Colocation is an ideal solution for the business who demands the control and flexibility of having its own data center. Unlike dedicated hosting, colocation is a situation where you own the hardware and software, factors that allow you to save over the long haul when compared to leasing these components. Although colocation hosting offers many benefits, there are a few down sides that must be considered as well.
Technical Issues
When it comes to colocation, small and medium sized businesses may encounter issues a larger company would not. In many cases, a large, prominent organization has the advantage of global customers and quite frankly, bigger wallets. What this means is that if technical problems arise, the company probably has professional technicians available to quickly address the matter. Even when the IT staff isn’t exactly in the area, that extensive budget allows them to easily hire the manpower to get the job done. Smaller businesses on the other hand, generally do not have the luxury of worldwide business locations or the ability to hire professionals at the drop of a phone call. If you don’t have your own responsive technicians, colocation could end up being more cost prohibitive than you ever imagined. Even with the best hardware in place, technical issues are almost a given.
Location
Another important consideration is actually finding a colocation provider. There is no shortage of providers on the market but one that offers a reliable facility can be hard to find. If your business is located in a rural area and far from a major city, finding a provider becomes even harder. Most businesses look for locations that are in proximity to the office or at least somewhere in range of on-call technicians. This is all the more reason to ensure that your hardware is upgraded accordingly to prevent trips to the facility for minor adjustments.
You should also consider the possibility of moving out of the area, which means you would have to find a new provider. This presents an entirely different level of complexity and a hassle you may not want to deal with. In the event that your business does relocate, you will need to strongly consider an area where colocation services are available.
The Bright Side
Colocation is obviously more expensive than traditional hosting and can be more of a hassle than leasing a dedicated server from a company. However, you will find that this route is much cheaper than running your own data center and provides more options than conventional or dedicated hosting. Although you are required to pay for additional services such as server administration, storage, connectivity and all the basics, over the long run, colocation is a cost effective solution for the business who can afford the investment.
The Bold Truth
The market for colocation services is expanding but this solution isn’t suited for every business. Before making the transition, it is vital to know what you’re getting yourself into and most importantly, determine if this is what your business truly requires. If you can get over the minor drawbacks that come along with such an arrangement, colocation could be the move for you.
