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Sunday, August 28, 2011

How To Opt For A Colo Host That Is Correct For Your Company Setup

By Susie Hogan


Colocation hosting refers to the leasing of rack space or physical space for your server in a data centre. Choosing to use or not to use colocation entirely depends on the nedds of your website. Upon deciding that you then need to acquire a colocation host and to identify the best colocation host among the so many that are available.

The facilities and supporting features offered by the colo host are the most significant considerations when picking a colocation host. So many companies are offering different features due to the competition in the market. Some of the important things you will have to consider are access and security. Having access round the clock is a requirement that comes along with owning the hardware incase of maintenance issues. Further you will want guaranteed physical security to the data centre as well as online security. Other features include regulated power supply, a cooling system and power backup.

Proximity is the next consideration. There are levels of maintenance that require onsite working as much as there are those routine minor maintenance issues that can be resolved remotely. This would mean that the person carrying out such work would have to travel to the data centre. Therefore proximity to your colocation host becomes a key consideration due to this fact. The level of technical support you receive from the colocation host is also a determinant factor.

You will also want to consider the business experience and reputation of the colocation host you select. A good start point is reputation much as is not a guarantee for good service. In most cases the company will have gained a good reputation because of the good services and would want to maintain it to attract more business.

Internet connectivity and bandwidth are the other important factors to consider in picking a colocation host. The internet connection for your website is solely the responsibility of your colocation host. It is important to establish the number of internet connections, from different internet providers, your colocation host has. Incase there is a problem with one connection, this ensures that your website is served by the alternate connections

You ought to factor in the prospects of future growth. Establish if your collocation host has the capacity to accommodate your future needs. Ensure the possibility of your future needs being met by your collocation host. In the beginning the demands of your business may be less but they gradually increase as your business grows and therefore a colocation host that can handle this growth is what you need. You need to find out if they are able in terms of bandwidth as well as technical support.

Finally you need to consider the cost. It is very important to check out various options and go for the best deal. Note however that the best bargain is not always cheapest and that expensive is also not guarantee for goods service. A consideration of the services and features offered against the cost is advisable. Before settling, shop around to get a rough idea of what is fair price as well as what is too expensive.




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