Colocation Data Center
Protect your critical data with our secure and reliable Markham data center, backed by a family-owned commitment to security and peace of mind.
What is a Colocation Data Center?
A colocation data center is a strategic service that allows businesses to rent space for servers and other computing hardware at a third-party provider’s facility. Here, companies benefit from the existing infrastructure of a data center, including power, cooling, and networking resources, without the hefty investment and complexity of managing an in-house data center.
Colocation Data Center Types
Colocation is a service where businesses rent physical space within a data center to host servers and other IT equipment. There are several common types of colocation services typically offered by Colocation Data Center providers:
Rack space
Cage
Private Suite
Rack space
Cage
Private Suite
Wholesale
Cloud [Data Centers]
Managed
Wholesale
Cloud [Data Centers]
Managed
Colocation Data Center Features
Data center colocation facilities are equipped with features designed to provide businesses with a secure, reliable, and efficient environment for their IT infrastructure:
Physical Security Measures
Data colocation facilities typically offer robust physical security measures such as access control systems, surveillance cameras, and security personnel to safeguard the hardware and data housed within them.
Redundant Power Supply
Colocation providers ensure uninterrupted power supply through redundancy measures such as backup generators, UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems, and multiple power feeds from different sources.
Cooling and Climate Control Systems
Data centers maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels to prevent overheating and equipment failure, ensuring the efficient operation of servers and networking equipment.
Fire Suppression Systems
Advanced fire detection and suppression systems are in place to protect equipment and data from fire-related incidents.
Physical Space and Rack Cabinets
Colocation providers offer rack space and cabinets to accommodate servers and other hardware, with options for different rack sizes and configurations.
Network Connectivity
Colocation data centers offer high-speed internet connections and access to multiple network carriers to ensure reliable and fast connectivity.
Scalability Options
They provide flexible options for scaling up or down resources based on the changing needs of businesses.
Remote Access
Some colocation facilities offer remote access capabilities, allowing businesses to manage and monitor their equipment remotely.
Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
Colocation data centers may offer disaster recovery services, including data backup, replication, and failover solutions to ensure business continuity in case of emergencies.
Compliance and Certifications
Colocation data centers adhere to industry standards and certifications such as SSAE 18, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS to ensure data security and compliance.
24/7 Monitoring and Support
Colocation facilities are monitored 24/7 for security, power, cooling, and network performance. They also provide round-the-clock technical support to address any issues that may arise.
Remote Hands Support
Colocation providers typically offer remote hands services, allowing businesses to request onsite assistance for tasks such as hardware installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance without physically being present at the facility.
Physical Security Measures
Data colocation facilities typically offer robust physical security measures such as access control systems, surveillance cameras, and security personnel to safeguard the hardware and data housed within them.
Redundant Power Supply
Colocation providers ensure uninterrupted power supply through redundancy measures such as backup generators, UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems, and multiple power feeds from different sources.
Cooling and Climate Control Systems
Data centers maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels to prevent overheating and equipment failure, ensuring the efficient operation of servers and networking equipment.
Fire Suppression Systems
Advanced fire detection and suppression systems are in place to protect equipment and data from fire-related incidents.
Physical Space and Rack Cabinets
Colocation providers offer rack space and cabinets to accommodate servers and other hardware, with options for different rack sizes and configurations.
Network Connectivity
Colocation data centers offer high-speed internet connections and access to multiple network carriers to ensure reliable and fast connectivity.
Scalability Options
They provide flexible options for scaling up or down resources based on the changing needs of businesses.
Remote Access
Some colocation facilities offer remote access capabilities, allowing businesses to manage and monitor their equipment remotely.
Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
Colocation data centers may offer disaster recovery services, including data backup, replication, and failover solutions to ensure business continuity in case of emergencies.
Compliance and Certifications
Colocation data centers adhere to industry standards and certifications such as SSAE 18, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS to ensure data security and compliance.
24/7 Monitoring and Support
Colocation facilities are monitored 24/7 for security, power, cooling, and network performance. They also provide round-the-clock technical support to address any issues that may arise.
Remote Hands Support
Colocation providers typically offer remote hands services, allowing businesses to request onsite assistance for tasks such as hardware installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance without physically being present at the facility.
Colocation Data Center Benefits
Colocation Data Center streamlines server management, boosts operational efficiency, and strengthens disaster recovery strategies. By placing servers in specialized facilities, businesses can expand their IT infrastructure without being limited by space. This arrangement ensures ongoing operations and quicker application access due to reduced network latency.
By outsourcing infrastructure management while retaining control over their servers and critical applications, businesses can tailor their setup to meet their specific requirements. Overall, Colocation Data Center offers a strategic solution for optimizing efficiency, cutting costs, and bolstering operational resilience. Here are the main benefits of colocation data centers:
Cost Savings
Colocation centers offer a cost-effective solution for businesses seeking to optimize their server needs. By leveraging shared infrastructure and resources, businesses can significantly reduce their overall cost of operations compared to building and maintaining a private data center.
Reduced Capital Expenditure
Traditional IT infrastructure requires substantial upfront investments in hardware and software. ifonica eliminates the need for such capital expenditures by offering a pay-as-you-go model. This allows you to allocate resources more efficiently, directing funds to areas that directly impact your business’s bottom line.
Reliability & Redundancy
Colocation centers typically offer higher levels of reliability and redundancy compared to in-house data centers. With multiple layers of backup power, cooling systems, and network connectivity, businesses can count on continuous operation and minimal downtime.
Scalability
Data colocation provides businesses with the flexibility to scale their IT infrastructure as needed. Whether it’s adding more servers, storage, or networking equipment, businesses can easily adjust their resources without the limitations of physical space.
Security
Colocation centers play a crucial role in solidifying a business’s continuity and disaster recovery planning strategy. By colocating servers and data in geographically diverse locations, businesses can ensure uninterrupted operations even in the face of natural disasters, power outages, or other unforeseen events. Biometric security measures, such as fingerprint or iris scans, provide an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access to the facility and sensitive equipment. This ensures the physical security of servers and data housed within the colocation center.
Highly redundant network infrastructure
A data colocation center boasts a highly redundant network infrastructure to minimize downtime and ensure uninterrupted connectivity. This infrastructure includes multiple redundant network paths, switches, routers, and internet connections. Redundancy ensures that if one component fails, there are backup systems in place to maintain network operations seamlessly.
HVAC
HVAC systems are essential in data colocation centers to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels for the servers and networking equipment. These systems prevent overheating and equipment malfunction, which could otherwise lead to downtime and data loss. Additionally, HVAC systems help to ensure the longevity of the hardware by providing a stable environment.
Rack Space and Power
Data colocation centers offer rack space and power provisioning services to accommodate servers and other hardware. This includes providing adequate power distribution units (PDUs), backup power sources such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and redundant power feeds. The availability of scalable rack space and reliable power infrastructure allows businesses to expand their IT infrastructure seamlessly while ensuring consistent performance and uptime.
Industry-leading monitoring tools
Data colocation centers utilize industry-leading monitoring tools to continuously monitor the performance, health, and security of the infrastructure. These tools provide real-time insights into network traffic, server health, temperature levels, and security threats. By proactively monitoring and addressing potential issues, colocation providers can maintain optimal performance and mitigate risks effectively.
Connectivity
Colocation centers are often strategically located with access to high-speed internet connections and network providers. This ensures minimal network latency, enabling businesses to deliver fast and reliable services to their customers.
Cost Savings
Colocation centers offer a cost-effective solution for businesses seeking to optimize their server needs. By leveraging shared infrastructure and resources, businesses can significantly reduce their overall cost of operations compared to building and maintaining a private data center.
Reduced Capital Expenditure
Traditional IT infrastructure requires substantial upfront investments in hardware and software. ifonica eliminates the need for such capital expenditures by offering a pay-as-you-go model. This allows you to allocate resources more efficiently, directing funds to areas that directly impact your business’s bottom line.
Reliability & Redundancy
Colocation centers typically offer higher levels of reliability and redundancy compared to in-house data centers. With multiple layers of backup power, cooling systems, and network connectivity, businesses can count on continuous operation and minimal downtime.
Scalability
Data colocation provides businesses with the flexibility to scale their IT infrastructure as needed. Whether it’s adding more servers, storage, or networking equipment, businesses can easily adjust their resources without the limitations of physical space.
Security
Colocation centers play a crucial role in solidifying a business’s continuity and disaster recovery planning strategy. By colocating servers and data in geographically diverse locations, businesses can ensure uninterrupted operations even in the face of natural disasters, power outages, or other unforeseen events. Biometric security measures, such as fingerprint or iris scans, provide an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access to the facility and sensitive equipment. This ensures the physical security of servers and data housed within the colocation center.
Highly redundant network infrastructure
A data colocation center boasts a highly redundant network infrastructure to minimize downtime and ensure uninterrupted connectivity. This infrastructure includes multiple redundant network paths, switches, routers, and internet connections. Redundancy ensures that if one component fails, there are backup systems in place to maintain network operations seamlessly.
HVAC
HVAC systems are essential in data colocation centers to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels for the servers and networking equipment. These systems prevent overheating and equipment malfunction, which could otherwise lead to downtime and data loss. Additionally, HVAC systems help to ensure the longevity of the hardware by providing a stable environment.
Rack Space and Power
Data colocation centers offer rack space and power provisioning services to accommodate servers and other hardware. This includes providing adequate power distribution units (PDUs), backup power sources such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and redundant power feeds. The availability of scalable rack space and reliable power infrastructure allows businesses to expand their IT infrastructure seamlessly while ensuring consistent performance and uptime.
Industry-leading monitoring tools
Data colocation centers utilize industry-leading monitoring tools to continuously monitor the performance, health, and security of the infrastructure. These tools provide real-time insights into network traffic, server health, temperature levels, and security threats. By proactively monitoring and addressing potential issues, colocation providers can maintain optimal performance and mitigate risks effectively.
Connectivity
Colocation centers are often strategically located with access to high-speed internet connections and network providers. This ensures minimal network latency, enabling businesses to deliver fast and reliable services to their customers.
Why Choose ifonica?
Utilize Ifonica’s cutting-edge data center facility to accommodate your business’s mission-critical equipment. Ifonica’s data center offers a wide range of services including colocation, virtual servers, dedicated servers, and managed services. It ensures top-notch service quality and employs rigorous security measures across its two Tier 3 Standard, PCI, SOCII Type II Compliant data centers, which are owned and operated by Ifonica.
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Commonly Asked Questions about Colocation
Data Center: A data center is a facility where IT equipment like servers, storage, and networking equipment is kept. It’s designed to be safe and dependable for businesses that store, manage, and process data. They can be owned and operated by businesses or third-party providers.
Colocation: Colocation is when businesses rent space in a data center to keep their IT equipment. This gives them a secure and reliable space without needing to build and manage their own data center.
Colocation: Colocation means renting space in a data center for IT equipment, while managed services are extra services offered by data center providers to help manage IT infrastructure.
Managed Services: In managed services, the provider takes charge of the infrastructure, managing and maintaining it. In colocation, the client keeps control and responsibility for the infrastructure.
The decision depends on where the organization wants to focus. If they prefer focusing on their core business and leaving IT management to the provider, managed services are better. If they want more control, colocation is the way to go.
Businesses should think about using colocation facilities when they need a safe and dependable place for their IT gear but don’t want to build their own data center. This is especially useful for businesses with moderate to big IT needs who want to make sure their equipment is in a secure and dependable spot. Colocation services let businesses grow quickly and tailor their setup to fit their needs.
Cloud data centers and colocation data centers represent distinct approaches to hosting computing infrastructure.
Cloud data centers, typically owned and operated by cloud service providers, are purpose-built facilities designed to deliver cloud services over the Internet. These centers offer scalability, flexibility, and pay-as-you-go pricing models, enabling users to easily adjust their resources to meet changing demands. Managed by the provider, cloud data centers relieve users of infrastructure management responsibilities.
Colocation data centers offer space, power, cooling, and network connectivity for multiple organizations to house their own hardware. Organizations retain control over their infrastructure, managing their IT operations within the facility. While colocation can provide greater control and security, it requires organizations to oversee their hardware and lacks the scalability and flexibility inherent in cloud services. Thus, while both types of facilities cater to hosting needs, they serve different purposes and address distinct user requirements.
The price of colocation and cloud hosting depends on factors like the needed IT infrastructure, levels of customization, and payment model.
Colocation has higher initial costs since businesses need their own hardware and to pay for space, power, bandwidth, and security. But it gives full control over hardware, predictable costs, customization, security, and stability. Colocation suits businesses with moderate to extensive IT needs that want secure and reliable housing for their equipment.
Cloud hosting means renting virtual space and resources, with lower upfront costs but higher long-term costs. It offers scalability, global reach, automation, disaster recovery, and security. Cloud hosting is suitable for those needing flexibility, scalability, and pay-as-you-go or subscription-based models.
No, colocation and hosting are not the same.
Colocation lets businesses rent space in a data center for their IT equipment. Hosting is when businesses rent server space to run a website or app.
Hosting providers offer services like hardware, software, and network support to manage online presence.
The power of colocation lies in its ability to offer businesses a secure, reliable, and scalable infrastructure solution that enables them to focus on their core business activities and achieve their goals more effectively.
- Colocation data centers will continue to grow to accommodate the vast quantities of data and the need to be able to access the data quickly.
- Colocation data centers will continue to use emergent technologies such as machine learning and AI to support operations and assist with monitoring.
- The continuous rollout and use of 5G will increase the demand for more data along with the technology to serve the infrastructure.
