MANAGED SERVICES hosting
Any data centre will need a resilient network and power supply which will be up to the owner to make provision for. It’s unlikely, in the case of small to medium organisations, that they will have the same purchasing power as hosting companies which benefit from greater economies of scale
years, according to Gartner. Other research shows that, since 2009, power costs have increased by at least 50% and this trend is likely to continue going forward. Any data centre will need a resilient network and power supply which will be up to the owner to make provision for. It’s unlikely, in the case of small to medium organisations, that they will have the same purchasing power as hosting companies which benefit from greater economies of scale.
By centralising critical business systems within an outsourced data centre you benefit from a huge power saving, reducing company energy costs.
With the price of energy showing little sign of abating in the long term, it’s worth taking a closer look at the organisation’s ‘bigger picture’ for the future.
Planning for the future
Before you get carried away sketching out your data centre blueprints, understanding the long-term vision of your business must be at the forefront of the decision-making process. Technology will inevitably move on over the 15-year lifespan of a data centre and businesses thinking of making the leap need to consider whether they will be equipped to take advantage of these changes. Many companies find themselves stuck with systems that are inflexible and incapable of handling future projects, and are just not able to grow or flex with the business’s needs.
This view is echoed by Sentrum, a specialist in data solutions which believes many UK businesses are wasting their IT budget as many struggle to effectively plan their future data centre requirements. The organisation recently released figures from an independent research report that showed that companies’ plans for the data centre remain current for on average less than three years. Expansion is also often difficult to facilitate, not to mention costly and time- consuming. Often the facility is maxed out from day one and gaining new capital to make the changes can prove a challenge.
The benefits of the outsourced model mean that space and power are more accessible through a provider’s purchasing clout. Experienced and certified professionals lend their expertise of running a data centre with high efficiency and high availability as well as providing 24 x 7 x 365 support in some cases.
Making a secure decision
Above and beyond all of this, third-party data centres are increasingly being built to a higher physical standard. Many company-owned or self-built data centres are small and often located adjacent to the company HQ. Security will almost always require more stringent and better- defined measures. The physical separation and accountability by a third party away from any internal sources also eliminates potential issues. It’s important to remember that most data breaches and damage occurs from within an organisation so in many cases outsourcing business-critical data provides additional peace of mind.
Of course, the ultimate decision to build or outsource can only be made once you’ve established the full needs and requirements of the business. Building your own data centre can be beneficial and cheaper for some businesses. However, in the majority of cases, opting for a third-party data centre can deliver a more secure, well- managed, efficient and cost-effective solution.
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