What is Colocation and How Does it Compare to the Public Cloud

Most IT firms are constantly under pressure to innovate with new data center technologies, which is why many are turning to colocation and the public cloud. Both technologies aid in cost reduction and system efficiency. Furthermore, they aid in the delivery of on-demand services, giving businesses an advantage.

There are some facts you should be aware of if you are considering colocation. First, there is a distinction when comparing it to cloud technology. Colocation refers to high-tech real estate or outsourced data center space, or something similar, whereas cloud computing relates to hardware or software that is accessible via the internet.

What is colocation 

Many people believe that colocation is simply access to floor space, an internet connection, and electrical power. However, colocation is more than just a data center facility. Some of the most well-known colocation data centers provide a variety of services that you can take advantage of.

It includes managed IT to hybrid cloud and increased power density, both of which can aid in scaling and supporting new technology. Furthermore, some data center colocation services include access to public cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform.

Power redundancy, physical security, and access to telecommunication carriers are all features of colocation real estate. Colocation may be preferable to a private cloud if you require specific hardware.

What is Public Cloud 

The public cloud provides IT services, and infra off-site provides a public network. It is an excellent solution for all large organizations that want to cut costs. Public cloud environments offer complete scalability without jeopardizing network security. Some people associate the cloud with private or public clouds, while others associate it with hybrid clouds Customer-hosted applications in the public cloud share computing resources and storage with other users on a single hosting platform. The resources are hosted in a multi-tenant architecture, whereas public cloud resources are on-demand.

Pros and cons of colocation 

Pros 

  • Colocation is an excellent choice if you prefer to use your own hardware.
  • Colocation allows you to retain control over mission-critical applications and sensitive data. Organizations with significant investments in technology can relocate their resources to colocation.
  • Colocation is adaptable and allows businesses to grow while maintaining control, and it can be the first step toward establishing a proper hybrid cloud.

Cons 

  • The disadvantage of collocation is that it is more expensive. It takes time and effort to manage and monitor the tools.
  • With fluctuating monthly rents due to bandwidth, budgeting becomes complicated.
  • Maintenance constraints in terms of time or resources

Pros and Cons of Cloud Hosting 

Pros 

  • Public cloud solutions enable you to scale at breakneck speed. This functionality is not available in the local data center.
  • The majority of IT firms consider disaster recovery plan implementation to be complex and challenging to implement.
  • Peak loads can be easily adapted with public cloud hosting. The client can add or remove resources as needed. As a result, it reduces the complexity and time required for testing implementation.
  • The service provider is responsible for all costs associated with bandwidth, applications, and hardware. The services are paid for on a monthly or annual basis.

Cons 

  • The privacy of data hosted on a public cloud network is still an issue. Although the provider may provide numerous security features, the owner should adopt cybersecurity practices. Another company's misuse of infrastructure in a public network can harm your system.
  • All public cloud customers shared the same infrastructure. Because the cloud is managed and supported entirely by the service provider, businesses frequently face limitations in personal data control and configuration.

Comparing the colocation with public cloud

Colocation and public cloud are two distinct hosting options for IT infrastructure. Colocation is the practice of renting space in a data center to house your own servers, storage, and networking equipment, whereas public cloud is the practice of renting virtualized resources (such as servers, storage, and networking) from a third-party provider. When comparing colocation to the public cloud, consider the following key factors:
  • Cost

Colocation can be a cost-effective option for businesses that have already invested in hardware and wish to continue using it. However, the initial costs of purchasing and installing equipment can be prohibitively expensive. In contrast, the public cloud typically involves only paying for the resources you use, which can be more cost-effective for smaller businesses or those with fluctuating demands.

  • Scalability

Scalability is easy with public cloud providers, allowing you to quickly increase or decrease your resources as needed. Scaling up colocation may necessitate additional investments in hardware and infrastructure.

  • Control

Colocation provides complete control over your equipment and infrastructure, which is advantageous for businesses with stringent security or compliance requirements. Certain aspects of public cloud services may have limited control.

  • Maintenance

Companies that use colocation must handle their own equipment maintenance and upgrades. In contrast, public cloud providers handle hardware maintenance and upgrades, saving time and money.

  • Availability

Colocation providers may offer lower guarantees of uptime and availability than public cloud providers. A colocation on the other hand can provide more control over redundancy and failover for businesses with critical applications.

Concluding thoughts  

Colocation and the public cloud are two business data storage options. Depending on the service needs, each has advantages and disadvantages. Before choosing a colocation provider, consider the most important issues for each and the data center requirements. Consider all of your cloud requirements and data center locations. Consider the colocation providers' pricing model as well. Both colocation and public cloud offer low-cost secure networks. Colocation, on the other hand, falls under the category of private cloud, where businesses must buy their servers, networking, rack space, and software. As a result, knowing a colocation service that will meet your company's requirements will help it grow.

Learn about award-winning Cloud Services from server colocation uk. Suppose you'd like to learn more about the benefits of colocation public cloud services. In that case, you can read the server colocation Uk blog article here or contact us today to schedule a consultation today.

You May Also Like To Read: All you need to know about using Colocation data centres

Colocation FAQs

About Server Colocation UK

Our servers are located in our own data center which is located in Derby, United Kingdom.
The data center is fully owned and managed by Data center plus, giving us the flexibility to work with our customers requirements and provide unrivaled levels of support.

Our data center is located next to Mansfield Road, Derby, UK. We are very accessible.
Our address is: Suite 18, Parker House, Mansfield Road, Derby, DE21 4SZ

Tour of our data center facilities is reserved for customers who are looking for colocation services with Data center plus.
If you would like to visit the data center, we must receive at least 24 hours notice.
You will also require to bring a form of ID in the form of a passport or driving license. We cannot allow anyone into the data center failing these requirements.

If you would like to place an order please contact us directly.
You can contact our sales team directly on 0800 861 1101 or emailing info@servercolocation.uk.
If you are an existing customer, log in to the site and simply check out after selecting your new service and proceed to payment options. The details of your new service will be added to your account portal.
If you are placing an order that is an upgrade to your existing one, get in touch with your account manager or raise a support ticket at info@servercolocation.uk.

Support

If you are experiencing issues with your server, we recommend that the first you do is to raise a support ticket with our support team.
This can be done by sending an email to info@servercolocation.uk.
Alternatively, if the matter is time sensitive, feel free to give us a call on 0800 861 1101 and select the option for Support.
We have a 30 minute SLA response time to any ticket raised.

Remote hands cover requests made within office hours.
Our Remote Hands service covers assistance with the following items:
– Server reboots
– CDROM connect/disconnect
– Cable checks and moving network cables.
– Checking/relaying diagnostics information back to the customer.
If you require services outside of the above (for example, installation of software), we can provide this as part of our Additional Services, which is chargeable. Please contact your account manager or our helpdesk for further information.

Support for hardware failure is 24/7/365 on our Managed Servers.
Most failed hardware components can be replaced within 1 hour (during office hours and subject to parts being in stock.
Office Hours: 08:30 – 18:00

Emergency support work