IO Blog
Business myths and misconceptions are mistaken thoughts–ideas that have no basis in truth. The most dangerous thing about misconceptions is that we continue to build knowledge on our current understandings, potentially leading to a series of poor decisions. When it comes to IT decision-making, false beliefs can hurt security, budgets and system performance.
Like most IT disciplines, colocation is dogged by several persistent myths that lead many managers to believe that the approach isn’t right for their enterprise. Such individuals, instead of investigating colocation for themselves, simply act on preconceived notions, causing them miss out on a useful solution.
Here’s a look at five major colocation myths, and why they are wrong.
1. Colocation is too expensive. It depends on how you view the situation. While using a colocation service certainly costs money, balance this expense against the time and cost required to design, build and operate a state-of-the-art data center capable of delivering 24x7xForever availability.
2. Colocation makes management more difficult. Actually, the opposite is true. These days, most routine maintenance and configuration tasks can be easily handled remotely without any need to actually touch the equipment. In the event physical access becomes necessary, such as to repair or replace equipment, an on-site visit can be scheduled with little or no advance notice.
3. Colocation results in a lack of control over equipment. In fact, colocation customers have total control over their systems since they are the sole owners of their assets, which are kept separate from other tenants’ equipment in monitored suites or cages. Additionally, when using a carrier-neutral colocation provider, customers also have complete choice over which telecommunications carrier they will use.
4. Colocation limits equipment choice. Nothing could be further from the truth. Since colocation customers install their own systems, they have as much control over equipment selection as enterprises that operate on-premises systems. In fact, for many enterprises connected and environmentally controlled colocation space opens the door to using a wider range of equipment, since customers no longer have to worry about how they’re going to pack all of their hardware into a cramped on-site data center.
5. Colocation providers don’t offer support. Many people mistakenly view colocation facilities as a kind of high-tech warehouse–a place to stuff their systems. A more appropriate analogy would be a luxury condo complex that offers its occupants–who furnish their own living spaces–an extensive selection of standard and optional amenities. A top-level colocation provider provides an array of basic services, such as access control, environmental controls, cross connects, a managed firewall, uninterruptible, conditioned power and remote hands. Extra offerings typically include various equipment maintenance and management services.
