Choosing a Colocation Center that Fits your Needs

If you’ve decided to migrate your data center infrastructure to the cloud, there’s a good chance you’re also considering a move to a colocation center as part of your solution. If so, make sure you cover all your bases in selecting a provider that meets your requirements and provides you the assurance that they’re running at optimal levels of uptime.

Take a look at some of the most important things you should consider when partnering with a colocation center:

Location

Make sure the building is in a zone that is not prone to natural disasters or other events. If you’re maintaining your infrastructure on your own site or using multiple providers, make sure they’re far enough apart to ensure they’re not both impacted by a natural event because of their proximity to each other.

Building

Does the building offer a high level of security? Does it provide you with the capability to grow without seeking another provider?Ask the colocation center to spell out all security measures. Are the cooling systems and other equipment up to date and efficient?

Certifications

Does the colocation have certifications for infrastructure, uptime and compliance in your industry? These are all important in determining whether the colocation center is equipped to keep you operational as well as in compliance.

Network access

The facility also should have multiple network providers to ensure that you have backup protection as a client.

Innovation

Is the colocation provider aggressive in seeking out new methods, best practices, equipment and technologies in data center operations? It’s important that you find a provider that is able to present you with options that keep up with the demands of your company.

Customer service

Of course, customer service that fits your needs is a must. Talk to the colocation provider about different scenarios and how much access you will have to the staff in the event you have questions or issues.

Lifeline Data Centers, a colocation center headquartered in the Midwest, provides services to companies in a wide range of industries as well as a variety of demands. Contact us to start a conversation on how we can meet your data center needs.

Other resources:

• Infographic: The 22 Data Center Compliance Acronyms You Need to Know
• White Paper: Why Data Center Compartmentalization is Important
• Lifeline One Sheet: What You Need to Know About Lifeline Data Centers

Rich Banta

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Rich is responsible for Compliance and Certifications, Data Center Operations, Information Technology, and Client Concierge Services. Rich has an extensive background in server and network management, large scale wide-area networks, storage, business continuity, and monitoring. Rich is a former CTO of a major health care system. Rich is hands-on every day in the data centers. He also holds many certifications, including: CISA – Certified Information Systems Auditor CRISC – Certified in Risk & Information Systems Management CDCE – Certified Data Center Expert CDCDP – Certified Data Center Design Professional