Need Colo? Make sure you ask these Important Questions

 
If you are searching for a colocation provider, or are looking for new and constant updates, there are a few requirements that need to take place on your own time before you should begin your search. Remember that not all providers are the same, and that each one can offer something different that may or may not be suitable for your enterprise. First, make sure you fully understand what your company is in need of and the services that are necessary to better your business. This can help eliminate investing in something that may be costly and unnecessary. You need to make sure that you are receiving the best service, that your provider is operating at the highest level of efficiency and most importantly, that your data is secure. Read on and find out some of the “must-ask” questions when shopping for your preferred colo provider. The last thing that you want to deal with is finding out that your provider is unsatisfactory in the case of a natural disaster or an outage that could lead to costly repairs and a prolonged downtime. Here are some of the questions that you can ask.

1. Where are the data centers located? Your chosen data center should naturally have a cooler climate and are convenient for high availability and disaster recovery solutions. Ideally, you’re going to want to have a location that is safe from any natural disasters to avoid any unnecessary data loss, damage or downtime.

1. What kind of support does your provider offer, and can they be reached 24/7? Make sure that your provider offers full support. Find out the type of staff certification and the training that your colocation provider has had. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals. If they are hesitant or won’t give you any, this could be a sign that they have had problems in the past and you will want to shop elsewhere.

1. What exactly is being monitored? Since you are relying on a third-party service provider, you’ll want to understand what kind of monitoring capabilities that is available. Ask about the logging reports, when they will be sent out and how often. Also, ask about which metrics that are included in monitoring by your provider. In case you still want to have some control over your data and would feel more comfortable monitoring it as well, find out how you can monitor your servers remotely with an online client portal.

1. How exactly is your data being backed up? Find out if it is onsite, offsite backup, online or a tape. Look into how often your data is being backed up and for how long. What is the procedure that they take to ensure that nothing is lost?

1. What happens if the server malfunctions or if any other problems occur? Find out who is going to troubleshoot and identify the problem? Who is going to be responsible for the labor? Also, what is it going to take to resolve the problem?

These are just the basic questions that should be asked when searching for your colocation provider. Before you begin, make sure to ask AeroCom to do the shopping for you. We will help find the best colo provider for you, which can also offer you the best pricing and solution. Visit our website at www.aerocominc.com or give us a call today to speak to your account executive at (877) 465-3505.