What is?
Colocation center
A colocation center (co-location center) ("colo") or carrier hotel is a type of data center where multiple customers locate network, server and storage gear and interconnect to a variety of telecommunications and other network service provider(s) with a minimum of cost and complexity.
Increasingly organizations are recognizing the benefits of colocating their mission-critical equipment within a data center. Colocation is becoming popular because of the time and cost savings a company can realize as result of using shared data center infrastructure. Significant benefits of scale (large power and mechanical systems) result in large colocation facilities, typically 4500 to 9500 square metres (roughly 50000 to 100000 square feet). With IT and communications facilities in safe, secure hands, telecommunications, internet, ASP and content providers, as well as enterprises, enjoy less latency and the freedom to focus on their core business.
Additionally, customers reduce their traffic back-haul costs and free up their internal networks for other uses. Moreover, by outsourcing network traffic to a colocation service provider with greater bandwidth capacity, web site access speeds should improve their traffic back-haul costs considerably.
Major types of colocation customers are:
- Web ecommerce companies, who use the facilities for a safe environment and cost-effective, redundant connections to the Internet.
- Major enterprises, who use the facility for disaster avoidance, offsite data backup and business continuity.
- Telecommunication companies, who use the facilities to interexchange traffic with other telecommunications companies and access to potential clients.
Most network access point facilities provide colocation. Colo’s lightning-fast colocation network provides your mission-critical data with superior security, instant bandwidth management and rock-solid, redundant Internet fiber optic connections.
We can custom build colocation service plans and dedicated servers to your specifications with a very fast turnaround. Whether your need is for 1Mbps or 20,000Mbps Internet bandwidth, 1u or 100 Cabinets colocation space, 1Amp of power or 10,000Amps - we can help. Most new colocation service and dedicated server plans can be setup in just days.
You can read further about Colo’s Colocation Center Hosting Features here or contact our team of colocation specialists, we’re ready to help. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Call toll free at 1-866-316-2656 or email us through our request a call back form on this page (top right).
Colocation Buildings
- Empty pipe fire suppression of some sort, and/or VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus)
- Halon, Inergen, or other clean-agent fire extinguishing system.
- 19-inch racks for data equipment and servers, 23-inch racks for telecom equipment.
- Cabinets and cages for physical access control over tenants' equipment.
- Overhead cable rack (tray) and fiberguide, power cables usually on separate rack from data.
- Air conditioners usually push cold air into raised floor for distribution.
- Low-impedance electrical ground.
- Few, if any, windows.
Colocation Physical Security
Most colocation centers have high levels of physical security, and may be guarded continuously. They may employ closed-circuit television camera.
Some colocation facilities require that employees escort customers, especially if there are not individual locked cages/cabinets for each customer. In other facilities, a card access system may allow customers access into the building, and individual cages/cabinets have locks.
Colocation Power
Colocation facilities generally have generators that start automatically when utility power fails, usually running on diesel fuel. These generators may have varying levels of redundancy, depending on how the facility is built.
Generators do not start instantaneously, so colocation facilities usually have battery backup systems. In many facilities, the operator of the facility provides large inverters to provide AC power from the batteries. In other cases, the customers may install smaller UPSes in their racks.
Some customers choose to use equipment that is powered directly by 48VDC (nominal) battery banks. This may provide better energy efficiency, and may reduce the number of parts that can fail.
An alternative to batteries is a motor generator connected to a flywheel and diesel engine.
Many colocation facilities can provide A and B power feeds to customer equipment, and high end servers and telecommunications equipment often can have two power supplies installed.
Colocation facilities are sometimes connected to multiple sections of the utility power grid for additional reliability.
Cooling Colocation Facilities
The operator of a colocation facility generally provides air conditioning for the computer and telecommunications equipment in the building. The cooling system generally includes some degree of redundancy.
In older facilities, the cooling system capacity often limits the amount of equipment that can operate in the building, more so than the available square footage.
Internal Connections
Colocation facility owners have differing rules regarding cross connects between their customers. These rules may allow customers to run such connections at no charge, or allow customers to order such connections for a significant monthly fee. They may allow customers to order cross connects to carriers, but not to other customers.
Some colocation centers feature a "meet-me-room" where the different carriers housed in the center can efficiently exchange data.
Most peering points sit in colocation centers.
Because of the high concentration of servers inside larger colocation centers, most carriers will be interested in bringing direct connections to such buildings.
In many cases there will be a larger Internet Exchange hosted inside a colocation center, where customers can connect for peering.
External connections
Colocation facilities generally have multiple locations for fiber optic cables to enter the building, to provide redundancy so that communications can continue if one bundle of cables is damaged.
Colo is a full colocation service networks operation center with 24-7-365 on location remote hands to keep your business' mission critical services online and provides its clients a wide variety of secure colocation center server services. Colo provides the ultimate data center colocation solution for those seeking a secure, protected environment for their rackmount & non-rackmount equipment. You can read further about Colo’s Colocation Center Hosting Features here or contact our team of Colocation specialists for a free consultation. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Call toll free at 1-866-316-2656 or email us through our request a call back form on this page (top right).