subject: All About Colocation [print this page] All About Colocation All About Colocation
Colocation which is also known as managed hosting is a type of internet hosting where a company leases out an entire server to a client that is not to be shared with anyone. This is very good to the client as they have total control over the server which includes its operating systems. One also gets other benefits such as server administration on request from the company that has provided the server. With this, you are likely to run a more successful company. The servers are usually stored in data centers that provide power and HVAC systems.
There are three main factors you are supposed to look out before you get a dedicated internet colocation services. These are usually the cost, availability, and the familiarity levels of your employees. Your provider should not charge you for Linux or UNIX as these are supposed to be provided at no extra cost. There are however some commercial versions of the operating systems which you are charged on a monthly basis. You can compare different providers so that you can get the one with the best rates. But you can also get some systems such as Cent05 which are accessible from the open community for free.
The support of the systems heavily depends on the management levels which are offered by the server plan. With some of the systems you will get regular updates where you will be advised on the latest developments of the system and how you can get them. These will include service packs and security patches. Getting the updates help to take off the burden of managing the server from the owner. There are many duties that the owner of the server is entitled to where some of them include security audits, anti virus updates, load balancing, and program consultation among others.
The providers define their level of management according to the services that they provide. They can either choose to offer fully managed support where the customers are not in charge of anything and they do all the work. They can provide a medium level of management where the customers can perform various tasks and the management provides limited support. One can also choose to have a self managed system where you will provide most of the support systems and the providers will only do regular monitoring and maintenance. One can also get unmanaged services where the customers provide all the management services.
Security of the server is provided by the service provider regardless of the management level they are at. You should choose a company that practices efficient security measures so that you can be sure your data is safe. Providers should use the latest softwares and technologies to prevent viruses and hackers from getting into the system. This helps you to be more productive as you do not have to worry about a thing. Most providers will charge you on a monthly basis for managed hosting services.
