Colocation hosting has many benefits as it allows your business to purchase your own servers but keep them on the host’s premises and share their larger bandwidths. Unlike cloud hosting, you actually own your servers. In this post, we will help you understand exactly what colocation hosting is in “layman’s” terms and learn about all of its great benefits. If you are thinking that colocation hosting is the right choice for your business and are looking for the best provider in Atlanta, contact DSC today.
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Colocation Hosting – A Definition You Can Understand
If you are a business owner, you’ve probably heard the term “colocation” hosting bounced around. If you still aren’t quite sure what it is exactly, here’s an easy to understand definition and explanation. Most businesses today need to have a place where they can store their data, a place where it is going to be safe and accessible when needed. There are different options for storing your data. Colocation hosting is one of those options.
Usually a business’ data is stored on a powerful computer known as a server. All of the business’ computers and devices that the employees use are connected to this server so that they can get and save the data that they use. There are several different choices for a company in regards to where this server is located.
On-Site Storage: Some companies choose to purchase their own servers and keep them on their own premises. The company is responsible for the maintenance of their server.
Cloud Storage: Other companies choose to rent space on a server that is owned by another company and access their data remotely. The server is owned by the cloud service provider and all maintenance is done by this provider.
Colocation Hosting: There is another option, known as colocation hosting, where you purchase your own server, but you rent physical space from the hosting company and set up and keep your server at this off-site location.
What Are the Benefits of Colocation Hosting?
You may wonder why a company would want to purchase a server and then choose not to keep in on their own site. Providing the same level of protection/security for an on-site server set-up would require infrastructure that would cost a significant amount of money for air conditioning, power, bandwidth, security, and space. There are many reasons for this and the following will outline the greatest benefits of choosing colocation hosting.
Redundant Power Supplies:
Having a redundant power system means that your colocation host will have two or more power sources that are able to run your server. Only one power source runs your server at any given time, but if it fails then another power source is ready to take over to keep your server constantly going without interruptions or downtime. This also means that your equipment can be shut down in order to do maintenance tasks while a backup generator is used to provide continued, uninterrupted support. This feature is not usually available in an in-house IT department.
Network Redundancy:
Colocation hosting also provides network redundancy which means that there are additional or alternate network devices, equipment, and communication mediums installed as part of the network infrastructure. This is to make sure that if the primary network connection goes down, an alternate backup one can take over, again avoiding downtime and stoppages of service for your business.
Redundant Cooling System:
Servers generate a lot of heat and they can fail if there are extreme changes in the temperature of their environment. A colocation hosting provider will be able to provide a consistent and optimal temperature for your server to ensure that it doesn’t overheat and that it can operate within the optimal surroundings. In addition, they will have a redundant cooling system that makes sure that if the primary cooling system fails, a backup one is ready to take over.
Rigorous Security Measures:
A colocation site can also provide you with rigorous security measures to protect your server and keep your data safe. These measures can include PIN keypads, biometric readers, and employees to watch the facility around the clock.
On-Site Technical Support:
Colocation hosting can give you great flexibility in how you maintain your server. Your host will have on-site employees who are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, should you need someone to toggle a switch for you or reboot a server. They can also manage your operating system/network, firewalls, routers, and storage for you. If, however, you prefer to do these tasks yourself, you have that option and you can only use the data center as a physical place to store your server.
Can Also Offer Cloud Services:
Most colocation hosting centers also provide cloud services. If you are having issues with your data service, your colocation host can offer you cloud services as well. This means that you can rent space on one of their servers to store and then access your data.
Variety of Options for Scalability:
There are many different options that you can choose from to suit your company’s particular size, budget, and needs. Data Centers that provide colocation hosting can offer:
- an entire suite for your equipment that is completely separate from other businesses’ equipment
- a 10 X 10 foot cage for your equipment
- one rack for your equipment
As your business grows, it is easy to expand your space to accommodate your greater needs.
Enjoy the Benefits of Colocation Hosting with Digital Service Consultants
Are you looking to take advantage of the great benefits of colocation hosting for your business? Contact Digital Service Consultants. At DSC we offer fast, safe, secure, and reliable server colocation services at incredibly competitive rates. We know how to help you get the most out of your system and we offer 24/7/365 technical support so you will always be up and running. DSC has been a trusted name in the IT industry in Atlanta for more than 30 years. We also provide a full range of internet- related services including cloud backup, system monitoring, software hosting, dedicated email, website development and implementation, web hosting, e-commerce, security, and a variety of related products and services. We also provide network support for Linus, Microsoft server and workstation platforms, Fortinet firewalls, and Cisco Systems. Contact us today for all of your internet-related requirements.
