Recent research shows that the data center market in the US will have more than $69 billion in revenues by 2024. With the growing technologies, the increase in the number of data centers doesn’t come as a surprise. So, what is a data center?
A data center is a structure housing several networked computer servers. Governments and businesses use these servers to store, process and distribute large amounts of data. Data centers are an invaluable part of any growing business.
If you’re thinking about safe storage for your data, data center services are ideal. But with the inexhaustible options available, making the decision isn’t as straightforward. Keep reading to know what to consider when choosing data center services.
1. Location
Data center location is one of the critical considerations when choosing a data center for your business. The location encompasses several other factors such as geological risks. You can either go for off-site or in-house options.
Each of the options has its cost considerations, benefits, and shortcomings. For an in-house setup, the servers are within your premise. You might only need to pay for the maintenance of the data center.
Conversely, the off-site center is in a different location from your business. The site should be close enough for your IT team to visit when the need arises. It would help to consider a place where power access is convenient.
2. Scalability
If you hope to expand your business within the next few years, getting a data center that will accommodate your growth is essential. Before settling for a provider, analyze whether the center can meet your future business needs. The last thing you want is to stretch your business resources as your data escalates.
Flexibility should be consistent with scalability. With the changing business landscapes, having a rigid data center can be limiting. Work with a service provider who has a clear flexibility plan in place. With such features, you don’t have to keep changing data centers to fit your growing business needs.
3. Get a Well-Equipped Data Center
When shopping for data center services, it would help to make physical visits to the location. Ensure that your identified center has all the equipment to make data management successful. More importantly, confirm if the center has backup solutions for power, fire emergency, and HVAC.
Absence of power backup can potentially affect the storage and distribution of data. But with credible firms such as Industrial Motor Power Corporation, you can get unlimited options for data center power backup. When you go for a center with a robust disaster recovery plan, you’ll save yourself the frustrations of data loss.
You might need to know the condition of other equipment such as routers, switches, servers, and computing hardware. Their functionality should be one of the considerations when examining the equipment. A well-equipped data center should serve most of your data management needs.
4. Reliability
Reliability is a major factor when selecting a data center. Accidents are inevitable; yet, your data center should ensure that data remains accessible regardless of the situation. Failure to which, you might face unimaginable losses in your business.
Issues such as power outages shouldn’t be a cause for downtime. Check out for partners who have exceptional expertise and meet all the industry standards, particularly on reliability. The Service Level Agreement ensures that providers meet the clientele’s needs.
Most of the well-equipped data centers are reliable. If the center has an adequate backup for most services, you can rest easy.
5. Reputation
While you can’t get a perfect data center, be wary of a site that has numerous negative reviews. A center can have an irresistible marketing image but still deliver poor services. Go an extra mile to know more about the quality of service provision.
Fortunately, you can execute a background check from the comfort of your office. Online testimonials and reviews are a great starting point. When you check feedback from clients, you can know if the site you’ve identified will meet your company’s needs.
Working with referrals is a sure way of getting a reputable data center. However, it would be wise to make further research as feigning positive reviews is not new.
6. Security
One of the widely reported data breaches was the case of Capital One, where a hacker accessed personal data of more than 100 million people. The data consisted of bank account information and social security numbers. Data theft is a concern for most businesses.
Security is a factor you can’t afford to ignore when sourcing for a data center. You want to have your data in a place where the security measures in place can’t be compromised. While hackers invent new tactics daily, it would be reasonable to choose a site that seems secure.
Physical security features such as video surveillance and security personnel are as crucial as cybersecurity efforts. Data center services have sensitive information and investing in overall security should be a given.
7. Connectivity
The network infrastructure of any data center plays a critical role in its functionality. Small data centers might consider a single bandwidth provider, which in turn gets the bandwidth from a reliable regional provider. However, the most reliable and fastest data centers have a direct connection with major bandwidth providers.
Choosing a data center with direct connectivity gives you a level of assurance. With such an arrangement, outages are unlikely. What’s more, the level of reliability and efficiency is commendable.
But you might need to dig deeper into your pocket for the latter option. The choice is dependent on the size of your data and your budget.
When Searching For Data Center Services, the Safety of Your Data Needs To Be a Priority
Data management can be a pain if you don’t have the right systems in place. With the many operations within your business, outsourcing for data center services is an option you won’t regret. Nonetheless, there are several factors you ought to consider before settling for a specific data center site.
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