Steps to Choosing Colocation for Disaster Recovery

When taking on a disaster recovery (DR) plan for your company, you have numerous options. But one of your main objectives is moving data to a location where it can be secure while, at the same time, ensuring that your team can monitor the data or at least ensure its security.

While you could build an additional data center offsite, another viable alternative, as many companies have discovered, is using colocation as a cost-saving and effective solution. However, using a third-party service provider requires plenty of research on your part to ensure that you have the right fit.

Here are some of the things you should consider:

Analyze the location. Is it far away enough from your facility to ensure that, if a natural disaster strikes, you’re not in near proximity and facing the same challenges? Also check to see if it’s located in an area that has a low risk for natural hazards like flooding.

Ask about experience. You want to know if the provider has experience working with clients similar to yours in size and with similar challenges. Also check its track record for compliance and industry standards as well as its ratings for uptime. Don’t forget to ask for referrals.

Understand all fees. Make sure the company provides an extensive explanation of costs and fees as well as policies. Have your legal team or an attorney review the contract beforehand.

Ask about other services. Do you need experts outside of your company to manage your IT assets? Ask the provider if this is provided. Some colocation providers offer a wide range of services, while some are more focused on a particular area and need. Analyze your needs and choose a provider that best meets them.

Lifeline Data Centers has provided many clients in various industries with the resources they need to establish a disaster recovery plans as well as the solutions they require to return to operations. Contact us for more information about how we do it.

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

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.