What to Look for When Choosing a Data Center

Location is one of the biggest factors in choosing a data center, but it doesn’t matter in quite the way you’d expect. Learn why location is important and how to select a data center for colocation that’s not only well located, but secure and convenient for all your business needs.

Location

If you are considering to colocate in a data center, chances are you know that you need to store your data offsite for redundancy purposes. If all of your business data is stored on premises, you risk of losing it all in a fire or flood. Yet colocation shouldn’t necessarily mean nearby; if your data is stored in your region, you risk losing access during region-wide power outages or natural disasters. For this reason, many businesses like to select a data center located in another region or time zone. They still have a local backup if it’s needed, but they know their data is securely located somewhere they can access it in case of emergency.

Security

Security is one of the most vital considerations for a data center, and it is out of your hands. Since your organization may have compliance requirements regarding data storage, it’s important to ask about security features and protocols when viewing options and select a data center that offers security features capable of scaling with your data storage needs. At minimum, you will need both technology, such as threat mitigation and deterrence, and physical security features, which include surveillance cameras, locks, and physical access control.

Scalability

The idea data center will have enough storage capacity and bandwidth for your current and future needs. Project your company’s growth over the next three to five years and choose a facility that can accommodate this, such as one with flexible service plans based on the level of storage required. As well, consider adopting a data center infrastructure management software. A DCIM software will allow you to monitor the health of your IT assets that are colocated within a data center, along with optimizing capacity and reducing costs.

Customer Service

Customer service may not be the first thing that comes to mind until a problem goes wrong and data center staff are off duty. Before you sign with a service provider, verify the hours for both daytime customer service and emergency support. This way, when there is an issue you know exactly who to call and can assign roles and responsibilities accordingly.

Reputation and Reliability

If a data center meets all of the above requirements, it’s quite likely a good fit for your colocation needs. However, take the time to verify the company’s reliability and reputation among other businesses in your niche. It may be better to pay for a reliable company than select a cheaper but newer data center that is not vetted.

By paying attention to these five variables, you can review data centers without getting overwhelmed by the options, select a few possibilities that have the capacity and security features your company needs, and compare candidates to find the best fit. This is an important part of a disaster recovery plan that is essential for all businesses, so do not delay on picking out a data center for business continuity purposes.