Frequently asked questions about data centre colocation

Moving your infrastructure from one location to another is an unappetising task but when your existing facility is no longer fit for purpose, the time will come when you can no longer avoid the challenge. Datum has experience of supporting our clients moving from in-house facilities, from other colocation providers and from a mix of locations. Our concierge service comes in two flavours, offering advice and practical support or full project management to ensure a smooth and successful transition.

Datum provides an accessible data centre that is outside the high risk M25 but connects your infrastructure with minimal latency to the City, the main connectivity hubs and cloud exchanges. Our location on a highly secure park provides the added assurance that the data centre is properly protected and we can even offer workplace recovery services to support your business continuity planning

Datum tries to keep pricing as simple as possible, splitting charges into two key areas:

• Monthly recurring rates which cover the ongoing use of the colocation service. To keep things clear and simple, Datum prices its service on power capacity and consumption.
• Non-recurring rates are single quoted charges for elements such as rack installation and set up, power connection in the form of tap-offs and PDUs, and potentially the set up of IP transit connections and cross connects.

For more information, take a look in our resources section ('Making Colocation Work': Volume 2 'Understanding What is Needed' and Volume 3 'Budgeting and Running Costs').

Datum's flexible colocation options range from a base entry quarter or half rack for start-ups or small businesses, through Edge Pods for edge computing, to full racks and suites. Larger clients may wish to build out an entire customised IT suite and, where required, have dedicated caged areas for additional levels of control.

Datum's client base includes organisations with very specific regulatory and security needs whose reasons for selecting us were due in no small part to the high levels of security and resilience we provide. We are located on Cody Technology Park, with stringent multi-level access controls, built-in resilience and key accreditations, which support the compliance and statutory requirements of clients who need higher than average security arrangements.

First and foremost, Datum's data centre sits within the controlled and managed Cody Technology Park, run by QinetiQ, providing stand-out protection from deliberate and accidental acts. Set within a secure perimeter fence, strict access controls are in place - entry to the Park is through manned gates with official photo ID required. In addition, multi-level access controls to the DC include biometrics, controlled entry pod, and strict key management to ensure that only those people nominated and authorised by the specific client have access to their racks. The Datum facility itself is manned by a Datum security officer 24x7x365 and is watched inside and out by high resolution cameras.

Datum has a broad choice of connectivity providers within the DC Meet Me Rooms to suit most clients' strategy and objectives for speed and resilience - but if your selected partner is not installed, Datum is carrier and cloud neutral and you may bring in your own providers.

Datum offers clients the concierge service to assist with and advise on both the planning and design of the installation. When it comes to the move, our engineers work alongside your team to facilitate the practical side of the transition. And for those clients who would like the reassurance of a full project management service, 'Concierge Plus' takes into account every element from auditing your current infrastructure to migration to set up.

For an overview of things you may need to consider, take a look at the resources section ('Making Colocation Work': Volume 4 'Planning the Move' and Volume 5 'Moving Day').

Most businesses adopt a hybrid strategy when it comes to cloud because different applications demand different solutions. Datum colocation can support your hybrid requirements with direct connects between your kit and private and public cloud platforms. Direct connections avoid potential internet issues of speed, reliability and security.

Datum's data centre offers highly resilient colocation. Built from the ground up to provide 2N power plus N+1 cooling, it is designed and fastidiously maintained to withstand any threat to the ongoing provision of power and cooling. Our 100% uptime SLA provides reassurance that the data centre can be relied upon to avoid downtime.

Datum offers commercial and practical flexibility - with flexible contracts and a choice of colocation options. This ensures our colocation suits your needs and enables you to plan ahead and roadmap expansion, taking your expected space without rigid commitment on the basis of a right of first refusal.

Datum Farnborough uses a free cooling design with flooded airflow. This method is environmentally efficient, uses ambient air, reduces PUE and improves the data hall working environment. Our design PUE is 1.25.

Datum clients may apply for a full QinetiQ pass to enable access through the manned gates 24x7x365. Once on site, the Datum security officer can permit access to the data hall subject to the individual being on the client's authorised access list.