On-Site Data Center Vs. Colocation Facilites

Part of running a business in this modern world is having the right facilities to run the applications and services that internet business requires. If you don't have the right setup, you will not be able to meet the demands of your business; on the other hand, building a new or adding onto an old data center is expensive, so it can be dangerous to over provision your company. That being said, it is often good to use a combination of on-site data centers and colocation facilities. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of an On-Site Facility

The benefit of having your own data center is that you can keep an eye on your equipment yourself, and you don't have to worry about sharing it as might be the case at a colocation facility. The disadvantage to having your own data center is that you have to foot the bill to build and maintain it. The price of a new data center will depend on the size of the facility and the type of equipment you use, but you could pay a million dollars or more to build your own facility. Maintaining your facility will involve repairing malfunctioning equipment and upgrading as needed to keep your data center relevant. If you can't afford to build a facility large enough to handle all of your data storage needs, there are other options. 

Advantages and Disadvantage of a Colocation Facility

Colocation centers, like Cologix, allow businesses to put their own equipment in an off-site facility. In some cases, a company can even use the off-site facility's equipment to host their network. There are a couple of main benefits of using an off-site facility. For one, your servers and other network equipment will be isolated from any potential dangers that might hit your main facility. Thus, many people will use a colocation facility as part of their disaster recovery efforts. A second advantage is that using someone else's equipment can help you to keep your costs down.

If you have a growing company, which presents you with the need to expand your data center, but you don't have the revenue to justify the expense, you might not be in a position to build a data center that will meet all of your needs. Using a colocation facility can help you to expand your business abilities without putting the strain on your budget that building a new data center would. Thus, while having your data center might be your ideal, there are times when using a colocation facility can be advantageous.

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