Top five considerations when choosing a colocation provider: A Zen guide

Colocation offers businesses the opportunity to offload the management of their IT infrastructure to a secure, specialised facility. This can lead to significant cost savings, increased resilience, and greater focus on core business operations.

However, not all colocation providers are created equal. Selecting the right partner is key to maximising the benefits of this powerful solution. Here are the top five considerations to ensure you find the perfect fit for your business needs.

Consideration 1: Uptime guarantees & reliability

Uptime, or the percentage of time your systems are operational, is critical for most modern businesses. Even short periods of downtime can lead to lost revenue, damage to reputation, or compliance issues. When considering a colocation provider, look for a service level agreement (SLA) that guarantees availability in the 99.99% range, like Zen’s offering. Your provider should also employ robust measures like redundant power systems and backup generators to ensure your critical systems stay online.

Consideration 2: Security – physical and data

Entrusting your colocation provider with safeguarding your valuable data and equipment is a big deal. Their facility should have comprehensive physical security measures such as limited access, 24/7 surveillance, and secure rack access. And it’s equally important to look for a provider that maintains certifications like ISO 27001, demonstrating a commitment to data security as well.

Consideration 3: Location & connectivity

The location of your colocation data centre can impact both network performance and accessibility. Ideally, it should be located near to your primary operations or client base, and offer fast, reliable connectivity options.

Zen’s data centre is strategically located near major motorway junctions, providing easy access for businesses across the North West of England. Our robust network infrastructure ensures reliable, high-performance data connections to support your business-critical applications.

Consideration 4: Scalability & flexibility

As your business evolves, so too will your IT requirements, and you don’t want to be stuck with no longer optimal choices that you made at an earlier date. That should be one of the benefits of moving to colocation instead of keeping hardware on site. Choose a colocation provider that offers scalable plans to accommodate growth, so you’re always getting the right-sized solution for your needs.

Consideration 5: Customer service & support

Colocation is about more than just rack space. A true partnership needs an exceptional level of support that puts your needs first. Choose a provider with a reputation for quality customer service, a remote hands service and – ideally – an on-site team able to cater to your needs. Zen’s award-winning service extends to our colocation offerings, with friendly on-site 24/7 security team and colocation experts.

Choosing the right colocation provider requires careful evaluation. By considering factors like uptime, security, location, flexibility and customer support, you can find the right solution for your business. But don’t neglect the value of a colocation provider that’s built differently from the rest. One that already provides the business broadband and leased line connections that so many customers love, that has a warm, welcoming building, with warm, welcoming on-site staff, and the skills and resources to help you transform your IT infrastructure.

Interested? To find out more about how Zen can help transform your business through colocation, read the article, or visit our colocation page here.