colocation refers to data center facility whereby businesses can rent out space for their servers and other hardware. The colocation provider will offer the infrastructure, power and cooling, physical security and even bandwidth for the clients who are seeking server colocation. The space thus rented out is known as the cabinet or rack.

Why is server colocation important?

Many businesses today prefer to use a colocation facility instead of maintaining their own data centers. One of the most important reasons behind this decision is to reduce capital expenses which they may have to incur in order to build and maintain a huge computing facility. While colocation is a lucrative alternative for businesses, it can be disadvantageous if the distances are too great because this will mean higher travel costs. Equipments have to be physically monitored and the clients may have to enter into long-term contracts with their colocation providers. These may also become very difficult to break when clients want to re-negotiate server colocation pricing rates when the prices fall. This also makes it very important to carefully review the Service Level Agreement when signing up for colocation so as to avoid paying for hidden charges.

Who does server colocation benefit?

Server colocation is ideally suited for the businesses which wish to enjoy features of large IT departments without having to pay a huge sum. With colocation, you can comfortably place your own server machines on someone else’s rack space and even share their bandwidth. While it may be costlier than regular web hosting, it gives you much higher bandwidth than web hosting can offer.

What are the advantages of server colocation?

• One of the greatest advantages of server colocation is bandwidth costs. A low-cost bandwidth will typically cost you around $200; at the same price or even lesser, you can place a server in a colocation site which will guarantee higher speeds and improved network redundancy.
• Server colocation guarantees far better outage protection. Even backup generators may sometimes not be enough to ensure that the server is running 24×7. This means that websites may face downtime even with backup generators; however, in colocation, you pay for power generators which will offer backup services in any kind of adverse situation.
• In colocation, you own the server machines and you can upgrade them when you find that they have slowed down. You do not have to wait for the provider to upgrade it for you. Likewise, since you own the software, you are free to upgrade it and install other tools which will benefit your business.
• Even when you move, there are measures to deal with outages in a colocation center. When hosting your own domain, you are likely to pay for two lines for a while till the move is completed but with server colocation, the servers are capable of handling all outages during any move. The providers will also guarantee extra security for your servers and they are maintained in a secure and climate-controlled environment.
• Colocation providers will ensure that the servers are stored in climate controlled areas and enjoy super bandwidth speeds and excellent redundancy. This means that you will not need to spend a lot of money on maintaining IT infrastructure and you can use your staff to focus on other important business matters.
• Server colocation guarantees better security for your server because there are closed circuit cameras, biometric scanners, coded access, on-site security staff, alarm systems etc for server protection. You are not required to invest in these security measures because these are included in your packages.
• Colocation allows you to save a lot of money because you end up paying only for your own equipments and not an entire data center. You can budget IT needs and carry out better resource allocation.

These benefits of server colocation show that web hosting is better suited for personal websites and smaller businesses which do not need such high-end features. Where the server must be more robust than what web hosting can offer, server colocation is the best solution. Colocation also benefits smaller companies which enjoy a large web presence but lack the will and expertise to deal with network connections.