Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

October 30, 2009

Is Cheap Colocation the Right Move for You?

The reason businesses move their equipment to a colocation facility is usually because they require the ultimate in stability, security and availability.  Multiple high-speed internet backbones, advanced security systems, redundant power and cooling are elements they often cannot afford to maintain internally.  While these services offer many promises, it is vital to know that not all colocation solutions are created equal.  There are companies providing low-cost services that help you save money, but put the performance and security of your systems at risk..  If you plan to take the “cheap” route with colocation, you will need to pay close attention to ensure you are not being shortchanged in several critical areas.

Server Monitoring

Monitoring goes a long way in ensuring the maximize uptime.  In order to be effective, it must be performed on a 24/7 basis.  Unfortunately, some colocation providers don’t have the financial resources to facilitate the adequate monitoring of your servers, essentially leaving you vulnerable to a wide range of performance and availability issues.  A reputable provider will offer a facility complete with circuit-level power as well as reliable systems to monitor your servers and the network itself.  Without them, the company will have a difficult properly identifying and responding to problems when they arise.

Technical Support

Many colocation hosting providers offering cheap services cut corners where ever they can.  The area that often suffers the most is support.  Because it costs to keep skilled personnel onsite, these companies try to operate remotely, but only end up increasing the risk of downtime and other technical problems.  Just like monitoring, support is a crucial service that must be provided around the clock.  The best hosts give you access to a 24-hour support line where onsite staff can be reached.  All the cost savings in the world are not worth it when the support provided by the hosting firm is next to non-existent.

Onsite Security

Good onsite security is another aspect that cannot be guaranteed when taking the low road.  The facility you choose must be equipped with 24/7 onsite security in order to keep the sensitive data on your hardware safe.  It is very difficult for an inadequately funded company to purchase and implement secure card-based access systems, multi-layer video surveillance cameras and other features needed to ensure the protection of the facility.  While expensive to acquire, these security elements are a must in any data center environment.  In the end, these companies only costing themselves, and can take you down with them if you choose to put a super-low price over quality.

Conclusion

A complete colocation facility can be more difficult to find than you may assume.  One thing is certain, there are more than enough companies offering cheap services out of data centers that are simply sub-par.  Instead of doing what they can to ensure the highest level of reliability, they are more concerned with making their prices as low as possible to outdo the competition and fluff their wallets.

Tags: technical support,  server monitoring,  security systems,  redundant power,  onsite security,  internet backbone,  Colocation Hosting,  colocation facility,  colocation