| By :
Dirik Hameed
A company may find co-location hosting a far cheaper and more convenient option than running their own It department since the host can offer them bandwidth at a cheaper rate than other alternatives and the host can maintain their servers, network equipment and data storage systems for them. By using a colocation service, a company can take care of the non-IT side of the business whilst the colo host looks after the IT side. Highlighted in the following article are some of the ways a co-location provider may ensure that its datacentre and the contents therein are protected. There should be sufficient fire protection within a colocation server datacentre. Fire protection measures can include sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and using inert gases that do not damage computers for fire suppression. The colo datacentre might also contain fire-proof walls inside the building that help to prevent the spread of a fire. The colocation service will need to ensure that its datacentre is secure. For example in order to get into the datacentre visitors may have to be accompanied by a guard or need a PIN code or card, there may be motion sensors and CCTV within the facility and in addition patrolling guards may be utilised. The datacentre may provide separate areas for different companies' equipment to be stored in, with each area requiring its own key to access the equipment. The colocation service may also employ iris scans, fingerprint recognition and voice recognition as part of its security. Co-location datacentres should have an uninterruptible power supply which will take over if the power fails so that servers and network hardware continue to run smoothly. The datacentre should also have generators on the premises ready to take over in the event of a power failure. Since generators tend to run on diesel, there should be a diesel supply onsite as well. There should be redundant sets of generators to provide additional security if the power fails. A lightning protection system within the colo datacentre will assist in protecting servers against electricity spikes that result from lightning. Power should be supplied smoothly to the servers by first being routed through the lightning protection system, the generator changeover panel and the uninterruptible power supplies. Co-location equipment gives off a great deal of heat and therefore needs to be cooled. There should be sufficient redundant air-conditioning within the colo datacentre to prevent equipment overheating. The co-location datacentre should utilise numerous redundant fibre optic cable bundles that enter the building at various points. In this way, if one bundle is damaged the other bundles will ensure that communication is not disrupted. Wireless and/or satellite connectivity might also be utilised by the co-location datacentre. Sensors for detecting water may be installed in a colocation service datacentre so that staff are made aware if a leak occurs. The points mentioned above are just a few of the things you should look out for when searching for a colocation service to ensure your equipment is stored in a safe colo datacentre.
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articleforbacklinks.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
