We’ve seen it 1000 times, a company needs to host a few racks off site. They come up with their power requirements and a desired location and the bidding war starts. Just choose the lowest monthly cost and you’re set, right? Well, not really.
The typical colocation contract is two years. Since you’re going to be hosting your equipment in a data center for at least that long, you want to find a colocation provider who is a great partner as well as easy on the budget. You want your gear to be secure, your data to be accessible, and the ability to scale if you need to as well though, don’t you? If you don’t ask the right questions in the selection process, you could not only wind up paying more, but your service could be negatively impacted as well.
Here are some considerations you should make before choosing a colocation provider that go beyond price:
- Security – You need to be comfortable with the facility and the level of security you need.
- Infrastructure and Scalability – A subpar infrastructure with limited bandwidth providers, restrictive power access and policies that prevent you from getting the service or flexibility you need.
- Terms and Support – SLA’s vary widely and so does the support available from each provider. These can greatly impact your budget and your business.
The more questions you ask, the clearer it will become which provider is actually the best partner – and not just the lowest quote. We’ve compiled a list of 24 questions to help you get the information you need to make the right decision. You can see the list below.
