Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

February 16, 2010

Colocation Web Hosting - Optimal Solution for Business Owners

One of the most unique and least common forms of web hosting is colocation hosting. With a colocation web hosting plan, your server is housed at a safe data storage facility, where it is protected by maximum security and supervised by a team of professionals. The data centers that house these servers are specifically designed for this purpose, and are equipped with all of the equipment need to facilitate secure and stable web hosting. The severs housed at these facilities actually belong to the business owners, and are not being lease in any way.  Colocation web hosting is a way for online business owners to store their private servers in a secure location. While there are distinct advantages to colocation web hosting, it is not for everyone. The following information should help you decide if colocation web hosting is right for you.

Bandwidth

Since the bandwidth in a colocation center is shared amongst many servers, the cost of the bandwidth is reduced. Although it may sound as if there are limited server resources in this scenario, the fact is the network of servers allow for virtually infinite bandwidth if needed. While colocation hosting is slightly similar to managed hosting, with colocation hosting you have the ability to upgrade your server resources whenever you see fit. Another bandwidth advantage of colocation hosting is the fact that your internal network will be freed up, since all of your site's bandwidth is being given by the colocated server.

Data Protection

Colocation centers have special measures in place to prevent the loss of data during emergency events such as power outages. This superb backup protection makes colocation hosting an optimal solution for large business website owners. Colocation centers also are completely secure, and are fire-proof, thereby preventing the physical damage of data servers as well. There have been instances where thousands of dollars and priceless information has been lost due to poor data backup and data loss prevention. If you have been a victim of such as situation, or if you want to prevent such an occurrence, then you may want to consider colocation hosting.

Overall Cost

Although the above attributes are appealing to any business owner, you must consider your budget when choosing colocation hosting. With colocation hosting, you'll be required to pay for the server itself, and the data rack space within the colocation center. While this initial cost may set you back a few thousand dollars, it may be considered worth it for some individuals whom absolutely need a secure server environment. Unlike most web hosting plans, the cost of a colocation plan will vary greatly depending on the amount of server resources used on a monthly basis.

Conclusion

Colocation hosting is perhaps the most superior form of web hosting for an online business owner. However, it is therefore the most costliest solution as well. Since there are viable alternatives that offer nearly the same amount of protection, you may want to consider another form of hosting, unless your company demands nothing but the best. Ultimately, the choice will depend upon the needs of your online business, and your willingness to invest a substantial amount for server security.

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