Three Considerations for Your Data Center Solution

If given the opportunity, would you rather manage a room full of big, bulky servers to maintain an in-house data network, or would you prefer to decentralize your infrastructure to make it more accessible, redundant, and secure? A data center can help you do just that, and it’s not nearly as difficult or as complicated as you might think to utilize one.

Why Use a Data Center?

The cloud is just a fancy term referring to someone else’s computer, and if that cloud system isn’t configured or managed properly, your business’ data could be at risk.

When you’re storing your data “in the cloud,” really, what you’re doing is outsourcing the management, maintenance, and storage of it. This is great, provided that the data center is operating the way it should, as you don’t have to take care of any of the hardware. You can host your software and applications in the cloud, which is particularly valuable if you’re using proprietary or in-development software.

But what should you consider for your data center solution, anyway? We’ve got you covered there, too.

The Center’s Physical Location

Sometimes the physical location of your data center can make a big difference, so be sure to consider it in your arrangements.

While you might not visit your data center location often, you’ll still want it to be reasonably close. Be sure to think about its proximity to natural disasters and geographical risks, too, like earthquakes and floods. You don’t want to risk your hardware needlessly; still, you want a data center near major network hubs, as this could allow for a faster connection and make it more efficient in general.

Other considerations based on physical location include the way it’s housed inside, such as in a climate-controlled environment, in an appropriate cabinet, with proper ventilation and air conditioning.

Security and Redundancy

You’ll also want to ensure that your data center is safe, as it will be off your in-house network infrastructure where it might otherwise be protected by your security solutions.

We like to recommend that you implement firewalls, intrusion detection, security audits, and 24/7 monitoring into your data center security strategy. Additionally, your data center shouldn’t skimp on the latest in digital access control or physical security, like surveillance cameras, to name one example. The last thing you want is someone sneaking around who wants to steal your data or equipment.

Overall, if you can protect your data physically and digitally, you should be in a good spot for your data center.

Scalability and Support

Your business cannot rest on its laurels with one data center solution; it should be able to adapt to whatever circumstances it finds itself in.

Data centers are an investment, and it should be treated as something that can expand and grow as your business does. Depending on your needs, you might require more storage or bandwidth. If you focus on what your business will need in the future, you can invest in the right data center without having to jump from one to another a couple of years down the road.

It also helps to look at the service level agreement so you’re always aware of what level support you can expect from your provider.

Want to get started with a data center solution? Network Integration Specialists, Inc. can help you get the most value out of your investment. Learn more by calling us at (804) 264-9339.