• Increased time dedicated to revenue-generating endeavors instead of dealing with the management of the data center infrastructure (generators, UPS’s, cooling, network redundancies, personnel)
• Scalable network capacity, such as adding additional cabinets on demand without much logistics
• Meeting your specific compliance criteria needs, particularly with data-sensitive industries such as healthcare and financial firms
• Reliance on the data center provider to manage the entire colocated infrastructure up to the application layer

Based on these benefits, you must engage your IT department and other stakeholders to identify your goals and needs. Fully-equipping yourself with the right knowledge will streamline the entire process. Understanding the topics cover below, will give you an idea of what to consider and what to look out for while preparing for your colo provider search.

Capacity & Scalability

You should ask yourself “What are my current network, power and space demands? Will this remain consistent, or will it fluctuate?”. Most colocation providers have great flexibility in all of these factors. While flexibility is great, discussing your growth plan with your colocation provider can be very helpful. Moving your equipment into a data center blind to what they are capable of can limit your company’s growth.

Providing your growth plan gives a more realistic idea of how a data center can best support your needs. After all, moving into a space to only move out a few months later is just a waste of time and resources. Knowing that the chosen data center has both the capacity and scalability will only help you in the long run.

Location

Location, location, location… you all heard it before. Where your data center resides is a crucial factor when shopping for a colocation provider. While remote amenities like remote hands and KVM are nice, staying close to the data center has its own benefits. Factors like latency and uptime are typically better the closer you are to the facility.

Although, if your facility is in an area prone to natural disasters, it might be best to find another location. Sure, the structure itself can withstand a hurricane but let’s say the power goes out with your office in proximity of the data center. Now that your office and servers are down, operations seized, and the clock ticking, you now start to worry about the financial hit you’re going to take. When you choose a provider that is on a different power grid, you mitigate the risk of having your servers go down. 

One last thing to consider is accessibility for your IT team. With your data center close by, you will eliminate travel costs and expenditures when you need to have your system upgraded. Regardless if you want to stay close or far away, each has its benefits and it’s important to know the following when you look for a colocation provider:

• Is the facility located in an area prone to natural disasters?
• Do they offer remote amenities such as KVM or remote hands?
•  Is the data center easily accessible?

How Much Power do you Need?

You’ll want to ensure your colocation facility has the power capacity to handle not only your needs for today but also for the future. After all, you would not want to move into a facility that cannot support your daily business needs. Regardless of your situation, you want to know and understand your power density per rack, especially for high-data processing applications.

Why this is Important

Let’s say you want to create an AI model for your next project. However, due to the complex calculations that this model has to perform, it then becomes a high-processing application.

This poses you with the challenge of optimizing the data center’s infrastructure to meet the AI model’s processing requirements. More specifically, you need to address the issue of the power density per rack. Or rather, the amount of electrical power that the hardware within a single rack consumes. 

Since the AI model requires powerful GPUs and specialized equipment to speed up computations, it results in generating a lot of heat and requires a lot of electrical power. Now, if the power density per rack is too high, it can lead to overheating and hardware failures, as well as reduce the lifespan of your equipment.

To help mitigate these issues, the engineers at the data center will need to redesign your rack space to provide your equipment with proper airflow and cooling. With your new setup, you can run your AI model without damaging your equipment.

Careful considerations like this example are pivotal to maintaining a healthy environment for your hardware. It will not only increase its lifespan, but it will prevent bottlenecks and help ensure that you continue your business operations without any worry.

Power Requirement Formula

This begs the question “How do I know how much power I need?”. Knowing how much power you need and how much power your provider can give are equally important. Luckily, it is pretty simple to find out how much power you need. You can use this formula to calculate your power requirement:

• watts = volts x amps

An important note is that due to legal reasons, data centers in Washington are required to only use 80% power. For example, if you have 20 amps you can only use 16 due to Washington’s fire code regulations.

What about Security & Support?

You should always be able to fully trust your colocation facility with safeguarding your enterprise. Not only does this include the physical security and confidentiality of the actual premises, but it may also include being able to support your organization in the way of providing services that enable further security within your own infrastructure via the provider’s managed services.

When you reach out to a data center be sure to ask “Does your organization have a team of experts who can handle all aspects of network security and supporting your infrastructure?” Knowing that they have a team of experts at the ready provides you access to inside knowledge on how you can scale and grow your business without having to go through the process of trial and error. Additionally, investing in a third-party colocation provider with its own managed security services is a great cost-effective option when you cannot afford to have a team of 24x7x365 experts on your own payroll.

Disaster Recovery & Backup Protocols

Just as much as proactive security is a concern, so should disaster recovery & backup methods. A common saying amongst Network Security Specialists is “It’s not if you get attacked, it’s when you get attacked.” This is a necessary factor that you should address with any provider prior to signing with them. This is because the average cost of a single outage is $5,600 per minute.

Financial losses aside, these issues could result in PR nightmares or loss of reputation, or even valued client business. A worthwhile company will work with you to establish customized DRaaS solutions or backup plans for your peace of mind.

Ultimately, when you start to search for your Seattle colocation provider, be sure that you understand how location, capacity, and scalability factor into your business continuity. Also, understanding the basics of how power works and what your organization needs to function are important when finding your ideal colocation provider. With this knowledge, you should have no trouble finding a data center that will help your company reach its next level.

The post Seattle Colocation Provider What you Should Consider appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

However, as a business grows and becomes more complex, it may need to add additional servers to handle the increased workload.

How Many Network Servers for Small Business Should You Have?

There are a few different reasons why a small business might need multiple servers:

1. Increase the capacity and performance of the server environment
   If a business is experiencing a lot of traffic on its website or is running a lot of resource-intensive applications, it may need additional servers to handle the increased demand.
   
2. Improve reliability and availability
   Having multiple servers, a business can ensure that its systems remain up and running even if one of the servers experiences a problem.
   
3. Enhanced security
   Separating different applications and data onto different servers, a business can reduce the risk of a security breach.

It’s generally a good idea for small businesses to have at least one server, as it can provide a range of benefits, such as improved collaboration, enhanced record-keeping, and easier communication. The number of servers a small business needs will depend on the size of the business, the complexity of its operations, and the amount of data and applications it needs to store and manage.

A small business may be able to get by with a single server if it has a small number of employees and a limited number of applications and data to manage. However, as the business grows and becomes more complex, it may need to add additional servers to handle the increased workload. It’s a good idea to consult with experts when setting up a small office server to ensure that it is functional and meets the needs of the business.

What Is the Best Server for Large Businesses?

Rack servers are a type of server that are designed to be mounted in a rack, which is a standard-sized frame that can hold multiple servers and other networking equipment. Rack servers are typically more powerful and feature-rich than other types of servers, such as tower servers, and are often used by businesses that need a high level of performance and capacity. They are also more space-efficient than tower servers, as they can be stacked vertically in a rack, which can be helpful for businesses that have limited space available.

If your business is outgrowing its current server setup and you are considering moving to rack servers, you may have the option to lease rack space in a colocation facility. After all, 2019 global IT survey, 33% of respondents said that their company operates between three and five owned or collocated data centers and 7% of surveyed organizations operate more than 50 data centers.

Colocation centers are specialized data center facilities that provide space, power, and connectivity for businesses to locate their servers and other IT equipment. Colocating can be a good option for businesses that want to outsource the management and maintenance of their IT infrastructure and take advantage of the scalability and cost benefits of a shared environment. If you are considering leasing rack space in a colocation facility, it’s a good idea to carefully evaluate your options and choose a provider that meets the specific needs of your business.

Ultimately, it depends on your business and what it needs to operate. If you are interested in getting a colocation, or if you would like to learn more about our data center and services, please fill out our contact form and one of our staff will reach out to you ASAP!

The post How Many Servers Does a Small Business Need? appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

Server colocation ensures that your server will not go down despite the number of customers you will have. With the use of collocation, issues of maintaining your server will now be a thing of the past. You will be able to monitor the connection from the main system and your network will be steady. Although it involves a lot to have a successful colocation, you will need to have the colocation packages required to achieve desired results.

In the event of disasters, heavy storms and earthquakes, your server will still be steady, stable and function perfectly well. The location of the server during server colocation is the only reason why they will not be shaken by anything adverse. This is the perfect reason to have clients on your site, as it can never go down, hence you will make a lot of money if it is a business site.

Companies that are offering server colocation services have the necessary tools and equipment needed for the completion of the work. Furthermore, they also employ qualified personnel who will ensure that colocation is implemented perfectly and successfully. The equipment provided are special to regulate the temperatures. The temperature regulating gear is crucial in terms of preventing overheating of the computers. They will also make sure that the network access is good and secured, as well as making your business to prosper.

Your internet site will be constantly monitored to be certain you do not encounter any problems. The physical security will also always be in place for you after the colocation to ensure that your internet is fast and stable. When you are through with the colocation, it will be simple and easy to manage the small problems with the assistance of a project manager.

The internet site will never be offline or need reloading if you have colocated the servers. Many natural problems might affect your server but with colocation, the problems will be history. The majority of companies that provide server colocation services have power back-up generators in case of a black-out. With this added benefit, you will always be online thus making more than any other person without such a service in place.

Colocation ensures that you have access to multiple monitoring tools that will assist you in managing your site. The tools are extremely crucial for detecting if the internet is down and react immediately to restore it.

As a business gradually grows and expands, it may find that it needs to move into a larger facility. Storing data in-house can result in a company having to shut down its servers and, thus, its business for relocation. For a business this can be devastating if it relies heavily on its IT infrastructure. With colocation in place, that business can relocate while leaving its servers running the entire time.

The post Colocation Basics & Benefits appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

The Advantages of Data Center Colocation

Inking a colocation agreement can provide your business with a plethora of benefits. The immediate benefits of data center colo include:

• 99.99% Network Availability
• Redundant Power Sources
• Facilities are Monitored by Security Staff

These three benefits alone can help justify the move to colocation services. Many organizations will struggle with meeting these requirements when building out a data center onsite, thus making an offsite data center an attractive option.

Business Advantages Gained by Data Center Colocation

The decision on where to host your IT infrastructure can transform your business. For example, if you host your infrastructure onsite, your organization must provide redundant network circuits, redundant power sources and a robust environmental control system to keep your server room cool and the humidity at an acceptable level.

When you think about the overhead your business must expend in efforts to achieve these tasks alone, making the move to an offsite data center can begin to sound like an easy decision. Some organizations face strict compliance standards that force them to implement advanced environmental monitoring. For example, many onsite data centers are required to have standing water sensors, door alarms, and fire suppression systems. Many businesses must also pay to have these systems serviced and certified on a regular basis. Some industries require that onsite datacenters meet a strict set of compliance guidelines such as HIPAA or PCI-DSS.

When organizations offload these tasks to a data center colocation provider, the main focus of the organization will shift back to providing value to the client, not building, maintaining and deploying data center infrastructure.

Data Center Colocation: A Turn-Key Solution?

Many organizations have adhered to the risk-averse methodology of storing data onsite rather than using a data center colocation provider. Unfortunately, building out a small onsite data center can be costly and labor intensive. Organizations face significant infrastructure costs when maintaining onsite data centers. This is why data center colocation continues to be a popular solution for businesses wanting to expand their IT infrastructure. Colocation is a turnkey solution because businesses can buy as much cabinet space, bandwidth and power resources that they need. Best of all, unlike a cloud solution, your business owns the hardware. This can be advantageous because if your organization ever needs to physically upgrade or replace the machine, your business can elect to pay a “Remote Hands” technician at the data center to perform the task. Alternatively, you can simply send your own technicians to the data center to recoup or service the equipment. Otherwise, you can always elect to have the equipment shipped to your office. The bottom line is that your business owns all the equipment that it puts in the data center.

Robust Network Connectivity

If you’ve ever performed a traceroute command to one of your favorite websites, you’ll likely see your packets travel through a network of telecom providers that are strategically located in large data center facilities all throughout the world. When you host your infrastructure within these facilities, your websites and your line of business applications will likely have a much shorter path to travel thus making your services more accessible and more reliable. Alternatively, data center colo providers often have dozens of telecom providers that run dark fiber into these facilities giving businesses the advantage of being able to rely on the data center’s network of redundant circuits. This is one of the ways colo providers are able to offer 99.99% network availability uptime guarantees.

Fun fact: The Ponemon Institute says that data center downtime costs the average company $9,000 per minute.

Transforming Businesses with Colo Services

Information technology should help you do business, not be the focus of your business. Managed colocation services are becoming a more popular solution for businesses because the agreement provides many of the guarantees a business would gain from onboarding additional IT talent for a fraction of the cost. This allows businesses to focus their resources on pursuing leads and making sales versus managing servers, switches and IT infrastructure. When you collocate your IT resources, you can begin to craft a more holistic approach to the way you deploy services to your end users.

For example, do you wish to implement a “Work from Home” or “Bring Your Own Device” policy? Hosting your IT infrastructure in a public facing data center could provide your end users with a much more reliable experience. Building out your infrastructure is a simple and predictable way to help deploy your infrastructure. If you only need half a cabinet, you can simply ink an agreement for 20Us of rack space. If you need more, you can simply request a new contract and connect your colo deployments using a route-based VPN with your firewall or network security devices.

How do you know if colo services are right for your business? Just crunch the numbers to see if they make sense for what your business is trying to accomplish. Colocation services can be utilized in a number of different manners including production infrastructure hosting, web application hosting or disaster recovery deployments. When you buy a contract for a colocated data center, you essentially have a blank canvas. The big advantage is that businesses no longer need to make the capital investment in building out their own data centers since the science of operating data centers has been largely solved by data center colo providers.

Can data center colo provide a win for your business? Find out more on our Data Center Colocation page.

The post How Data Center Colocation is Transforming Business appeared first on Wowrack Blog.