5 Ways Colocation Can Extend Hybrid Cloud Strategy

By Cloud Computing Outlook | Thursday, November 05, 2020

The adoption of colocation is increasing as many businesses depend on the cloud to solve cost issues, as it is not an option for specific workloads and data

Fremont, CA: The IT teams in businesses need to consider the type of cloud configuration that is most suitable, especially when the ramp-up in investments is in play. Without a doubt, the on-premise private cloud is selected as it offers unmatched control over all the internal processes in the organization. Nevertheless, public cloud infrastructure also has perks, as it avails companies access to scalable storage and computing resources that help in the management and reduction of IT spending.

For a deeper understanding of why collocation as a crucial part of the hybrid-cloud strategy will be a much better option to developing and delivering newer technologies and services, let’s have a look at these five key points

1. Bringing Focus

Most businesses find it challenging to manage an on-premises data center, incorporation of newer technologies, and assurance of business continuity is a necessary evil for the cost center as it will deliver core services or applications.

For reducing the overall total cost of ownership (TCO) for an environment, colocation can be implemented through a provider's scale. By doing so, services and technologies are developed and adapted based on the business strategy cost-effectively. The examples of services include colocation, data and physical security, business continuity and disaster recovery, hyperscale connectivity, cloud, storage, and other technical aspects.

2. Lowering TCO

New data centers are expensive to operate and manage both in terms of human and cash capital. A DIY approach to deploying the latest technologies mostly lag in evaluation, design, and implementation, hindering the company's ability to stay ahead of competitors.

With colocation, majority of the capital expenses are turned into operating costs. If a third-party data center is rented, most of the management is taken over by the provider reducing the monthly cost and making the expenses predictable. The highlight of this is that organizations can scale up or down, depending on the economies while delivering more value.

3. Providing a Path to Growth

For those focused on TCO, capacity is a legitimate concern as environments start a lifecycle with excess capacity and then eventually run out as the business grows. With a colocation provider, a company can purchase and implement functions that are most suitable to its current business requirements. It also has the feature to expand in alignment with the rapidly changing conditions.

4. Ensuring Service Levels are Contractually Aligned

Outsourcing is a valid option for mission-critical applications, where the service levels can be tailored according to the needs of product applications. Both uptime and continuity requirements are based on service provider contracts. In several cases, the service levels are decided to depend on the solutions. By doing so, a wide range of factors that affect availability can be identified.

5. Enhancing Business Continuity

By adopting colocation as a part of the hybrid cloud strategy, disaster recovery qualities are enhanced. Organizations can ensure the attainment of solutions, either by leveraging a geographically diverse colocation facility or by incorporating advanced recovery solutions. Collaborations with veteran providers can ensure companies the availability of solutions to wholly protect business-critical applications, all while providing scalability to decrease TCO.