Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Colocation Pricing and Safety

Pricing colocation for your servers can be a complicated task. While every data center will be slightly different, it may be difficult to see the differences between them until you take a very close look at the systems utilized in protecting customers' data and equipment. From physical and network security to power, cooling and fire protection, there are several facets to consider in the debate over data center pricing.
Anyone considering colocation should think of fire safety as a top priority, but many business owners don't know where to start. This is understandable, but can be simply explained. This article details the levels of fire protection your facility should offer, as well as the top-tier systems that all data centers should use, in order to give you a better idea of what to expect in the process of pricing colocation facilities.
The best defense, of course, is a multi-tiered defense that protects your equipment on several levels:
1. Prevention
You will want to do some research on the staff at your colocation facility, making sure that they are fully trained and equipped with the proper tools to handle any threat of fire. If your data center has an excellent reputation for service, that's a good sign you have chosen a facility with trustworthy personnel who will be proactive about fire prevention. A good example of some of the training you should expect out of colocation staff is the proper use of handheld extinguishers and other equipment.
2. Detection
Early detection is always best. When pricing colocation centers, you should look closely at the methods used for detecting a threat of fire. Some data centers will use High-Sensitivity Smoke Detection (HSSD) sensors to actively sample the air around the clock. This type of fire detection is preferable because it will detect overheating components and combusted particulates at the earliest possible moment.
3. Suppression
The industry's undisputed best fire suppression system is FM-200. Respected around the globe for protecting some of the world's most critical servers, this waterless fire suppression system stops any type of fire before it has the chance to cause significant damage. FM-200 is stored as a liquid, but deploys quickly and cleanly as a vapor that is completely safe for both your equipment and your employees.
Safety is number one when considering pricing for various data centers. While pricing may be dependent on your business' budgetary restrictions, it is important to select a colocation center that has fault tolerant, redundant systems for fire protection. This is a very important aspect of data center performance. Whatever your decision, choose a facility you trust to provide top-tier protection for your servers. This includes making sure your facility utilizes the highest standards in fire prevention, detection and suppression.

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