You’ve decided it’s time to make some changes with your data center, but you have some concerns. Perhaps you’re worried about security, growth, or you just want something more reliable when it comes to your data, but now you’re faced with multiple options and a major decision.
In the planning phase for a project of this magnitude, there are many things to consider including concerns for capacity, reliability, control, privacy, and more. Is it better to build a data center for yourself, or share one and go down the colocation path? On top of these complex issues, the day-to-day demands of running an IT-focused business keep marching on. The more time you spend in the planning phase, looking at sites, comparing costs, and predicting how the business will scale for growth, is less time you are spending on addressing the needs of your actual customers.
Co-location
Although colocation (“colo”) may seem like an attractive option, you need to think about costs and control. A colocation strategy might be saving money in terms of energy and setup costs, but in the end you will be paying for it when it comes to provider service charges. In fact, you may be paying more in the way of service charges to the point that it would be more expensive than paying for your own data center. Control is another major factor to keep in mind. Going the colocation route will ultimately leave you with less control over your data. Since you are not the owner of the data center, you are subject to regulations that could restrict access during certain days and times, inevitably slowing down the speed at which you can make changes and business decisions with your data.
Building your own
Another option you may be considering is building your own data center. It’s a seemingly empowering and strategic move, but you will need to educate yourself in many different areas to pull this off. For instance, finding the right site location for the data center may seem easy enough, but unless you are well-versed in real estate and property purchasing, there will be many headaches in your future. Keeping costs down, capacity concerns, construction costs, taxes, and equipment are just a few buckets of importance in building your own data center that result in less time spent on your business and customer needs.
A third option? – Custom-Built Data Centers
Custom-built data centers from a team of experts may be your best option for several reasons. By customizing your data center from the ground up, you have an investor-friendly option that allows you to choose the design, location, and size that meet your specific requirements. By leveraging a team who specializes in these types of builds, you’ll ultimately have more control and security over your data, save money where it counts, and have the flexibility and scalability for growth moving forward.
Consider all options before diving into a new solution for your data center. What seems like the best or most attractive option for some organizations, may not always be the best fit for yours.
software and metering devices so that your data center managers can learn from the data. Collecting and archiving company-wide power-usage data allows the data center management team to perform analysis or failures, fine-tune energy management methods, and address potential maintenance issues.
