Choosing a Colocation Service

You are actually entrusting your Web server to another company if you decide to get into a colocation service. That is why you should be very careful and cautious when choosing a colocation service provider. You would need a server that is reliable and trustworthy because your IT requirements are at stake. You simply could not choose just about any provider that comes your way.

You should be familiar of certain factors. First, determine if the service is managed or unmanaged colocation. Colocation service is simply more costly than normal Web hosting. But it is something your business needs. Managed colocation is more expensive than unmanaged colocation. That is because the provider is committed to provide everything from tools, software, and applications to maintenance of the server. Unmanaged colocation is less costly but you need to be more technically adept because you would be responsible for your own server usage. However, it could give you more flexibility.

Other factors need to be considered. The first is facility. Know where the server would be physically located. Under a colocation service agreement, you do not need to have a space for storing your server. The provider would take care of it. You would be like renting that space for your co-owned server.

Be particular about the physical infrastructure. You know that natural disasters could inevitably occur. You have to make sure the server as well as all the data contained is always kept safe and free from any physical harm from the environment. The security and access to the server is also important. You certainly would not allow just anyone to get into the location of the server. It is important to be rest assured that the server location and storage facility would only be accessible to authorized personnel all the time to avoid possible sabotage.

Not all online connections are made equal. This is the reason why you should be particular about the bandwidth involved. Look at the IPs or Internet providers involved. If you intend to use features like private name servers, anonymous FTP, or game servers, you need to demand for multiple IPs. Your Web host must be checked so you could determine how many IPs provide servers, and of course at what cost.

Look at support options. This is particularly important regardless of what type of server hosting you use. Make sure personnel working on the servers are knowledgeable, reliable, helpful, and trustworthy. Find out about uptime guarantees provided. It is important that your server host set proper guarantees regarding performance of the Internet connection.

Find out about cross-connect service, which is a more advanced feature that comes with colocation. You could physically co-locate your Web server with a provider while at the same time you get an online connection service through another host. There could be additional costs, called the cross-connect fees.

Lastly, be particular about your colocation contract. Be reminded that the fine print is very important. Do not overlook terms of the service, contract duration, fees, and uptime guarantees.

Colocation Service is a post from: Colocation Service

Colocation is a very important thing to have for many businesses. It allows a business to outsource the infrastructure for its Internet business, extend its virtual reach, and focus on business. Colocation is especially important in today’s tough environment where saving money is nearly everyone’s priority.

Benefits:

Cheaper – Colocation is very cost effective and has higher bandwidth compared to a busine grade DSL. Reliable – Colocation facilities have better protection against outages.  So, after a large storm, a back up generator may not have enough power to keep your server running. No downtime - If you move, your server stays put. It will stay up and running the entire time. Security – It’s their job to protect your baby. They store and maintain your server in a secure environment. Have you even seen one of these facilities? It is like the type of building you see in James Bond movies. Service -  A colocation facility comes equipped with 24/7 operation and specialized expertise.

Usually colocation facilities give you two options either to bring your own hardware and management experience. Or some facilities acquire the servers and allow you to select which managed services best suit their needs.

You can find more facts about colocation hosting at www.myhostingreviews.com/colocation-hosting-facts.htm

A major problem that many businesses have is finding a colocation facility. There are some great companies that provide this service; Rackspace, Carpathia Hosting andTerrmark are all very reputable companies.

However, in this article I am going to lean toward the recommendation of Carpathia Hosting. I was just reading about a few benefits that they offer in response to customers needs for colo+, managed and optimization services. They created a “ColoConfigurator”, a tool for building hosting solutions.  They refer to this tool (which is free) as the Carpathia ColoConfigurator, or C3 for short. These tools make it easy for customers who are unsure of exactly what they need. It comes in two modes:  Expert or Wizard.  The C3 Expert is for those that already know their hosting requirements and the C3 Wizard is for those that need help building a custom hosting solution.
The C3 Wizard will take you through a five-step process, which includes planning, inventory, logistics, build and verification/testing. Carpathia will then contact you to discuss the best practice that’s right for you.

These are the benefits that make it easier than the rest;
•    Launch of methodology for on-boarding customers IT infrastructure to datacenters.  Five step process includes planning, inventory, logistics, build and verification/testing
•    Online wizard to help capture relevant information
•    Detailed proposal returned to customer within 2 business days including best practice for ensuring a safe migration to datacenter hosting
•    Discounted network, security and backup services offered for colocation customers.

For more details, here is where I found this information… press release

Before you choose a colocation facility it is important to do your research. It is important to check out their network architecture and the security levels they provide. An easy way to check up on a facility is through review sites such as, www.hostreview.com

Colocation is a very important thing to have for many businesses. It allows a business to outsource the infrastructure for its Internet business, extend its virtual reach, and focus on business. Colocation is especially important in today’s tough environment where saving money is nearly everyone’s priority.

Colocation: What, Why , Where is a post from: Colocation Service

Colocation allows you to manage data in more than a single place at the same time. This service is fit for businesses which handles a lot of data and is in need for these data to be stored and managed from time to time. This is one simple resource that will help companies unload too much storage from their own servers and bring convenience in data processing. If you get access to the right provider that can bring solutions to your data storage issue, server colocation will be a term that you will then come across.

There are a lot of benefits that one can look into when it comes to taking advantage of this kind of facility, however, for most small businesses – this is a must. To make sure that you will be able to maximize your benefits when it comes to a managed colocation service, it essential that you find the right provider that is capable of giving you the requirements you need when it comes to hosting, data management and other related stuff.

Deciding on which company you will opt to get the service from may be a challenging task at first, but after getting enough resources regarding the options available for you out there, you will surely be able to compare and get to decide which colocation provider will work for you.

The first thing that you should look into in finding the right provider that can provide you the right server colocation service that you need is knowing what the company’s background is. Of course you do not just settle with the spread of mouth but instead you need to do some research yourself to get an understanding what benefits you can get from this kind of service and which companies are the top players for such kind of industry.

Aside from checking the background of the company, it is also necessary that you know how much you can allot for taking advantage of this kind of service. However, you may not find an affordable choice when it comes to getting access to those server colocation companies who do have a reputation in this type of business, try looking for one that can provide you with every amp of power when it comes to performance and quality to service. This will lead you to get a service that is worth the value of the money you’ll be spending.

Utropicmedia.net colocation – While most other companies overload their servers, network and power grids, we have a simple concept of dedicated resources: The capacity we sell we do not resell. Every megabyte of disk, every megabit of bandwidth and every amp of power that is sold by Utropicmedia is assigned to the client that purchased it. That means while our prices may be higher than other providers there is no competition to the quality, reliability and performance that Utropicmedia provides

Colocation Firm Expedient to Open Data Center in Ohio
August 31, 2010 — Colocation and data center operator Expedient Communications announced on Tuesday it has opened a new data center in Columbus, Ohio.
Read more on Web Host Industry Review

Getting Access to the Right Server Colocation Service is a post from: Colocation Service

Colocation is a viable option for businesses that want the flexibility and freedom having their own data center without the added costs of building and hosting a site. While there are many advantages to using colocation such as price, owning your own hardware and software, and the convenience of hosting your server in someone else’s facility, there are a few drawbacks as well.

Small to medium-sized businesses with only one or a few locations may run into some problems that larger companies with multiple locations throughout the world do not face. Larger corporations have the advantage of having sites all over the world and large budgets. So if there’s a problem with their servers there’s a good chance there will be an employee nearby to take care of the problem. And if not, their budget will allow them to hire someone. Unfortunately smaller businesses don’t have the luxuries of being able to call on someone anytime of the day to take care of problems that might arise. Before you make a decision about whether or not colocation is for you, it’s important to have all the facts so you can make an informed decision.

One drawback is that colocation centers can be hard to find. For some people it’s important that your colocation facility is near your home or office. This way when it comes time to upgrade your server, you won’t have to drive 100km just to make a minor adjustment. Since they’re so rare, if you don’t live in or near a major city, it might be difficult to find a facility. Do your research and check around though. Smaller cities and suburbs often have host facilities as well.

Colocation is more expensive than basic Web hosting. However when you do a cost for cost analysis, it’s cheaper than having your own facility and it gives you many more options than simple Web hosting. If you need the extra services that come along with colocation such as controlling your own servers, higher bandwidth and reliable storage then colocation is a cost-effective solution.

Sometimes it might be difficult to access your server because you have to travel to another location rather than having it directly onsite. Other than taking the time to drive to the facility, this doesn’t end up being much of a problem. Most facilities are open 24/7. Some providers allow you to go in anytime using a special access card and key to your server. Other providers require you to be escorted into the facility for extra security. These facilities can also provide round-the-clock assistance as all you have to do is call up the facility at any time of the day or night and someone will be available to let you in.

If you move out the area, you’ll have to find a new colocation provider. That can be a bit of a hassle, but the move will be less expensive and easier than if you had to move an entire facility. Just make sure you move into an area that also has a colocation service provider otherwise you may have to look into different options.

Although more and more businesses are switching to colocation, it isn’t for everyone. It’s better to know exactly what you’re getting into before you make the transition. If you feel that you can deal with these minor drawbacks of colocation and increased bandwidth, faster service and more control is important to you, then colocation could be the ideal business solution for you.

Question by Zoltan D: Aku pengen tahu apa ada training mengenai perkutan Tower BTS utk Colocation ? Infonya dong ? ?
Info juga kalau ada software untuk menghitung struktur tower atau lebih spesifik software perhitungan perkuatan tower existing.

Best answer:

Answer by Kay08
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Add your own answer in the comments!

Is Colocation Good For You? is a post from: Colocation Service

There are few points which should be cared of when you are looking for Colocation servers. Follow some simple steps and get the best out of colocation services. First of all there are two type of Colocation services:   

Managed Colocation Center

Choose a managed colocation Data center if you are not technically skilled. If you have difficulties in managing all the software and technologies associated with Web Hosting then managed colocation center is the best option. In managed colocation centers all the hardware is managed by the data center staff on your behalf. These data centers will not only house your servers but also look after troubleshooting, maintenance  and everything else related is done by the data center staff. Fundamentally you rent a server from the colocation centers. Software installations, re-installations, upgrades is all done by data center itself. You will be free from responsibilities but you will be limited to the précised programs and software e.t.c. Before choosing a colocation center choose wisely considering all your requirements.

Unmanaged Colocation Center

A unmanaged colocation center is only take care of the housing and provide it with required infrastructure as racks. All other factors are taken care of from your side, like you have to provide your own servers, software e.t.c. On the first look this process looks completely disadvantageous as all the arrangements have to be done from your side and like maintenance, upgradation of the hardware or troubleshoot. However this sometimes proves beneficial for your business as you will be completely independent on choosing the type of software and hardware. Check the restrictions and look for the services which are best suited.

Managed and Unmanaged Colocation Services is a post from: Colocation Service

Cost Savings

To build and maintain the in-house requirements that your server demands can cost you valuable capital in facilities, Internet connectivity and maintenance personnel. Companies who offer colocation services already made the investment to provide these services so you can use your capital and time to focus on your core business.

Security

Most datacenters provide you with collocated server confidence and the critical information contained on the server is safe. Datacenters should be monitored 24-7. Your systems should be housed in a state-of-the-art datacenter, with redundant air cooling and filtering systems, designed to operate even in the event of a power failure. Datacenters should be located and built to withstand natural disasters, and other emergencies.

Connectivity

Since you are collocating, there is no sharing of bandwidth, RAM, or any other hardware allowing your server to run at its highest capacity. Some colocation companies offer redundant Internet connections and extremely high bandwidth provisions ensure that your information is readily accessible for your use or your customers use on demand. Because of high bandwidth provisions the response speed of your collocated server will be at a level higher than that of your customers ensuring a quick response.

Reliability

The life of hardware is extended by the climate controlled environment as well as the power conditioning. Server colocation hosting can allow you to access enterprise level backup, and monitoring tools. Colocation hosting can offer reliable power with clean, uninterruptible power, through a combination of multiple power grids, generators, and best-of-breed maintenance practices.

Location Independence

Building a datacenter is expensive and time consuming. You need to have the right amount of knowledge and pay staff to control your datacenter. If you are part of a growing small to medium-sized business, chances are your company may need to move to a larger building or office in the future. With your server collocated, a physical business can move smoothly.

Increased Flexibility

Colocation offers you the flexibility to upgrade and grow your technology requirements as your business grows without having to make additional capital investments. As you budget for changes, they can happen.

Game-Hosting provides hosting services for companies looking to bring their games online. TelecityGroup’s data centres provides a stable power platform and a secure site for their equipment.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

The Benefits of Colocation Hosting is a post from: Colocation Service

Colocation services means, you can place your web servers inside data center infrastructure, this is an ultimate choice to secure server hardware from any natural disaster as well as security concerns. Many people who belong with in online business now switching on this service. After all maintaining server equipments under own place is not a good deal any damage can be occur . With this services you will get high bandwidth availability and backup power, So your Website availability on Internet increasing superbly and perform well as you expected. Even colocation servers are the cost effective solution for todays online businesses.

In colocation services, you have to pay for rack space and Internet connection, normally you will get 1 U, 2 U, and 4 U rack mount or blade servers. Also, as per your requirements, you can select quarter, half, or full rack cabinets to colocate you server equipments. Here you need pay for electrical service up to certain amount of voltage and ampere. Also you have to pay fees for bandwidth use, but you do not have to worry because with colocation servers you can avoid the standard web hosting charges. Although once your server configured, you will get IP address and connectivity instructions from your data center hosting provider. So you can enable your Website applications that are installed on your colocation server.

Colocation Servers are the best platform for large organizations, because this is a cost effective solution to them, to keep their multiple servers under strong data center infrastructure. Also they will get the full administrative access over their servers. The flexibility and reliability of this service allows you to control your server and applications. While data center hosting providers colocation team will takes care of monitoring and management of power, network connectivity and security. However,with colocation services you can enjoy the enhanced features of web hosting. With help of all these advantages you are able to concentrate only on your Website business.

know more about colocation services is a post from: Colocation Service

Colocation facilities allow businesses to outsource their network infrastructure by housing network equipment externally. If those colocation facilities are inadequate, your business suffers from downtime, damaged hardware, and lost business. The hallmarks of a quality colocation facility are capacity and redundancy for every major system.

n+1 and the Difference between Capacity and Redundancy

Despite how common colocation facilities are, there are no industry standards, regulations, or rankings available for colocation facilities. The only way to identify a good data center or to recognize the quality of services is to determine for yourself the capacity and redundancy of its services.

• Capacity means that the data center can handle both the current loads and reasonable load increases as the center expands.

• Redundancy is vital for performance but difficult to detect: it is the ability of any system for one unit to fail and then distribute that load across the remaining units without overloading.

Redundancy is calculated using the formula n+1, meaning a system has all the capacity it needs, plus one unit extra. For example, if there are two UPSs in the power system, they should both be running at maximum 50% capacity. If one fails, the other can take over without overloading. If there are three UPSs, then each can be at 66% capacity, and if one fails, its load can be distributed among the other two, and so forth.

Ideally, all systems will be paralyzing redundant; there are multiple units running in n+1 configuration, but any one unit can handle the entire building load in case of multiple unit failures.

Redundant Power

Redundant power systems are critical. A power outage knocks out cooling systems, fire suppression, and Internet connectivity at the colocation facility, takes down all hosted business networks, and can even damage server hardware. Check every step of transitioning from the power grid to generators:

• UPSs keep the colocation facility running while power is transferred to the generators. UPSs are computer-controlled devices, not just batteries, with hardware and software failures like other computer hardware, so any colocation facility must have more than one UPS.

• Circuit breakers or transfer switches automatically switch the colocation facility to generators. Switches are the most common point of failure during an outage and are usually manual; look for automatically-transferring circuit breakers.

• Generators must handle the total, regular facility load. Multiple generators can indicate a possibility of cascading power failures if one unit goes out because the generators are used for capacity rather than redundancy. One generator should be able to handle 1.5 times the regular building load.

Redundant Cooling

Servers produce a lot of heat, and a colocation facility can overheat within minutes without air conditioning. Colocation facility cooling systems never shut off, unlike regular climate controls such as standard HVAC equipment. Cooling is provided through chillers which pump cooled water through special server room cooling systems called computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units.

Like power systems, CRACs and chillers must be in an n+1 configuration, but capacity for chillers and CRACs is calculated somewhat differently. To determine capacity for each cooling component, take the total tonnage divided by the square footage. If there are four 30-ton chillers in a 3000 square foot facility, the total capacity is .040 tons/foot. The minimum advisable capacity is .025 tons/foot.

Redundant Internet Connectivity

Internet connectivity requires both redundant service and redundant hardware (routers and switches). Redundant service means that there are multiple Internet backbones available, at a minimum three and as many as six with Internet service routed among the different backbones for better reliability. This level of Internet connectivity ensures that the network stays reliable, with low latency and packet loss, even if major Internet backbones go down or equipment fails.

Question Everything

The only way to identify a quality colocation facility is to ask questions about every system. Although the power, cooling, and connectivity systems are different, the questions to ask are basically the same:

• What are the failover procedures? Are they tested regularly?

• What is the total load on the system?

• How many units are there? What is the total capacity?

• How much load is on an individual unit?

• Are the systems redundant?

• Are depletable resources like batteries and fuel maintained regularly?

Redundancy: the Key to a Quality Colocation Facility is a post from: Colocation Service

Michigan colocation usually involves some costs which are incurred by the firm providing the colocation services. Of course, since colocation is a business enterprise, profit has to be considered which means that the firm that is looking for these services has to offset the costs incurred by the service provider.

Many different enterprises, be they dealing with engineering, show biz, legal matters or even automobiles need to be hosting their own websites and servers. This generally implies that hosting a server will require you to make a very extensive start up investment in data technology such as by purchasing generators to be used to backup electric power in case of outages and also to secure the firewalls to your website to safeguard against spyware, malware, worms and viruses infringing in the privacy of the traffic flowing through your server.

The main purpose of a Michigan colocation service provider is to provide such crucial features at a much reduced cost, which goes a long way to substantially cut down the costs for bandwidths. A customer who is being serviced will usually find that the T1 lines at the provider’s are very secure and will learn to rely on them instead of opting for the more unreliable traditional connections which used to be done through cabling. This means that the customer’s data will be transferred faster with more security than would have happened in the traditional connections at a fractionated cost. It is also normal for the providers to have a backup generator hence the clients can rest assured that their data is secure 24 hours a day, seven days a week all year round.

Most firms tend to shift to Michigan colocation mainly due to the fact that their servers are offsite. However, to note is that such a shift can have a number of other advantages both in terms of the solutions to the hardware and the software. In cases where the client servers are being fixed, the colocator can reboot, replace or upgrade a server just appropriately. It will also provide the updates that are required for configuring the server and the software. This means that the IT people at the client’s firm will still be able to maintain the access to their machines for the purposes of troubleshooting and performing configuration. They will also be able to access whatever software platform that they are using be it Linux, ASP or Cold Fusion. Therefore, this will result in their having a pipeline that can be totally relied upon to relay their data at all times.

As a conclusion, colocation generally makes allowance for client firms to shift their budgets for their Information Technology needs only to their managers since the service providers will supply a complete set of solutions for software and hardware which will improve the performance of the client’s server and give a cost effective leeway to use to cut expenditure.

The Cost Of Colocation Services is a post from: Colocation Service