EXPERT OPINION must also include availability , continuity , security and scalability – a long list where budgets can easily escalate . In a colocation data centre , however , the services and costs are shared between all customers , who benefit from economies of scale .
2 . Availability and Business Continuity
In a modern colocation setting , the hosting provider is responsible for ensuring that system and data availability remains unaffected by issues such as power outages . For instance , backup power supplies , batteries and generators should form part of the standard approach for any well-designed data centre .
Providers should also be able to demonstrate that they regularly test these capabilities so users can have full confidence their infrastructure will remain available at all times .
Hosting providers should also have further service redundancy built into their facilities . Priorities include energy connections that enter the building at different locations , additional Internet connections and effective communication channels with local authorities in case of possible disruptive excavation work .
Business Continuity should also extend to protection from fire , flooding or other natural disasters . In addition , organisations should assess the quality and effectiveness of cooling systems so that ambient temperatures do not rise to levels that may damage their expensive and mission critical hardware .
Lex Boost , CEO of Leaseweb USA
3 . Security
In this context , data centre security is focused on preventing physical access to hosted technology so that it ’ s kept safe from intruders . Minimum requirements should include 24 / 7 / 365 video surveillance , robust access restrictions and strong perimeter fencing . www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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