Highly Sustainable & Energy Efficient Colocation Solutions

When it comes to choosing where to house networking equipment and servers, most businesses decide to keep it within their own building. While this may work fine for some businesses, others may find it challenging to pay for the energy needed to allow the servers to work at maximum capacity or to even provide the necessary security measures. This is why more and more companies are choosing colocation solutions. If colocation is something you’re interested in exploring, keep reading to learn more about how it works.

What Exactly Is Colocation?

Data centers offer colocation hosting, which means they offer spaces for companies to lease in order to house their servers. The servers hosted in the data centers are completely owned by the customers and they can make changes as needed. But because the servers are hosted by the data center, the data center is responsible for keeping the hardware secure. Any maintenance or changes that have to be made are completed by the client rather than the data center. Overall, colocation is a great option for companies that own their own hardware and software but do not have the proper storage conditions for them—the colocation providers offer environmental management when companies lack the resources to provide it themselves.

How Can Businesses Benefit From Colocation Services?

There are endless benefits to choosing a colocation solution. One big benefit of choosing colocation services is security. The chosen hosting company will provide a variety of security measures, which could include things like cameras, special locks, and identification protocols in order to access the servers. Companies that choose colocation can rest assured that their hardware and software will be safe.

Additionally, customers can benefit from the managed environment data centers provide for their servers. Colocation areas will have cooling systems to prevent overheating, using a backup generator to avoid problems if the power goes out, and keeping the servers away from anything that could cause issues, like moisture and direct sunlight.

Companies that choose colocation solutions can also have access to flexible resources so they can grow their servers to match their needs. Rather than trying to find additional room within their own business infrastructure, companies can simply communicate with their colocation host and expand their network as needed.

Another major benefit, and often a deciding factor when choosing a colocation solution, is that colocation can be a more sustainable, energy-efficient option. Many colocation hosts prioritize sustainability and build facilities to reflect this—with the right engineering solutions, colocation hosts can drastically reduce their energy use while still allowing networks to function as they should. Energy efficiency can be achieved by thinking about long-term solutions, getting certifications, and experimenting with new designs.

Tips For Choosing A Colocation Host

There are a few important considerations to keep in mind when looking for a colocation host. Security is certainly a priority, so companies should always inquire about the hosts’ security protocols to ensure they feel comfortable with the amount of physical protection offered. Additionally, customers should consider how easily they can physically access their equipment if they need to make repairs or changes. Companies should also think about the space the host offers—do they efficiently use the space? Is there room for expansion in the future? Is the area physically protected from harmful external elements? These are all important questions to keep in mind. And lastly, it’s essential to consider how sustainable the host is.

Energy efficiency should be a big deciding factor—while there are hosts out there that don’t focus on energy reduction, resulting in higher operating costs and excessive energy use, there are many hosts that prioritize energy efficiency. In order to get lowered costs and benefit the environment, companies should look for sustainable colocation hosts whenever possible.

As more and more companies expand their networks and focus on reducing power usage and expenses, colocation is becoming increasingly popular. So if your business is looking for a better place to house your servers, consider looking into local colocation hosts.