Where to Put Your Server
Everyone who uses the web uses some type of server to help them access programs and information. In most cases, that server belongs to someone else out in cyberspace and works fine for the average person. Businesses that have a lot of computing needs, and especially those who need to keep a strong handle on security, often choose to have their own server.
These servers can be stored at the physical location of your business, at someone else’s location in a colocation cabinet, or somewhere else in the cloud. To increase efficiency and security, many businesses take advantage of colocation.
Choosing a Colocation Server Over the Cloud
Many wonder, what is colocation? Rack solutions is a big part of it, and something that many come to rely on. With colocation, several servers can be stored in a single rack or colocation cabinet without interfering with one another.
In a way, these cabinets work like dresser drawers, only more secure. If your sock drawer rests above your pajama drawer, the day may come when you find a pair of socks among your pajamas. With a colocation rack, there is clear division between each server to keep this from happening, yet several servers are able to be contained in a small amount of physical space. The person, or business that owns the cabinet is the landlord to the tenants who share the space.
Businesses or individuals who choose a cloud server share the server space with many others. Using a colocation server is like living in a building where you never see your neighbors. The building may be the same, but your space is yours.
A typical colocation cabinet will have 2-4 compartments configured with at least 11U of useable space in each. Cabinets with more tenants will have less space, while those dedicated to just two businesses will have more room for each. Steel frames, marked rack units, isolated cable channels for each tenant, and lock and key access for tenants to access their own server is available, while compartment dividers remain firmly in place.
Colocation Cabinet is a Growing Solution
Becoming a web server landlord by utilizing colocation rack solutions is something that has become very profitable, generating $6.5 billion in 2012. Research suggests that the trend of having multi-tenant servers will continue to grow, and it is predicted that by 2017 revenue will jump to $10 billion. A panel discussion of these statistics, and other general projections on colocation brought together several experts who didn’t see competition with cloud based servers as an issue.
A cloud server can be convenient, but it isn’t as grounded as colocation. It gives businesses the opportunity to have their servers off site while still having the access to keep track of them personally if they choose.