| By :
Dirik Hameed
Deciding to use colocation services is a big investment so you want to make sure you select a good host. The decision isn't always an easy one however since there are numerous hosting colocation providers to choose from. The information below is useful for highlighting the efficient co-location hosts from amongst the mediocre ones. A colocation service should make sure your system is well-monitored to avoid a large amount of downtime. You should be able to access support from the colo host's remote hands round-the-clock through email and telephone. Excellent support is a 24/7 onsite remote-hands service that is included within your standard monthly fee, as opposed to an on-call 24/7 remote-hands service that the co-location host will charge extra for if they need to visit your equipment. Make sure that if the colocation service says they have 24/7 onsite staff that they are network staff as opposed to only guards who can't help you with network problems. A first class co-location provider will include hardware maintenance within the colocation service packages they offer as opposed to charging extra for it because it offers a more rewarding colo experience for their customers. The colo provider should ensure faulty hardware is replaced within an hour of detection and server reboots are carried out within half an hour. The co-location provider should make costs transparent before you sign up to a colo package. For instance enquire as to the number of IP addresses you will receive initially and how much it would cost to add more later on. Make sure you are clear on the charge rates for different transfer speeds, for instance how much extra it will cost to upgrade from 10Mbps to 100Mbps in the event you want to do so. Adding extras later can be very costly and you may not be aware of this before you agree to the colo contract. An effective co-location package will fulfil your needs without you having to constantly pay for extras each month. You should receive great uptime with a professional colocation service. The colo host should be connected to over 100 internet backbones and utilise OC192 network cables for instance, which reach speeds of 10Gbps. The individual colocation suites within a co-location host's premises should have their own redundant air-conditioning system, which is more effective than having just an overall air-conditioning system in the premises. How long a co-location host has been in business is a good indication of how good their service offerings are. Look for a colo host who has been in business for at least 7 years, as this demonstrates reliability. Make sure the colo host doesn't have a history of downsizing or relocating customers because some facilities had to be closed and make sure the host hasn't been bankrupt in the past. You should always compare a number of co-location providers before deciding on one. You can look for online reviews of many different colo providers in order to assist the decision-making process.
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