
Insight
Check here for information regarding cloud services, colocation, virtual desktop offerings
Check here for information regarding cloud services, colocation, virtual desktop offerings
As the data needs of companies grow, they should evaluate moving from on-premises computing to off-site data processing for fast, secure access and business continuity. As cloud-based technologies grow and become more reliable, newer options have emerged.
Rather than housing their own IT infrastructure, companies and individuals have the option of choosing traditional colocation services with dedicated servers that house their data at a third-party data center virtual colocation, which involves the storage and compute on a cloud-based system at a remote data center; or a hybrid option using both. All choices come with a set of pros and cons for prospective clients to weigh.
Key considerations are CapEx vs. OpEx and total cost of ownership (TCO). Which is best for you? Well, like a lot of things, the answer is - it depends! Most importantly, it depends on your business needs. Many customers have compliance requirements or unique business propositions and applications that are better served by traditional colocation. Some content providers need to be in carrier-neutral data centers with access to lots of networks for best performance. Other businesses can meet their business needs with less upfront cost and greater scalability through virtual colocation.
In any event, both are provided through data centers that provide improved uptime and business continuity through redundant cooling systems, redundant UPSs, SLAs, back-up generators and security.
No matter where you may be located in the United States, there is a possibility that a disaster could strike. From tornadoes to fires to hurricanes to floods, disasters can happen at any time. For businesses, it’s paramount to have a disaster recovery plan in place.
A key component of that disaster recovery plan should be where and how you plan to store your data. If a wildfire rushes through your area and there’s no time to save data, then you could be out years of records and other invaluable business information if the data isn’t securely stored elsewhere.
Here’s why colocation should be included in your business disaster recovery plan if you live in Orlando, Space Coast, Tampa, and other Florida areas as well as other parts of the United States.
When you host and store your data in the same building as your business, you’re taking a risk. In the event of a disaster such as a fire or flash flood, you could be looking at a complete and total loss without off-site data storage. Losing years of information, data, billing info, and other aspects of your business without any backup can be disastrous in itself, but if you have that information stored off-site, it will be protected.
When your data and applications are stored off-site, it may still be...
Since the Internet began, it has constantly evolved into the entity we now know today—sending data all over the world and throughout the country. Without edge computing and other services such as Internet exchanges (IX), it would take a lot longer for that data to travel. At Colo Solutions, one of our customers recently established an IX (the DACS-IX South) inside our carrier-neutral colocation data center.
Learn more about an IX and how it adds value to your day-to-day business operations.
The Internet has been referred to as a "network of networks." The value of the Internet increases as more networks connect. An IX or Internet Exchange Point (IXP) is one method to connect networks. Many believe the Internet is only provided through big transit providers such as AT&T, CenturyLink, and Verizon. However, there are a large number of other carriers, networks, and others that carry Internet traffic, or data. Connecting all of these networks creates a "network effect" that exponentially increases the value of these parts.
Think of the Internet like a railroad line. A railroad line from one city to another links those two cities. If the rail line ends in a rail yard that can then link out to other cities, then that rail line value increases as it reaches other cities. As those rail lines end in other cities and continue to link to other cities, that rail line "network" is extended. Instead ...
When considering a data center, there are many options to think about, but one that should be looked at is whether or not the data center is carrier neutral. A carrier-neutral data center offers multiple options for connectivity, whereas a non-carrier-neutral data center only has one option.
Here are some reasons your business in Orlando, Space Coast, Tampa, and other Florida areas should consider using a carrier-neutral data center for your colocation provider.
Carrier neutrality is very important to a data center customer, as it gives options for blended connectivity. A non-carrier-neutral data center only leaves you with one service option and limited connectivity options. With a carrier-neutral data center, the business gets several advantages over a non-carrier-neutral data center.
Using a carrier-neutral data center has many advantages, including:
As businesses search for options to store their data, they need to know what options are available to them. Many options exist, such as colocation, virtual private servers, and shared web hosting.
Each option offers different features, but colocation is one that may need a bit more explanation for those who are new to the concept of off-site data storage. Businesses in Orlando, Space Coast, Tampa, and other areas of Florida should consider colocation for a number of reasons.
Colocation facilities are data center facilities that house numerous servers. A colo facility allows businesses to rent server and computing hardware space. Colocation services are an excellent option for businesses to store their data.
Of course, a colo may not be the best option for each business. So, to determine whether it’s right for you, we’ll discuss how colocation works and explore its features and benefits.
A colocation data center is a building that houses rentable racks and cabinets that store your equipment. The building itself has high physical security to protect the equipment inside. The data center facility has redundant power, meaning the power system is backed up by uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and generators. So if the electricity at the data center goes out, your servers are still powered by other means.
Redundant cooling systems are also...