Numerous companies' servers that are cared for and overseen by one unique facility are grouped together for colocation. Establishing a working data center for a business without having to pay for the construction of a new one is a typical strategy. When it comes to the server(s) located in colocation, the on-site IT staff often provides resources and management for a predetermined fee and duration.

 

One company having several servers spread across multiple colocation centers is not uncommon for larger organizations serving a larger geographic region. While it's not always the case, colocations are usually selected based on how close they are to the company's offices. To make things simpler, a data center provides colocation services, and the data center is the place where colocation is provided.

Advantages of Colocation

Think of colocation as the distinction between house ownership and apartment renting. Your servers are the tenants and the colocation space is the residence. A location to live for a predetermined amount of time is guaranteed by renting the space and signing a lease. In contrast, you are not in charge of any or all of the server maintenance or management when you own a data center. When compared to new construction, colocation offers superior scalability at a significantly lower cost.

1. Lower Cost:

Colocation is usually more affordable because businesses are essentially renting space. Extra services like on-site maintenance or managing hardware modifications might be added to a rental. Moreover, enterprises may save even more money by minimizing the costs related to the actual construction of data centers. Businesses may also save money by using colocation services for security measures including theft, flood, and fire protection, as well as electricity and cooling.

2. Less Labor Intensive:

Your staff won't have to do taxing tasks like power management or cable running because the necessary colocation infrastructure is already in place. Although it's an optional service, colocation companies usually offer hands-on maintenance.

3. Enhanced Dependability and Uptime:

Colocation removes the need for redundant systems, power backup options, ISPs, and telecom providers, much like the benefits of reduced prices.

4. Primarily Fixed Expenses:

The monthly recurring costs associated with colocation utilization are generally predictable, with a few exceptions—such as covering the cost of maintenance or hardware upgrades. This makes it possible for businesses to more effectively allocate funds to other top-tier departments like marketing or research & development.

5. Increased Security:

The majority of colocation facilities are built with security measures to meet or above industry standards. This provides the advantages of both physical security from being in a populated area and cybersecurity from colocation facilities, which frequently include state-of-the-art firewalls, DDoS protection, and other features.

What is a Data Center?

A data center is a space set aside specifically for the storage of servers and other IT gear. Your servers, housed in a closet or room, may act as an on-premises data center, meeting all of your IT requirements but requiring constant upkeep and management. Your data will be kept in a data center regardless of whether you choose cloud computing or colocation. The key difference is that cloud computing lets you lease computers from the data center, while colocation requires you to own the servers but not the data center.