10 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A DATA CENTER You’ve taken the first step and decided to colocate your primary IT assets in an out-­‐of-­‐house data center. Congratulations! Now, begins the tough part. How do you choose what data center is best for you? There are countless websites and articles boasting various features, but what really matters? How do you choose one? Here is a helpful list of 10 things to think about when selecting a data center. 1.
POWER Power in a data center is like water or oxygen to human life. It is needed to sustain your equipment and therefore, your business. If your data center loses utility power, what happens? What do you want: High power capability with multiple backups to keep your servers running. How do you get it: Multiple utility lines with enough capacity for future planning, on-­‐site generators, redundant PDUs, and UPS flywheels or batteries that can be bypassed without interruption, as well as regular maintenance. There should be enough power and adequate backup systems. In addition, find out if there are diverse pathways into the facility from the power grid and generators. 2. COOLING Your equipment needs a cool and dry environment to operate at its maximum potential. Servers generate heat, and thus must be controlled. A humid environment can damage your equipment slowly over time and a dry environment can create static electricity. You need a stable environment where the temperature is controlled and humidity is controlled at preferably 50%. What do you want? A cool and dry operating environment for your servers, without the risk of water damaging your equipment. How do you get it? Redundant CRAC (Computer Room Air Conditioner) Units, a layout for optimum airflow, 24/7 monitoring of temperature and humidity, and floor space away from, or above water pipes. 3. SECURITY Anyone who has boarded a plane is familiar with the security procedures at the airport. There are multiple checks of identity, monitoring, and scanning. The best data centers should protect you, your data, and your equipment at the highest level, just like airport security. What do you want? Your hardware, your staff and data protected from physical and logical harm. How do you get it? Logged facility access, video surveillance, suite design for added security and privacy, network and connectivity protection, and constant monitoring. 2425 Technology Boulevard, Columbus, IN47201 866.514.CAVE (2283) www.thedatacave.com 4. CONNECTIVITY Anyone who uses a cell phone knows the frustration of a dropped call. Having a reliable and dependable service provider is important for communication between you and your customers. Similarly, when you choose a data center, you want connectivity at the highest level with the most reliability, and of course, at a decent price. Connectivity and a decent bandwidth can enhance or hinder server responsiveness. What do you want: A highly available network that will ensure connection to your servers at all times. How do you get it: Reliable, redundant, and low-­‐latency connectivity with connections from at least two different providers using diverse entrances. Utilizing “blended” bandwidth will ensure that when one carrier goes down, you can failover to another provider automatically without even noticing the switch. 5. SUPPORT Despite your best efforts, there will be times that your systems won’t operate seamlessly. You need a partner and ally for these times of crises that will help you navigate the issue and find a solution. You need a readily available team of data center Sherpas. What do you want? Available experts who are willing and able to help you should there be an issue with your equipment or data. How do you get it? A provider who has a team of experts, clear procedures, and the staff and resources to help you in a crisis. 6. CARRIER NEUTRAL Choosing and negotiating with carriers can be an arduous task. With a carrier neutral data center, you have easy service through consolidation as well as increased redundancy. Carrier neutral data centers allow you to aggregate your buying power with all the other customers for the best features at the best price from a multitude of carriers. What do you want? The best telecommunication carriers and connectivity for your needs at a good price. How do you get it? Don’t get locked into a carrier specific data center. 7. CLEAN You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but cleanliness and neatness matter for a data center. A clean environment reduces risks of fire, increases safety, and provides peace of mind for you regarding your equipment. Also, if a data center takes care to clean the facility, it’s a good indication that they’ll take care with equipment and maintenance. What do you want? Secure and low risk environment for your data and equipment. How do you get it? Provisions in the contract that protect you and the manager and what you see on a tour. 2425 Technology Boulevard, Columbus, IN47201 866.514.CAVE (2283) www.thedatacave.com 8. FIRE SUPPRESSION Water and electronics do not mix. Unfortunately, fire is a risk that must be addressed. When looking at fire risks, make sure your data center uses fire suppression methods without water and that will keep your data protected in the event of an emergency. What do you want? Immediate protection from fire and water damage in the event of a fire. How do you get it? Gaseous fire suppression methods to avoid damage from water sprinklers, and fire detection systems. 9. BUSINESS ACCESSIBILITY Using a data center should be as simple as pushing an easy button. When you arrive at your data center to install servers or perform maintenance, the process should be simple, easy, and conducive to your needs. What do you want? Easy accessibility in terms of unloading equipment, physical movement, cargo elevators and staging areas. How do you get this? Loading docks, schedules, forklifts, secure delivery storage, staging areas, etc. 10. UPTIME You are using a data center to protect and house your data. When looking to choose a data center, uptime is of the utmost importance. If you can’t access your data when you want it, what is the point of using a data center? What do you want? Access to your data and systems to keep your business running smoothly How do you get it? Maximum redundancies, responsive data center staff, and excellent execution of all these categories. CONCLUSION At Data Cave, we have provided customers with 100% uptime since the beginning. We use safe, gaseous fire suppression methods. Our easy to navigate facility is clean, and we are carrier neutral. Filled with an expert team, we provide excellent security against any physical or malicious harm. Finally, we have redundant cooling, power, and connectivity. Customer service is a top priority of us. Our customers appreciate the high levels of security, 100% uptime, customer service that we are able to provide. About Data Cave Data Cave is a full service, fully redundant, Midwest, Indiana data center -­‐ centrally located between Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Louisville. Data Cave’s facility was purpose built specifically to house critical IT infrastructure. The tornado proof, 200+ mph rated, 86,000 sq. ft. facility has 10MW of available electrical power with capacity for expansion, and ample cooling capabilities to meet the demands of any IT power load. Contact Data Cave to start building your data center solution. 2425 Technology Boulevard, Columbus, IN47201 866.514.CAVE (2283) www.thedatacave.com