Data center consolidation: benefits and costs

Data center consolidation is also called IT consolidation. It is the term used by organizations for the strategy they adopt for reducing their IT assets. Some of the technologies used by datacenter services are storage virtualization, server virtualization, data colocation, cloud data center, better capacity planning and using some automation tools, etc.  For data centre India IT consolidation is very important not only to reduce the size of the data centers but also minimize IT and overall operating costs.

Data Center

Many organizations and business houses have sever number of data centers though they can manage with lesser numbers. This may be due to various reasons. One of the reasons is that with the merger of two business entities more data centers enter into the network. Maintaining these multiple data centers for some time is okay because they support the systems and processes of the company. But after some time the companies find that have multiple data centers at their disposal.

The cost of maintaining these data centers is quite high because the staffs are to be deployed in each of them. The hardware assets are also underutilized. So it advisable to go for data center consolidation since there is multiple call centers and many of them are not fully utilized.  

Data center consolidation is a very popular strategy that is employed by data centre India promoting powerful economic benefits. There are many data center services which provide services for data center consolidation and the benefits of consolidation are being reaped by many companies.  Cloud data center and data center colocation are some of the technologies and strategies that are provided by these companies.

Colocation of data center gives cost savings to the companies because they utilize the shared data center infrastructure. The companies do not have to employ staff, resources and technology for their data centers and this brings them significant savings. Colocation also frees some of the company’s resources which can be utilized for other purposes. The companies that are short of accommodation can also save significant space which can later be utilized for housing of other office equipment and personnel. Another major advantage for the companies is that do not have to incur high costs on the maintenance of their data center equipment. They also save a lot on their power bills. But the best benefit is that the companies can scale up their requirement as per their growing business needs without incurring high investments in the required hardware for the data center.

Another advantage of the of the data center consolidation via utilization of data center colocation is the security of the data. Suppose a major hazard like fire erupts and all the assets of the company are damaged. In that unfortunate event all the data of the company will be destroyed and it will be impossible to recover it. But with data colocation the data is safe on the cloud computing system and can be easily regained. 

In short the consolidated cloud data center with data colocation has the following advantages:

·         Better Security

·         Better connectivity

·         Greater network connectivity

·         Savings on unnecessary power bills

·         Increased capabilities

5 reasons why server co-location gives you peace of mind

 

 

Colocation technology has placed a strong foot in the telecommunications industry today. Co-location hosting has enabled multiple businesses and individuals to access server, network and data storage space helping to connect with a variety of service providers. The interpretation of the term colocation differs from each service provider. In a business, it aids in locating multiple businesses within the same facility while in an organization it aids in placing groups in a single area like a room or campus. In telecommunications, it aids in locating multiple wireless service providers in the same facility. Server colocation commonly occurs in airports aiding in product offerings and ground services. 

With too many businesses running in today’s world with a great deal of IT jobs, co-location hosting has grown around the requirement for greater capacity and better flexibility in the IT infrastructure. With the world economy getting tougher, colocation services have proved to more beneficial for IT firms. The basic concept behind colocation is the relocation of networking equipment and servers to dedicated space. The top five benefits of server colocation are: 

Connectivity: A server cannot exist without proper internet access. Faster connectivity is vital for both business and customers. Colocation servers provide high speed internet and low latency connectivity to companies that face network congestion due to bandwidth-heavy servers.

Security: Servers need to be both physically and network secure. A colocation service provider benefits the server through features like surveillance cameras, 24/7 manned security and biometric access to name a few.

Power Management: A good data center has cooling systems that keep colocation servers running smoothly and efficiently. A well managed colocation service provider conforms to power and redundancy standards, keeping the efficiency of power usage.

Saves space: Today, most businesses run out of space due to their rapidly growing IT needs. Colocation allows a business to grow with additional relocation costs. The superior bandwidth offered by colocation ensures the growth a business irrespective of the size and demands of customers.

Backups and Redundancy: A server co-location provider offers UPS systems, redundant power sources and efficient backups in order to protect the data center’s power.

Indian IT industry has begun adopting colocation hosting to manage the growing internet related businesses. Using high-speed redundant backbones, colocation services in India have allowed businesses to colocate their mail servers and applications. Colocation hosting India service providers offer flexible solutions, high speed, security, and reliability to businesses allowing them protect their key assets. 

Server co-location in India is ideal for sizable business requirements and allows the host to provide complete control and access to customers. Another advantage of colocation hosting India is avoiding high web hosting bandwidth charges. Colocation is a cost effective, flexible and an easy solution to an establishment’s powerful infrastructure where control over equipments is not lost. Colocation services in India have gained popularity and are now most sought after by Indian IT companies.

Colocation is ideal for web commerce, telecommunication and major enterprises that require various facilities such traffic exchange, disaster management and safe environment. Colocation provides a business with the ability to meet the growing demands of IT infrastructure in a cost-effective way.

Ways to Compare Third Party Data Center Services Provider

Data Center

Today there is a great demand for outsourcing data services from data center. To manage such a center, is a very complex business. You need to get involved with processes, people and technology. It will cost a company a lot of money to manage it in-house. There are 3^rd party data centers that will provide you their services by buying the equipment on your behalf. They will charge you for the usage of the equipment. Such a centre will be equipped with a dedicated team of people who will manage your equipment based on SLAS.

If you try to manage systems internally, it will be less cost effective to source the same. Third party providers spread their cost across a large number of customers and thereby pass on a large portion of the savings to their customers. It is better to rent a space rather than spend millions in building your own centre.

Services Provided To Customers

Enterprises get many benefits when they weigh what they get for their requirements from their service provider. The cost savings can be separated as indirect and direct cost. You save on owning the IT equipment based on the tenure of the project, cooling systems and building power backup. The collocation site will possess the facility to be connected via various network providers.

Your network redundancy, your percentage of space utilized, rentals, power consumptions and the entire infrastructure will be professionally managed. You will not need to take any stress as your business begins to grow. Service providers provide their customers value added services enabling them to run their businesses smoothly. Such services include shared services, storage options and securing the infrastructure completely.

No Issue of Data Breach or Downtime

A third party data center service provider will abide by the standards to avoid any data breach or downtime issue. Such an issue can also arise in an internal system. You can always control downtime by having a DR contract for your primary site. If you have a primary site in your city you can opt for a DR setup in your provider’s other city location. This is the benefit of taking on third party services.

Only you will know which provider will meet your needs better, if you look across for different suppliers. You should negotiate with them; scrutinize their history, especially regarding downtime. Only intelligent negotiation will earn you the best services.

How to Select the Right Company

When you are selecting a data center company, you need to look into several factors. Factors such as data base requirement, ram, processor, choice of server operating system, hard drives, number of server units etc. Even if you are setting up the hardware and software for your web server, you need to look into the same factors.

Before you handover everything to the company whose services you wish to hire, you should review their overall track record. You should check their customer service and service feature. A service provider who provides you prime features such as overall server security, data backup, sufficient bandwidth and continuous power backup will be perfect. He should also be professionally managed.

Data Center: 5 Simple Ways to Trim Server Management Cost

Data Center

You will need to consider the amount being spent on the output of energy if you are being held back by the cost to be incurred on a green data centre implementation. As estimated by studies electrical power to the extent of 12 billion kW hours are used and gradually usage has been expanding to more kilo watt hours. 

Companies hence require identifying different ways to cut down on costs, and find alternative sources of energy that are greener. A few simple steps will need to be followed if a greener data centre is required.

The first thing is to get involved. The returns on investment to be reaped will be higher in the long run with a work environment that is quite comfortable to work upon. 

Cooling systems need redesigning

Use hot isles for enclosing servers so that you can concentrate on direct cooling onto the racks. Ensure that there are proper ducts for air and also reduce loss of airflow by having holes in the ceilings, walls, floors and sealing sealed.

 Consider your redundancy again

If redundant heating and cooling systems are used by companies then power in double amount will be needed. The systems are prepared for peak performance and growth. However where the flow of power is maximum power to just a fraction of the amount is put to use. Bills get inflated since this practice is not sufficient. Hence whenever it is possible, have the redundancy cut down so that based on the current needs you can operate instead of future needs projection.

Energy efficiency needs evaluation

Energy bills need to be added up and you will need to find out from where the energy comes as well as its distribution in the company. To reduce usage a road map will need to be planned. The evaluation done initially provides a baseline for ROI calculation after changes are implemented.

Adjustable equipment usage

Modular and scalable Data Center can be implemented for needs during peak power and growth. In a smaller space more power for computing is needed so that it is possible for servers with scalable blades to concentrate and also need lesser power for cooling down. 

Storage virtualization

Underutilization of many servers exists since they are loaded with software that is required for just some time. With this applications become mobile and thereby unnecessary servers get shut down. Server space is kept track of and applications are remapped to various physical locations as required for attaining efficiency to the maximum. 

Appliances that use star rated energy need to be considered. Besides this legacy servers can be recycled or donated. Systems that are archaic are not as efficient as new ones so money can be saved by purchasing new systems and older ones can be decommissioned. 

Recycling of computer equipment can be done and toxic remains can be disposed of.  Conduct a research on alternative source of power and ensure the management also gets involved, in your effort towards a green data centre.