Tips For Colocation Services

If you own a server and want to connect to the Internet, there are companies that will handle the connection for you. This service is known as colocation. Companies that want to have complete control over their server configuration often choose the colocation route.  The difference between a colocated server and a dedicated server is that in a dedicated environment the web hosting company owns the server.

Before deciding if colocation is right for you, there are several factors to consider. First, you must look carefully at the fee structure. Colocation, unlike dedicated servers, requires payment of both rental and connection fees. You will pay a rental fee for the physical space your server will occupy at the host company. The rental fee will be based on the height of your server which can be anywhere from 1U to a full rack. Most servers are 1U or 2U configurations, but can be as large as 4U if they have a large number of hard drives.

Colocation providers base connection charges on averages instead of the total number of gigabytes transferred during the month. A connection of 1 mbp/s, for example, indicates an average transfer of megabyte per second over the month. Transfers can be measured in two ways. The first is to divide the amount of bandwidth used by the number of seconds in the month. The second method looks at the 95th percentile. To determine transfers using this method, bandwidth is measured every five minutes. At the end of the month, the highest five percent of the readings are dropped. The highest remaining reading, the 95th percentile, is used as the transfer billing rate.

Security, Speed and Service: The physical safety of your server and the security of your data are two primary considerations. Before you select a colocation host, find out what plans they have to protect servers during a flood, fire or other disaster. Ask about the security of the building and find out who will have access to your server.

Also be sure to check into the bandwidth offered by the host company you are considering. Bandwidth measures the rate of data transfer in gigabytes. Some companies offer extremely fast connections that often come with a high price tag. You can save money by choosing a provider that has slower bandwidth. To test a potential host company's response time, visit their website at different times of day. How fast does their site load? A slow-performing website may indicate the company's bandwidth is already overloaded.

If you will be using features such as private nameservers, anonymous FTP, or game servers, having several IP addresses could be important. You will want to make sure that the web host can meet your needs.

Look closely at the company's technical support services. Find out who handles tech support and what kind of IT credentials and experience they have. What do the company's current customer's say about their support? Ask for references.

Get it in Writing: Your server does you absolutely no good when it is down. Look closely at the level of uptime the host company can guarantee. How will you be compensated if that guarantee is not met?

Get that uptime guarantee along with other important considerations in writing. Make sure the contract carefully spells out the terms of service, length of contract, level of service and payment terms. Don't be afraid to negotiate for the service and guarantees you need.

Find Out More: Archivo Ospite, the owner of ABWebHosting.com, is dedicated to bringing you the most informative information on web hosting available on the Internet. To find all of his articles and web hosting tips, please visit:AB Web Hosting