The Impact of Value on Price

Many businesses choose to utilize the services of a data center. Colocation facilities handle the IT infrastructures of a variety of businesses. How should a firm go about deciding which facility is best for its needs? Colocationcenters are quite different from one another, and pricing can be equally diverse. In addition to pricing, companies should analyze the unique attributes that each facilityoffers before making important business decisions.

Data center pricing is affected by the quality and overall product a data center offers. Companies can make wiser choices when they understand the accurate value of a colocation facility and how it relates to pricing. Before making a decision based on pricing, here are some things businesses should look for :

Location
A data center should be located in an area that has a low incidence of natural disasters. Floods, hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes pose a threat to any structure. The foundation of a colocation provideris based onthe continual network connectivity it provides its clients. A safe location keeps a data center’s insurance costs low, and keeps a client’s equipment and networks safe.

A data center located in an area with low utility rates is also desirable. Electricity and water are a large part of what a client pays for when using a colocation facility. Easy access to major highways, airports, and city centers is important as well. A data center’s value increases if it is located in an easily accessible area.

Power Feeds
A colocationcenter should be fully redundant, providing multiple power feeds from diverse substations. This guarantees that a customer’s networks will never be disturbed, even if the center must undergo required maintenance.

Connectivityr
Pricing is also affected by the number of network carriers a facility chooses to provide. Firms should look for data centers that offer ‘carrier-neutral’ connectivity options. A wide range of carrier choices results in lower prices for firms. Additionally, a data center should offer multiple telecom feeds. This guarantees redundancy and 24/7/365 connectivity.

Cooling Systemsr
In a densely packed building, there is a great amount of heat. Custom cooling solutions are implemented in order to allow for high performance computing, while ensuring the continuous operation of clients’ equipment. Firms should comparepricing for custom cooling systems between colocation providers.

Securityr
Clients shouldn’t worry about the safety and security of their equipment and networks. A quality facility should have a gated entrance, security cameras, security personnel, etc. Interior features such as biometrics, man traps, and key access should be present as well. Pricing will likely rise with higher quality security measures.

Fire Preventionr
Fire prevention and suppression is very important in a colocation facility. In the unlikely event of a fire, a data center must quickly extinguish the fire with minimal damage to clients’ equipment. Data center pricing may be higher in facilities that have systems like FM-200, but security is greater as well.

Structural Standardsr
High quality data centers are purpose-built. Purpose-built centers are constructed to be disaster-proof and encourage a seamless efficiency of operations.

On-Site Amenities
A data center should provide clients with the ability to send workers to the facility in the case of disaster recovery or for other purposes. A high quality data center provides Internet access, conference rooms, ample parking, break rooms, and even showers to its clients.

Conclusionr
All of the aforementioned attributes add value to a data center. Of course, added value often means higher pricing. Companiesshould research pricing in order to determine the most appropriate colocation decision for their needs. Data center pricing should fairly reflect the services and benefits a businessreceives.