Top
21 Things You Need To
Know Before Choosing A
Colocation Service Provider
Choose
a Top Quality Internet Network
A worldwide Tier 1
International fully
redundant OC192 backbone
with additional 10 GigE
network connections to
hundreds of other Internet
networks is the best service
a business can acquire.
Ask the colocation
provider(s)
that you are considering
about their Internet network
connection size and network
details.
Choose
a State-of the-Art
Class A Colocation
Facility
A facility
that has highly
scalable and super fast
connections to the top
Internet backbones,
redundant UPS and Prime
Source type of generator
backed electrical power,
redundant A/C systems, 24/7
on-site technical support
and physical security.
Does
the Colocation Provider
Include Remote Hands for
Free or for a Fee? -
Ideally, you want to find
a provider that does not
charge for remote hands
service because it can be
very costly.There is no need to
pay a fee when there are
state-of-the-art providers
that offer it for free.
These colocation providers
who include remote hands
service for free often have faster,
more responsive and
experienced technical
service personnel who will
be there around the clock, when you need them
most.
Does
the Colocation Provider
Have Technical Staff
On-Site Around the Clock
24/7? - To ensure
technical reliability and
security for your
colocation service, it is
highly recommended to
choose a provider that has
24/7 on-site technical
support 365 days a year
for all of your technical
needs.
Ask the colocation service
providers that you are
considering if they have
technical support staff
on-site around the clock -
even at night.
How
Long Has the Colocation
Service Provider Been
in Business? Longevity
translates to experience
and stability in any
industry.It is wise to find
a colocation service provider that
has proven itself over
time, having survived the dot.com bust, moreover
sustained business and
growth repeatedly for
numerous years. Look
for a colocation service
provider which has been in
business for over 10 years.
(See also the History
of Colocation).
Is
the Colocation Service Provider Financially
Profitable & Stable?
Profitability means
satisfied customers!A financially sound
company allows for better
pricing and overall
technical security because
there are no hidden/excess
charges attributed to
alleviating company financial
burdens.A provider that is
profitable will not cause
you the frustration of a
forced move due to
bankruptcy.Make sure that you
research to find a
provider that has never
claimed bankruptcy or had
any major layoffs in its
history.Choose a provider
that has been consistently
profitable for many years.
Does
the Colocation Provider Charge An
Extra Monthly Fee for
Cross Connects? Look
for a provider that does
not charge for up to 10
cat 5 cross connects
per customer cabinet.This service should
be included with the
set-up.
Many colocation service
providers will charge as
much as $100 - $350/month
for each cross connect to
your cabinets.
Find a colocation provider
that will give you a fair
rate on all the services and
that does not rely on
unnecessary costs.
Does
the Colocation Service Provider Charge An
Extra Monthly Fee for ip Addresses? ip addresses are
given out by ARIN for
free, as long as they are
justified by the company
that will be using them.Equally, a
colocation provider can
offer them for free with
their service.Steer clear from
companies that try to
charge you; it is a
telltale sign that they
are reaching for ways to
make money off of you
since they are financially
struggling.
Does
the Colocation Service Provider Charge An
Extra Monthly Fee for
Power? Power for
your collocated servers and
equipment can often be
included with your
colocation space without any
hidden costs.
Consider the total cost of
each colocation service
providers' package including
the
bandwidth, cabinet/rack
space, ip addresses, cross
connects, etc. Make
sure to
compare the total package,
not just space and power.
Network
Redundancy: How Many Other
Networks Does the
Colocation Provider
Connect to? For a
colocation provider to be considered
a Tier 1 international
Internet backbone with the fastest
connections possible, it
must have the largest
backbone available on the
market (OC192) and
additionally have up to 10 GigE connections
directly connected to
hundreds of other national
and international Internet networks
for its network to truly
be redundant.
What
Size of Internet
Connections Does the
Colocation Provider
Utilize (T3, OC3,
OC12, OC48, OC192),
Realizing OC192 is Ideal?
There are many
colocation providers out there, some
even set up in garages
where only a few T1's or a T3 is
utilized.Make sure that the
provider you choose is a
legitimate colocation
facility that can deliver
the technical reliability
and security your business
deserves.Look for a provider that has the ability to provide you
with the best connectivity
and redundancy for fast
delivery.An OC192 offers the
best connection available
and will eliminate latency
issues that you will find
with smaller
infrastructures.
What
Kind of Security Does the
Colocation Facility Offer? For you
to feel completelysecure, it is
highly valuable to find a
provider that has invested
in state-of-the-art
security, whereby digital
surveillance cameras are
throughout the facility,
card key locks at every
entrance and exit within
the facility exist with an
enforced access list, and personal locking cabinet(s)
are provided. It is
important to note that
individual secure locking
cabinets are much more
secure than an open rack in
a shared cage.
Does
the Company Specialize in
Colocation or Something
Else, (i.e. Phone Service)
and Sell Colocation on the
Side? When deciding
what provider your
business would best
benefit from using, make sure
that you research the
origin of the companys
services.If the company
specializes primarily in phone
service, web hosting or dedicated
servers, then
their colocation service
will likely be more costly
and you will be getting
less service for your
money.A company that
specifically sells
colocation is technically
built to handle its
necessities:maximum Internet
speed via the largest
backbone and network
connectivity, expansive
space opportunity and
equipment security, along
with the appropriate
technical support
necessary on a 24/7 basis.
Does
the Colocation Facility Have Redundant
Power? The provider
you choose should have
continuous redundant UPS
and generator backed
electrical power where
back-up battery banks are
always online to keep the
power on until prime
source type of back-up
generators take over if
ever there was an outage
within the city.This would protect
your business from being
harmed from outside
factors and allow Internet
business to sustain
regardless.
Does
the Colocation Provider Use a
Standard Back-Up Generator
or a Prime Source Type of
Generator for Back-Up
Power? A provider that
utilizes standard back-up
generators is not capable
of sustaining power over 4
hours in an outage
situation.Therefore, it is
important that you choose
a facility that has
continuous power, which
can only be provided by a
prime source type of
generator.
(Prime source generators are
rated to run indefinitely,
if needed, as the primary
source of power).
Is
the A/C System in Each
Section of the Colocation Facility
Redundant? It is
crucial for the provider
to maintain an especially
cooled environment for all
of the servers it houses
on a continual basis.
Heat is the enemy of servers
and network equipment.
Having redundant A/C systems
means that if any of the A/C
systems fail, another A/C
system is already helping to
cool each separate
colocation suite and can
therefore take over as the primary
cooling system. Choose a
provider that has a
state-of-the-art A/C
system that provides air
in each section of the
facility redundantly.
Consider
the Cost of Future Needed
Internet Bandwidth Upgrades A
profitable colocation service provider
is going to
handle upgrades fairly.Research the pricing structures for future upgrades with
various providers to know
how you will be charged
for additional Internet
bandwidth as
you grow. Ask how
much it costs for 100Mbps
and 1,000Mbps Internet
bandwidth.
Does
the Colocation Service Provider Have Brand
Name Customers? A
provider that has brand
name customers is a good
sign.Ask for a list of
customers when shopping
for a colocation provider.
This will allow you to learn
the stability and
technical reliability of
that provider and help ensure
that you are making a good
choice.
Does
the Colocation Provider Offer Secure
Locking Cabinets or Just Racks
in a Shared Cage? For
maximum security, it is
best to find a provider
that offers secure locking
cabinets to avoid any
shared technical issues or
even possible problems
with theft.
Does
the Provider Offer
Colocation at Multiple
Locations Around the
World? It is not necessary
for a provider to have
multiple locations around
the world.But if they do
offer worldwide colocation
services, then they have a
stronger backbone and can
provide your business with
global opportunities that
a smaller provider does
not possess.This is something
to consider since Internet
business is worldwide and
it is every companys
goal to grow.
Does
the Provider Offer
Non-Profit Plans to
Organizations? A
provider that is
profitable means that they
are stable enough to give
back to the community.It is always a good
sign when choosing a
provider, if the provider
offers non-profit
organizations
special
opportunities,
such as free
Internet bandwidth for
educational networks.It reveals that the
company has a heart to
make a positive
difference, utilizing its
technical and financial
strengths for the
betterment of others!
***
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