subject: Might I Need To Visit My Collocation Data Centre? [print this page] For most companies the better option is for a collocation hosting company to deal with their data and storing their servers. For this purpose, it would be necessary to visit the colocation datacenter. This is to make sure that the centre would be the right place for you to store your data and your server. With firsthand knowledge you can make a better choice, by following your instincts as well.
By touring the centre, you will see what co-location is at the company and whether it would be the place for you to store your data. Certain aspects are essential for a datacenter. You should have a salesperson with you for the discussion of the cost of various packages. You have to know what each package contains and compare the costs in order to make a choice.
You should also make sure that you have a technical staff member who would assist you by looking at the technical details. He or she would also be able to see that the required elements for your server hosting, are in place. It is especially the available space, which will give you a clue as to whether the company would give you valuable service.
The most important aspect of this type of data hosting is the fact that there should be excellent security and safety of your company data. You should have security access to the facility at all times. The property has to be protected against fire hazards. It should have an excellent monitoring system, manned by qualified technicians.
If the company makes an offer of hosting servers, they should provide you with a reputation of uptime. In other words, they need to make sure that the electricity feed is constant, that there is sufficient and efficient cooling, close monitoring, excellent security and other resources. This is information that cannot be obtained without a tour of the centre.
Another important aspect is that the system should have an excellent back-up system. It has to be backed up to the extent that there is no possibility of any data loss. It should also be assured that your files, information and data are always accessible as a result.
It would mean that your information should be available whenever you need it. The importance of this type of data storage is that you have to make sure that you visit the facility. This is to make sure that the company meet with all of the above requirements and that you have access to your server at all times.
It is a service that you would pay for and, hence, by visiting the facility you would be able to see whether they use state-of-the-art systems and how the company functions as a whole. An example of the latter would be that highly qualified technical staff would monitor the system.
You must know and get the feel of whether you can in fact follow your instincts in trusting the company to host your server. You can only get that information if you tour the facility.
