For organisations new to the idea of placing their IT infrastructure in a colocation data centre facility, it can be tricky to define what needs to be considered to obtain the maximum benefit.
As colocation services become an increasingly critical element in many organisations’ IT set up or within their developing digital transformation strategy, now is a great time to gain a better understanding.
There are many clear benefits to moving your IT infrastructure off premise, including a reduced maintenance burden, enhanced security, and the ability to leverage the providers’ economies of scale (e.g. favourable power agreements). However, realising these benefits hinges on selecting a dependable and accredited colocation partner.
If you’re looking for more than just a space to house your infrastructure, choose a partner that has a proven track record of supporting digital transformation projects. Ideally, they should also offer comprehensive lifecycle services to assist with your transformation and migration.
As industry experts we live and breathe colocation, so we thought we’d shed some light by addressing some of the most commonly asked questions on the topic.
Yes, and no … Knowing that your IT equipment and workloads are being placed outside your own premises can feel unsettling and an instinctive reaction might be to opt for whichever facility is on the doorstep, regardless of its quality and the type of colocation on offer. Whilst proximity is important (no one wants their engineers spending hours travelling to make key adjustments to the set up), it’s equally vital to consider other factors such as:
All of this means that whilst location is a factor, it’s more important to choose a provider that offers the right combination of services, security and reliability – not just the one that’s closest to you.
By design, our three colocation data centres are strategically located across two campus sites in two of the most economically active regions of the UK, enabling us to meet the colocation needs of businesses operating in these thriving areas.
One of the biggest deterrents for businesses looking to utilise colocation is the migration process but moving your infrastructure needn’t be daunting. A good colocation partner should make the process seamless and (relatively) stress-free.
At Datum, our service management is one of our key strengths. We work in partnership with our clients, supporting them every step of the way to ensure a smooth transition. Whether it’s a digital transformation project or an IT restructure, working with a trusted colocation provider offering relevant supporting services can make all the difference.
It’s a common misconception that moving your data ‘out of sight’ automatically equals risk in terms of security. If you choose the right partner with both trusted and proven security credentials, your data should become more secure than is generally possible in an on-premise data suite.
At Datum, our two campus locations – Farnborough and Manchester – are designed with exceptional security in mind.
Not with us, you won’t! We offer flexible support tailored to your needs, whether you require full autonomy or hands-on assistance. Our services include remote hands for when your engineers can’t be on site, as well as ongoing monitoring and maintenance. If you simply want to use our facilities as a secure location for your equipment, managed by your IT team as needed, that’s absolutely fine. However, if you’d prefer us to take a more active role in supporting your infrastructure, we’re here to help.
Colocation can form an integral part of a hybrid IT strategy when it is used alongside and connected to cloud to meet the needs of different workloads. By adopting a hybrid IT strategy and leveraging colocation, you get the flexibility and accessibility of a cloud solution combined with the security and scalability of a data centre – in other words, the best of both worlds.
The only way to really understand what a data centre is offering is to see it for yourself. It’s by visiting in person that you get to fully appreciate the quality and capabilities of the facilities. We are proud to operate one of only two brand-new data centres in the Manchester area, delivering state of the art performance and efficiency coupled with our comprehensive service offering to help our clients achieve their goals. And construction is already underway on a brand-new data centre adjacent to our flagship FRN1 facility in Farnborough, further expanding our capacity to support your needs. Get in touch to book your visit.