As a follow-up in an earlier article “How To Choose A Data Center”….once you a few other considerations / concerns I would recommend. Combine the lists from both articles and you are obviously more likely to make a good decision buying a data center.

Current Customers:

This is not a guaranteed press, but a Data Center’s current usage should provide you with an idea of the due diligence that others have performed around the Data Center you might be evaluating. If numerous Fortune 50 companies have reached a Data Center then there’s a good chance it’s a reliable location to keep your servers. NOTE: Some Data Centers can take on a “marquee” client unable in order to get the manufacturer name. Make sure there are in least 2 visible companies colocated there.

Employee Retention:

Ask the business how long the ability engineers have worked for that one Data Center. High turn-over is usually an indication of an number of things (including issues).

Power Outages:

Ask regarding the last power issue / outage they suffered – time-frame, length from the outage, reason(s) for your outage, mitigation steps. Most Data Centers will face a little while of issue over its use and also you want to make sure these are honest along about past issues, and still have taken steps to fix any errors.

Bandwidth Connectivity:

How many “separate” bandwidth feeds are coming into the power? A lot of companies say they’ve already peering with “numerous” providers. BUT, all the fiber may be being received by the building in single conduit. That means that when someone is digging a trench your Internet access could possibly be cut off.

Expansion:

If your business makes it big, would you like to have room to develop? Right now you will find a LOT of Data Centers from space as well as power. Make sure you aren’t capable where you ought to choose another destination for a go down the path.

SLAs (Service Level Agreement):

Although there isn’t a compensation to your e-commerce site choosing a hit to have an hour, make sure you will discover strict SLAs available which will bring some financial relief when it comes to an outage.

Managed Hosting:

There is really a trade-off between owning the apparatus (and keeping it in a Data Center), and utilizing a managed hosting provider. Make sure analyze the pros and cons of both based about the current and future needs of your respective business. If you have older equipment, do not want to staff-up, I.T. isn’t your core competence, etc, then consider going managed.

Data Recovery:

No matter the place you go…ensure that you have a very DR plan set up. Keep backups of all things off-site and have absolutely a strategy (hot-spares, DNS change-over, contact list, etc).

Fire suppression systems:

What provisions does the ability have for fire suppression? Is it a typical sprinkler system, Dry Pip Pre-action, gaseous CO2 or some different.

A Water based technique is to protect your building, it does not protect the systems or even the data because you’re spraying water on pcs in the event of an fire. A Pre-action system with dry pipes that only charge when there is usually a fire detected (smoke and warm detectors) is more preferable because it prevents a construction accident when a sprinkler head is bumped or even a pipe is broken from causing an incident.

Gaseous CO2, Energen, Halotron, Halon, etc would be best, but higher priced. A combination of CO2 where power runs (within the floor perhaps?) and Pre-action sprinkler’s above enables a small fire to become contained inside underfloor space before water enters into the equation.

One thing being very wary are what sort of hand held extinguishers will be in the Data Center space? Are they Dry Chemical? If so, that’s bad. Very bad. A fire (say inside a garbage can) that may not jeopardize the details center or building can be created worse (the protection of the info center) because when someone would go to fight that fire, they are going to perhaps squeeze fire out (likely if small) but probably spread a corrosive dust around the details center that could require either replacement on the systems OR professional cleaning ones. Look for halogenated or CO2 type extinguishers in the details-center for handheld use.

Physical Security:

Armed security officers are better than not armed i believe. Better training (ie more) and also a more serious perspective on security of the structure and the people. Guards more capable of respond to serious troubles are preferable with an old retiring that’s more of any night watchman who calls 911 when there’s a worry.

Physical Structure security is usually important. What kind of walls does the dwelling have? Are they several layers of concrete block or maybe one layer? Is it glass? Bullet Resistant glass (also good in storms) which is there an inner layer between glass plus the rest of the ability?

Do they’ve already spill protection kits to relieve symptoms of water leaks? If there is a major rain storm along with the roof is damaged, how can this impact the power? Badly, slightly, total shutdown? Look for drip pans over critical infrastructure like PDUs and UPS systems.

Logistics:

Does the power have a good loading dock that’s near the information center or sufficiently proximate? If not, you’re going to use a harder time taking your systems to your data center to set up them. A good sized door large enough to the largest of racks and gear is very important. Is there a lab in which you can diagnose difficulties with your systems there? An area in places you can remain true your systems you need to? How are you getting final configuration work done once your there?

Generator Power:

Fuel Supplies are not underscored. A large on-site bunker is usually a good thing to discover. A contract using a fuel supplier to get able to provide supplemental fuel using a daily basis can be important. I’ve seen an instance the place where a call center survived without power for the reason that backup generator ran beyond fuel after running every day and night. No-one thought o examine the generator and have a fuel shipment to your call center.

Generator Maintenance may be important as well. A periodic maintenance contract which has a major company is good. But having a person that rides herd for the generator and power systems themselves is usually important. Many small things that may not be noticed with a rotating batch of mechanics can be noticed by somebody that can get an idea for all with the systems and perform periodic checks. It could be as easy as noticing that Generator No 2 sounds off and realizing there’s an exhaust leak or as complex as being a lubrication problem that’s only found by periodic oil and coolant analysis by way of a lab that are experts such tasks.

Periodic maintenance on the fuel can be important. Fuel that becomes contaminated with water can stop an electrical generator system cold if bacteria begin growing from the fuel. The sludge that this bacteria produce will clog injectors and pumps and also the fuel filters themselves. Periodic checks on the fuel along with polishing and treatment is very important.