Posted on November 15th, 2010Colocation hosting is one of the least popular types of hosting, as most people do not own their own web server. With colocation hosting, instead of providing a lease for a web server like most other types of web hosting, colocation hosting simply provides the ideal secure location for server storage and maintenance. Nonetheless, colocation hosting certainly has its uses, and datacenters are some of the finest places in the world to store a web server. If you’re interested in colocation hosting, then you may want to consider the following information about the top features of a colocation hosting datacenters.
Uptime Agreements
Unlike other hosting types that simply promise a certain percentage of uptime, colocation hosting is able to provide written agreements that guarantee uptime 100% of the time. This is because colocation centers utilize multiple high speed industrial internet connections, often form several internet service providers simultaneously. When a problem occurs that causes a lapse in one of the connections, the colocation center instantly transfers all traffic to a redundant connection, leaving your site online at all times. Inexperienced server administrators cause server downtime as well. In a colocation datacenter you’ll never have to worry about an inexperienced staff member causing site downtime, as only the best of the best are hired to secure and maintain colocation centers.
Constant Power Supply
During power blackouts servers crash, and in some cases this can result in data loss. A lot of hosting companies have what are called “uninterruptable” power supplies, however these only ensure that the server shuts down smoothly before all power is lost. Colocation datacenters, however, have several on site backup generators that ensure your site will stay up and running during even the worse power outages. If you’re serious about the reliability and growth of your site, then you should settle for nothing less than a colocation datacenter.
Data Protection
Data centers have some of the most secure internet connections in the world, and the aforementioned server redundancy and backup generators ensure that your web server remains online all the time. However, in the extremely rare event that site downtime does occur, (even though this has never happened with most colocation datacenters) there is special software and hardware tools utilized by colocation datacenters that keep your site’s data safe at all times. These data backup applications would unobtainable to a lot of people due to their cost and the complexity of operating them. However, by utilizing the services of a colocation datacenter you can have access to the backup tools at no extra charge.
Conclusion
Colocation services are by far the best option for most serious online business owners that own their web servers. If you have a server sitting in your office right now, you should strongly consider the possibility of data loss and or theft that could occur due to improper server storage. Most colocation centers will provide insurance for your server as well, so you can feel 100 percent safe when using colocation hosting.