Colocation

Colocation is the installation of your server in a common space in a highly secure data center. As a result, risks such as disasters and cyberattacks can be reduced, and services can be operated safely. We will also explain how it differs from similar terms such as housing and hosting.

What is a collocation?

Colocation is the installation of computers and peripherals used by the company in a common space in a data center equipped with safe operational and security facilities.

You can improve safety by installing your important server outside the company with high security, not inside the company.

Difference between collocation and housing

Housing is a service in which a business operator with a data center rents space for installing and operating a server owned by a customer. Housing and collocation are synonymous, and the difference lies in the size of the space rented and the freedom of layout.

Housings are often small and collocations often rent large spaces. As a result, housings are used by a variety of businesses, and collocations are used by carriers.

Difference between colocation and hosting

Hosting is simply renting a server and is also called a rental server. An internet service provider contracts to lend a server to a customer and deposits mail services and web services there.

Both hosting and collocation are the same in that they use the server, but there is a clear difference in that collocation provides a place to put the server.

The difference between collocation and cloud computing

Cloud computing is the use of data and software that was downloaded and installed on a PC and then used over a network. Collocation is a joint management of servers in a database, so it has a very different meaning from cloud computing.

Differences from Hosting and Virtual Servers

The main distinguishing feature of the service is the complete freedom of choice of the customer. If the use of hosting and virtual servers involves the placement of resources using the provider's equipment, then colocation is exclusively its own server. On the one hand, it is convenient due to the ability to scale independently, change the system configuration, select and configure its components. On the other hand, it is more costly at the first stage of implementation (when you need to purchase all the necessary equipment yourself). Also, unlike hosting and virtual servers, the responsibility for the system's performance lies with the client, and the provider only maintains optimal working conditions.

Colocation has most in common with dedicated servers. This service implies the rental of the provider's equipment, but there are still software and hardware limitations, which can only be eliminated by purchasing your own server.

When connecting to the colocation service, it is worth noting that the server should also be managed by an employee of the customer company. On the other hand, some data centers, including our data center, separately provide a server administration service.

Benefits of collocation

By using collocation, you can manage the server while increasing security. What are the specific benefits?

All risk mitigation

With collocation, you can avoid various risks associated with operating the server.

The risks of installing a server in-house include disasters and cyber attacks. It is difficult to avoid these risks with your own security alone.

Since collocation is operated using a data center, safe operation is possible. In the data center, surveillance cameras are in operation 24 hours a day, and strict entry/exit control is performed, so you can trust the operation with confidence.

Cost reduction

If you manage the server in-house, you need to secure the server installation space and manage the air conditioning. Air conditioning is managed to cool the server equipment. The more servers you have, the more expensive it is to locate and manage.

By using collocation, you can save money because you only pay for space.

Strengthening BCP

The use of collocation leads to the strengthening of the BCP (Business Continuity Plan). BCP is a measure to smoothly continue or quickly restore a company's business without stopping even if an unexpected situation such as a natural disaster or a man-made disaster occurs.

Data centers use stronger buildings than typical companies, making them more resilient to disasters. Make sure your office is built to handle disasters and use collocation if you're worried.

You can continue to use your own server

If you operate your own server, even if you take all possible security measures, there are various risks such as being stolen by a thief. Especially when developing software, it is required to continue to operate the server.

In that respect, in the case of data centers, in addition to security measures such as cyber attacks, strict entry/exit management such as surveillance cameras operating 24 hours a day is performed, so you can leave the operation with confidence. Utilization of the data center is effective for the safe and continuous use of the company's server.

How to choose a data center for collocation?

There are seven important points when comparing data centers:

• Security

• Location

• Fee

• Service content and support system

• Presence or absence of independent power supply

• Facility structure and equipment

• Empty rack, availability of empty space

You can make good use of it by using your own server in collocation, but not every data center is good. You need to choose the right data center for your server.

Let's explain more thoroughly: 

How is the location?

Basically, the server installed in the data center can be operated remotely, but physical adjustment may be required. Therefore, it is important to choose a location where your main data center can be reached immediately in an emergency.

Also, in general, when assuming a major disaster such as an earthquake, there is an idea to disperse the risk by using a data center that is some distance away from the company. If you can afford it, it is also important to choose a secondary backup data center in a remote location.

How is the fee structure?

Data center pricing varies greatly from data center to data center. In some cases, the server is rented as a set, and in other cases, only the rack is rented. The most important point in terms of price is whether maintenance and operation services are included in the price.

If you install a server in a data center and perform maintenance and operation in-house, it may take time and effort, so you can leave it to the data center for simple maintenance. It is important to consider whether the price includes this maintenance and operation.

Is it high security?

Since important servers are stored in the data center, it is necessary to take thorough security measures. There are roughly two types of security measures: "security measures against cyber attacks" and "security measures against intruders such as thieves".

It's important to check carefully, as most people choose a data center for high security.

Is there free space?

Surprisingly, the key to choosing a data center is whether you have enough free space. Normally, it is easy to think that it would be good if there was enough space to install an existing server, but if you choose a data center that does not have enough space, you will not be able to add more servers.

Of course, even if you can afford to use a data center, the space will fill up over time, but it is important to choose a data center that has as much space as possible. If you cannot add more servers, you will have to change the data center, which will be costly and time-consuming.

Let's check the service of collocation:

Contents

• Collocation: Secure server installation space.

• Housing: Depositing your own server in the data center.

• Hosting: Rent a server of a business operator.

Operation

• Collocation: In-house

• Housing: In-house

• Hosting: Data center

Server ownership

• Collocation: In-house

• Housing: In-house

• Hosting: Data center

Colocation is the placement of your server in a common space in your data center, making a distinction from housing and hosting with similar meaning. In particular, collocation and housing are synonymous, but be aware that they differ depending on the usage pattern and user.

By using collocation, you can use the server with peace of mind, and you can handle any troubles. 

Installing the server in a common space

"Colocation" is the installation of a server in a common space in a data center. It is possible to improve safety by installing servers that are important to your company in the data center instead of in-house. Data centers are usually built to withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes and lightning, so they are safer than managing them in-house.

In addition, if you install a server in your company, you need to perform detailed operations, and you will also use the space for the server. With collocation, there is also a service that does maintenance and inspection in some cases without using the space in the company.

Collocation and housing are synonymous

There are multiple ways to use a data center, and the word we often hear is "housing." This housing and collocation have almost the same meaning. However, due to differences in the origin of words, there may be differences in nuances.

The housing is an image of renting out a "rack" that stores servers in the space where housing services are provided in the data center. On the other hand, collocation means a service that rents out "space" where a server is placed like a rental condominium.

They are commonly used as synonyms because they are the same in terms of setting up "servers" with each other. In addition, since collocation was originally a place where telecommunications carriers jointly created an environment that enables stable communication, collocation also means a common space used by telecommunications carriers.

There are other ways to use the data center, so it's a good idea to remember.

Hosting is owned by the operator

"Hosting" is a synonym for housing. Hosting is a form in which a service provider has a server in its own data center and has customers use the functions and services of that server.

It is the same in terms of accessing data center servers remotely, but the crucial difference is the server owner. The image of the housing is that the company's server is stored in the data center, but the hosting uses the server of another company in the data center.

Cloud computing has no physical concept

When using a data center, we associate the word "cloud". In fact, the difference between housing and hosting and the cloud can easily be ambiguous. Cloud computing is not a physical concept, so it is a different concept from housing and hosting, which is the way data centers are used.

Servers that provide cloud services are often stored in data centers, but the concept of "cloud" does not matter where the server is installed, so it is important to understand it as a completely different concept from colocation.

Let's understand the contents and merits of collocation and use it for business improvement!

If an important server of your company goes down, it will hinder your business, and if it is a server of a service provided to the outside, if a trouble occurs, the credibility of the company will be greatly lost. In order to operate the server safely, the problem can be improved by utilizing the collocation of the data center.

With introduction to the contents and merits of collocation. Understand your company's situation, server content and collocation benefits, and use services that are appropriate for your company to improve your business.