January 29, 2023

There are many reasons companies have a data center in a facility that is owned and managed by the company itself. These “on-premise” (on-prem) data centers can be older legacy data centers or maybe are placed in close proximity to end-users for performance among other reasons.

When a business has outgrown their data center, or has issues with power, cooling, roof leaks, generator maintenance and other such pain points, other options begin to be discussed.

In many cases a colocation data center may make sense.

Moving from an owned on-prem data center to a colocation data center can have numerous benefits. Here are some of the reasons why it may make sense:

  • Reduced Energy Costs: Colocation data centers typically have more advanced and energy-efficient infrastructure, reducing energy consumption and costs for businesses.
  • Improved Scalability: Colocation data centers can provide businesses with the ability to easily scale their operations without having to invest in new infrastructure.
  • Enhanced Reliability: Colocation data centers are usually built with robust and redundant systems, ensuring high availability, and minimizing the risk of downtime.
  • Increased Security: Most Colocation data centers have strict security measures in place, providing businesses with a secure environment for their data and equipment.
  • Enhanced Sustainability: Many Colocation data centers are designed with sustainability in mind and employ practices such as efficient cooling and energy management systems, which can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a business.
  • Access to Expertise: Colocation data centers many times employ experienced technicians who can manage the data center infrastructure, freeing up business IT resources to focus on more strategic initiatives. Combine this with a managed service provider (MSP) and many aspects of running the data center can be outsourced.
  • Flexible Contracts: Colocation data centers offer flexible contracts that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of a business, reducing the risk of over-investment in infrastructure.

In conclusion, moving an owned data center to a colocation data center can bring significant benefits in terms of energy efficiency, scalability, reliability, security, and sustainability. With the help of experienced technicians and the ability to scale operations as needed, businesses can focus on their core competencies, leaving the data center operations to the experts.

Altus can assist your company to determine if a colocation data center makes sense for your business needs, and should you decide it does, can help with all areas of colocation from formulating a timeline, budget, and strategy, and guide the complete process of moving in order to safely relocate your data center.

A good start may be a look at Workload Placement or a Data Center Roadmap.