Colocation facilities are datacenters that allow businesses to rent space, power, and bandwidth for their IT infrastructure.
These facilities provide the power, cooling, and physical security for your servers, storage devices, and networking equipment. They can also provide connectivity to varying Internet backbone service providers either directly, if they offer their own bandwidth, or indirectly through “cross-connects” to any colocated service providers with a presence in their datacenter.
Colocation “cabinets” are available in “U” sizes and are sold in increments that range from 2U to multiple full racks / cabinets (@ 42U ea.).
2U
2U is large enough to rack a single 2U server such as a Dell R720 or a single 1U server such as a Dell R620 and a 1U switch or firewall such as the Cisco ASA 5510. 2U is the minimum space required to colocate with Data102. Power configurations are limited to 110v power for all 2U customers.
Quarter Rack (10U)
Smaller companies may want to choose colocation of this size. Quarter rack solutions feature 10U of colocation space contained inside a shared, lockable cabinet. As with all colocation, bandwidth and power are sold a-la-carte and are customizable. Budding businesses typically use this option if they have more than 6U worth of equipment to colocate off-site as 6u is where it becomes more economical to purchase the quarter cabinet option. Power is limited to 110V power for all quarter cabinet customers.
Half Rack (21U)
A half rack of colocation is one of our most popular colocation sizes. There is sufficient room for multiple servers, SANS, and switches, which allows a customer to construct more complex platforms such as those required for small virtualization clusters or disaster recovery sites. Half rack colocation features 21U of colocaiton space located inside a shared, locking cabinet. Power is limited to 110V for all ½ cabinet customers.
Full Rack (42U)
Companies using full rack solutions often need hosting for dozens of servers and large network equipment. Redundant Internet connections and higher bandwidth requirements are also common for customers with one or more cabinets of colocation. Common applications are large virtualization clusters, high capacity off-site storage, or those who are in need of private cabinet space. Full rack colocation features 42U of colocaiton space located inside a private, locking cabinet. Also available to full rack customers are a variety of power configurations such as 110v, 208v, and 48v (DC).
Power Source
The amount of power or amperage that businesses need to operate servers depends on the size and quantity of their equipment. It is recommended that quarter rack customers purchase 10 Amps of 110Vv power. On the other hand, equipment occupying a full cabinet commonly requires anywhere from 1 x 20 Amp 110v to 2 x 30 Amp 208v power. Therefore it is important for any customer considering colocation to have an accurate idea of what their power needs will be before they decide to colocate with a datacenter as power costs can add up.
Managed Colocation
Managed colocation involves hiring an outsourced IT professional with access to the datacenter and knowledge of server support and maintenance. This person would assume the responsibility of maintaining the customers IT infrastructure. While this service does cost more, businesses who would like assistance managing their IT systems at the datacenter often save money in the long run by employing an outsourced managed services provider. If you are interested in a managed services provider to help you manage your IT infrastructure we can refer you to one of the many outsourced IT providers we work with.
Data102 is one of the leading providers of colocation services. Our experienced professionals can help you decide how much colocation you need and what kind of management would best suit your business’ needs. Give us a call today @ 719-387-0000 and we will help you on your way to colocating with Data102.
