5 Questions to Ask Your Server Colocation Data Center Provider
When choosing a place to colocate your servers, obvious factors like geographic location, redundancy level, and pricing are primary drivers. But don't forget to ask about the services and features that can make the day-to-day reality of colocating your servers more effective and secure. Sometimes it's the little things that can make all the difference.
1) What type of backup options or IT disaster recovery are available?
Even though you may have implemented your own backup plan on your servers, it pays to know what options your provider may offer. An electronic, off-site backup alternative, that is audited to confirm successful completion and re-run in the event of an interruption or other failure can offer a whole new level of security in case something goes wrong. Leverage the infrastructure already in place between providers with multiple data centers for the best value. Some offer physical space where temporary offices can be set up in the event that a primary work location becomes unavailable.
2) What type of backup or remote access hands-and-eyes service options are available?
If your primary technical resources are located an hour or more from your data center, it helps to have remote access options like remote power strip reboot or remote KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) options to save valuable drive time in the event of an emergency. Partnering with a provider who can offer hands-and-eyes help in the form of a real human is invaluable when remote options can reset the issue and experienced troubleshooting necessary.
3) What documented processes are in place that you and your own staff will need to know and follow? Is there any proof that the processes are followed by every person there?
Higher level centers will have their processes well documented and audited by a 3rd party to confirm that they are followed by each staff member. The SAS 70 audit ensures this level of compliance, soon to be replaced by the SSAE 16 audit. This level of commitment to quality affects every aspect of function, from initial requirements gathering, to initial installation, and ongoing maintenance. It provides you a level of assurance that consistent protocols are in place and followed that have been carefully thought through at the highest level of the organization for the benefit of all clients and staff. Expect to be asked to do your part to maintain these processes such as being asked to update the list of authorized data center users regularly and follow all security protocols in place.
4) Does your colocation provider provide remote rack-and-stack services?
For the initial move to a colocation provider, or for the addition of new equipment over time, it can save resources if your data center provider offers a rack-and-stack option. This allows you to ship your equipment directly to the data center for installation. Besides saving the time and energy to have someone from your company drive to the data center personally, the data center staff have a better chance of cross-connecting high-availability systems properly to their power and networks and ensuring that all components are properly labeled and tied off nearly to make future maintenance easier.
5) If your IT resources change, does your provider offer monitoring or management services?
Whether from economic, health, or other factors, do you have alternative resources to monitor and manage your equipment should your primary IT resources become unavailable? Many data center partner afford remote monitoring services that let you fine-tune the level and sending of alerts. Some will also manage upgrades, repairs, maintenance, and new equipment installation. Your most valuable assets are the people who support your IT, so make sure that there is a backup plan in place for the human resources are well.
Yan Ness is CEO of Online Tech, the Midwest's premier managed data center operator, and has more than 20 years of experience launching and managing high tech companies, from startup to scale. In 2003, Yan led a group of investors to acquire Online Tech and has since delivered a range of data center services from colocation to private cloud hosting from our SAS 70 data centers.