Partner Article

Is a Colocation Strategy Right for Your Business?

Deciding on managed colocation has its definite advantages. Primarily, it removes your business from the burden of housing a server, and contracting a number of IT professionals to manage and monitor your in-house data and equipment. Additionally, it protects your confidential data from any disaster that could occur. If a natural disaster or fire ever occurred in your office location, your data would be safe in an off-premise location.

Even so, deciding to outsource your data management to a colocation provider is a long-term strategic commitment which needs careful thought and consideration, especially because such a partnership is often a long-term commitment. The following are 6 benefits to consider before deciding on whether colocation is the right strategy for your business.

Location

The primary benefit of using colocation services for your data management lies in the fact that servers are kept off your premises; meaning your data is in safekeeping in an outsourced location; if and when an emergency or natural disaster should ever occur, data, applications and confidential information is kept safe. Even so, your colocation provider should be located in an area that is not prone to natural disasters, or should have more than one backup facility, in case an emergency or disaster should ever occur. This will keep your data safe at all times.

Space & Time

By placing your equipment with a reliable partner you save space in your office or location. You also free up the time of your IT staff, allowing them to focus on other IT needs.

Expansion Capabilities

A colocation specialist is prepared for the management of data. They have large data centers located throughout the nation, often with more than one location for all your data storage needs; meaning their capabilities can easily handle any expansion needs you may have, including your need to open another office in another location or state.

Security

When keeping data safe is of primary importance, using a colocation provider can be a better option than maintaining all of this data on your own server. This is because an external colocation company offers more comprehensive security than can be provided in house. These companies use secure high encryption tunnels, biometric security, card readers, keypad and electronic locks to ensure high data security. Additionally, because a colocation business deals with secure data they will also have fire detection and suppression systems which minimize damage to equipment and data.

Reliability

A Colocation partner offers powerful server and cooling infrastructure, meaning you have maximum system uptime to access documents at all times.

Savings

By partnering with a data management company of this type you save money on equipment, manpower and utilities. Depending on the service you want, you may opt to own the hardware, but even then, you aren’t responsible for creating an independent data center, and you certainly won’t have to hire and manage IT personnel capable of monitoring and managing your in-house server.

All in All

A colocation partnership offers safer and more secure storage of data for your business. Any and all emergencies, disasters or issues are provided for, which means you and your staff can access all data safely and securely from the office or any location in a safe and efficient manner

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Steve Gott .