4 Things You Need To Know About Single Server Colocation

Dec 7, 2021 | Colocation

What does ‘server colocation’ mean?

The process of hosting an organization’s computing, storage, networking, and security hardware in a purpose-built data center owned and maintained by a partner is known as “server colocation.”

The server remains the client’s property, but it is maintained, managed, and monitored by the MSP(Managed Service Provider) or cloud service provider in server colocation. The primary objective of server colocation is to take advantage of improved IT support services on critical IT infrastructure/servers without incurring high operational costs.

Using a data center eliminates the requirement for your company to invest money and resources in server storage on its premises. You place your existing equipment in pre-built racks, and the data center takes care of the rest.

The Impact of Single Server Colocation for Small Businesses

Safeguarding your data is one of many responsibilities that come with operating a small business. Single server colocation is the ideal option to protect your data if your company only has one or a few servers that house it. As the name “server colocation” implies, a single server is a single physical server kept in a data center on a rack alongside several other servers belonging to various corporations and individuals.

Our company, UnitedLayer, delivers value to small businesses along with the reliability of 100% uptime of services. We provide several flexibility options, including on-demand scalability in server colocation, so that a client can start with our most basic plan and expand as their business grows.

Read more about server colocation by clicking here.

Why Use Single Server Colocation?

There are numerous advantages of using single server colocation or a small number of servers owned by a company. While a business can run its server, the services provided by a data center are unrivaled. A data center will not only save you money by eliminating hidden expenditures, but it will also offer you the necessary infrastructure, backup power, synchronous internet, regular maintenance, security, IT professionals, and space for your company to grow.

Uptime: Data centers ensure a 100% uptime for your small business by monitoring and managing power, cooling, and internet connections. Finding a reputable data center such as UnitedLayer with a proven track record of reliability is vital to saving your company’s bottom line.
Security: Physical and cyber-threats can endanger your small business and its server. In the event of a fire, flood, or theft, colocating your single server to a data center secures it away from your core location. Single servers are kept in lockable server racks with limited access to those who can open them and are monitored by external and internal CCTV cameras 24/7/365.
Cost: Every company, especially a small one, strives to reduce costs and increase profit margins. You’ll be able to focus and use your important time doing what you do best if you leave Server hosting and management to the professionals.
Growth: Expansion of your own data center might be expensive as your company grows. To house more servers, you’ll need to employ a contractor, purchase additional space, or construct space in your existing building. Not only that, but if you add extra security and power, your cost sheets will skyrocket.

When a company uses a colocation solution, it saves money on growth expenses. Data centers are designed to hold a large number of servers at once. Therefore there is plenty of capacity for your organization to expand and thrive.

About UnitedLayer

UnitedLayer provides highly secure and redundant server colocation services with 100% uptime availability from one of the largest data centers in San Francisco, USA, at 200 Paul Ave. We also have cloud connectivity with all the major public cloud providers through 300+ carrier network providers. Our long list of managed services enables enterprises to modernize their infrastructure and improve their responsiveness, resource utilization, scalability, and agility resulting in better customer experience and faster time to market.

Is your business in need of managed server colocation services? By creating custom plans and quotes, we will work with you to give the best colocation solution.

Please call us at +1-888-853-7733 with your colocation needs so that we can find the best solution for you.

5 Keys to Choosing a Colocation Data Center Provider

Oct 11, 2021 | Colocation

Choosing a colocation data center is an important decision for your company. After all, your mission-critical infrastructure will be housed in someone else’s facility. There are several criteria you should consider before making a decision. This list isn’t meant to be a comprehensive list of questions for every business, but it’s a good place to start. These criteria can serve as the foundation for your search or colocation data center RFP.

1. LOCATION: For several reasons, location is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting a colocation data center. The first thing to consider is how easy it is for someone from your company to get to the physical location. It is an essential consideration if you ever need to upgrade or service your equipment (think about how costly having equipment down for an extended period of time could be). You should also consider how vulnerable the area is to natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes.

Although the colocation data center provider considered these factors when developing the facility, taking extra precautions with your critical infrastructure never hurts.

UnitedLayer’s 200 Paul colocation data center is the only data center in San Francisco that is built on bedrock with Zone 4 construction and is not in a 500-year flood plain.

UnitedLayer has over 40,000 square feet of fully redundant colocation data center space, which is not in the earthquake fault, liquefaction, or landslide zone for the next 100-year and is seismically rated for protection against earthquakes.

2. FLEXIBILITY AND EXPANSION CAPABILITY (SCALABILITY): As stated in the previous section, you want your provider to be able to meet your needs now and for the next several years. Having said that, different colocation data center providers provide different levels of flexibility. Some will offer out-of-the-box solutions that may or may not meet your requirements. On the other hand, other providers will provide more customized solutions (flexibility) in addition to the more standard offerings.

Find out if there is any additional space, power, or connectivity available. Choose a provider that can scale with you over time rather than one that can’t.

UnitedLayer’s DR solutions are highly customizable, where customers can build specific Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) according to their business requirements. With on-demand scalability, you can add additional resources to meet the increased replication needs, this helps in reducing cost and improving business flexibility. UnitedLayer’s DR solutions are highly secure and

3. RELIABILITY: When selecting a colocation data center or colo provider, reliability is crucial. In the world of colocation data centers, reliability is measured as uptime. A reliable provider should have five 9s uptime, which means they are reliable at least 99.999% of the time.

UnitedLayer has guaranteed availability of 99.999% with High-availability N+2 Clusters. Other things to look for are staff certifications, customer feedback, and on-site support (vs. outsourced).

4. DEPLOYMENT EFFICIENCY: The physical characteristics of a data environment are an essential aspect of optimizing data centers. Poor server deployment may introduce latency into network systems, mainly if a facility uses sloppy, unstructured cabling. If servers are unable to vent heat effectively, the wrong deployment may result in higher cooling costs. Workloads may not be adequately distributed across computing resources, resulting in multiple servers running well below capacity but consuming the same amount of power as servers running heavier workloads.

How quickly do you need your infrastructure to be operational? How soon do you anticipate requiring a new cross-connect or additional rack space in the future? Most businesses want to get their new space up and running as quickly as possible.

Deployment efficiency can be difficult to quantify into a specific stat or number, so make sure your potential vendors communicate timelines clearly to you.

5. NETWORK ECOSYSTEM: The ability to interconnect within a shared colocation data center space is one of the most significant benefits of colocation. Interconnection can be highly beneficial to your business, whether you want to connect with partners, distributors, or even competitors for peering. Learn about the available connectivity options before making a decision. Is the facility carrier-neutral? Do they already have a large ecosystem of customers who are connected?

With over 300+ carriers at our interconnection facilities and direct access to over 3000 carriers, UnitedLayer has extremely low latency connections to all clouds, enterprise colocation data centers, and edge locations.

Choose a colocation data center solutions partner, not just a colocation data center facility

Moving to a colocation facility can help you reduce CAPEX while giving you access to cutting-edge colocation data center technologies. You can also rapidly evolve by utilizing managed services, greater power density, and the hybrid cloud. Choosing a colocation data center provider who will work with you to scale your IT over time is essential.

UnitedLayer provides colocation data center services from one of the largest data centers in San Francisco, USA, at 200 Paul Ave. Our long list of managed services enables enterprises to modernize their infrastructure and improve their responsiveness, resource utilization, scalability, and agility resulting in better customer experience and faster time to market.

Got questions? Want to talk specifics? That’s what we’re here for.

Cloud or Bare Metal Server? What’s The Difference?

Aug 12, 2021 | Colocation, Private Cloud

What is a Bare Metal Server?

Bare Metal Server is a physical server dedicated to a single tenant, which allows users full access to the hardware. This access is possible because a bare metal server does not use a hypervisor layer to create separate virtual machines (VM) on the server. Instead, placing the operating system directly on the server eliminates the need for layers. As a result, the performance is among the best on the market.

What is a Cloud Server?

A cloud server is a robust physical or virtual infrastructure that stores and processes applications and data. They are formed by dividing a bare metal server into numerous virtual servers using virtualization software.

Cloud servers are a crucial part of cloud technology. The widespread deployment of server virtualization has helped cloud computing’s rise and continued growth.

Benefits of Bare Metal Server:

Greater Access Control: The user of a dedicated server is given Administrative or ‘Root access’ to the server. This level of access allows users to have more control over the device’s hardware and software. Users can micromanage the server’s processes, optimize performance, and install additional applications using administrator-level privileges.
Customizability: One of the best features of a bare metal server is tailoring it to meet your specific business needs. You can pick and select which features and specifications you need. Whether you need a particular GPU model, NVMe storage for high IOPS, or a specific RAM-to-CPU ratio, bare metal can do it all. You can customize your bare metal server and add the features that you need.
Security & Reliability: When it comes to security, a dedicated server can be the best option for you. The name ‘dedicated’ is part of the proof. Compared to a virtual server, bare metal is a single-tenant physical server that physically isolates your applications, data, and resources for increased security and privacy. Dedicated servers are kept in a secure data center with controlled access points for on-site personnel when purchased from a hosting provider like UnitedLayer. HIPAA and PCI compliance are also easier to achieve with dedicated servers due to a high level of security.

Benefits of Cloud Server:

Data Security: The security of a firm’s data is one of its main concerns, regardless of its size or industry. Data breaches and other forms of cybercrime may wreak havoc on a company’s revenue, customer loyalty, and brand image. Baseline security measures, such as authentication, access control, and encryption, are implemented by cloud storage providers for their platforms and the data they process. Most businesses then supplement these protections with additional security measures to strengthen cloud data security and restrict access to sensitive data in the cloud.
Scalability & Flexibility: Cloud service options range from basic public cloud packages to fully managed custom cloud solutions tailored to specific demands, all of which may be scaled to match a company’s changing priorities and ongoing growth.
Reliability: The customer’s website is hosted in the cloud on several servers or computers. If a single piece of hardware fails, additional machines can instantly step in to keep the website up and operating.

How can we help you?

At UnitedLayer, we provide a dedicated virtual data center that allows enterprises to manage their private cloud fully. It comes with our enterprise-class support, which has a 15-minute response time and experts available 24x7x365 to provide support for any issue.

Whether you want a classic public cloud or bare metal server, contact us today to discuss your requirements and setting up the best hosting service for your business.

Got questions? Want to talk specifics? That’s what we’re here for.

Server Colocation And How Will It Work For You?

Jul 21, 2021 | Colocation

Colocation (quite often known as “colo”) is the method of renting space for the servers and other computer hardware at a third-party provider’s data center facility. Colocation facilities usually involve the places where everything is stored and networked, physical protection, backup power, HVAC (heating ventilation and cooling), constant support for client’s servers, and storage.

Now moving to server colocation, the server remains with the clients but it is stored, managed, and controlled by the Managed Service Provider or cloud service provider. The client or organization accesses the server over the Internet or on a Virtual Private Network connection. Using advanced IT support services on key IT services is the primary goal behind server colocation.

What are the 5 W’s of Server Colocation?

Why – Why is Server Colocation needed? Instead of building a new data center, corporations can use the space in a colocation facility to expand their existing data center.

Who – Who uses Server Colocation? The answer is simple, companies and individuals consider server colocation since it offers a stable base to create safe systems that conform to the applicable regulatory frameworks, which are either not feasible or incredibly expensive with other infrastructure hosting modalities.

What – What do we know about different types of Server Colocation? Single server Colocation is for U servers, tower servers, and PCs; partial racks come in rack increments of 1?4, 1/3, and 1?2. Usually, full racks and cabinets are 42 to 48U in size; private cage placement usually comes at increments racks of 2, 4, 8, and 10 and at last for larger businesses looking for more space with custom features such as office space, disaster recovery space, custom private cages, and custom suites are also an option.

Where – Where to find Server Colocation? You can find it anywhere in this whole wide world! UnitedLayer provides the best solutions for your business from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco and can support any expansion through its 13 data centers spread across 5 continents. Check out our website to find out more!

When – When will you need a Server Colocation? Did you outgrow your new server room? Have you encountered power problems or Internet downtime at your data center in your office? If the answer is yes, then it’s time for you to look into UnitedLayer.

Build a more productive and highly available IT architecture with hundreds of providers inside the facilities, including SDNs, global carriers, subsea networks, metro providers, and more, access to your choice with us. We provide highly skilled and certified professionals who would be an extension of the IT company. Smart hand and Remote hands 24×7×365 and mechanical & electrical monitoring.

Visit us at UnitedLayer to learn more about the different services offered and how you can get the best out of them.

What is Colocation Services?

Jul 20, 2021 | Colocation

In a third-party data center, colocation service is the process of storing privately equipment of networking and operated servers. There is the choice to “co-locate” servers by renting space in a colocation data center (it is known as a third-party data center as well) rather than the in-house situation whereby servers reside inside a room or portion of an organization’s business infrastructure.

Companies split the cost of power, cooling, connectivity, and data center floor space with other occupants by colocation. It is affordable than a new data center being built. When servers are built in-house, companies can manage their equipment the same way they do. Rather than creating a new data center, by utilizing the space in a colocation facility, corporations can easily increase their current data center.

The main distinction between colocation and the public cloud is the storage and handling of the data. It is a question of providing tangible assets as opposed to virtual ones. Cloud-based infrastructure systems provide cost savings due to shared resources, much like colocation. Still, that’s where they leave their similarities.

Colocation and cloud providers provide options to housing their data for enterprises. Each service has its pros and cons, depending on their particular specifications. In deciding the best course of action, identifying the placement service that best suits your business needs will go a long way.

At UnitedLayer, we have a growing list of services that are managed which helps corporations to restructure their infrastructure and enhance their responsiveness, optimization, resource efficiency, and flexibility, leading to better and enhanced customer experience and quicker time to market. UnitedLayer will offer you colocation facilities from one of the largest data centers in many countries.

Visit our website www.unitedlayer.com and register for a free demo today to get a deeper glimpse into what else our Colocation facility has to offer.

Top 5 Things You Should Know About Data Center Infrastructure(DCIM)

Jul 7, 2021 | Colocation, Managed Services

What is Data Center Infrastructure?

Data center infrastructure is a crucial element of the business strategies of many companies. Managed Services Providers (MSPs) and cloud-based developers require the rich connectivity options that only a data center’s infrastructure can offer. However, with so many data center facilities, it can be tricky to decide which ones can provide superior services today and boost tomorrow’s technological revolution.
The core physical or hardware-based resources and components that make up a data center – including all IT infrastructure devices, equipment, and technologies – are referred to as data center infrastructure. It’s modeled and identified in a design plan that involves a comprehensive list of the infrastructure components required to build a data center.

A Data Center infrastructure may include:

Computers
Networking equipment (Routers or switches)
Servers
Storage
Security
Data Center management applications

An Overview of Data Center Infrastructure Architecture

The computational power, storage, and applications needed to sustain an enterprise business are all housed in the data center. All content is sourced or passed through the data center infrastructure, which is at the heart of the IT architecture. Performance, resiliency, and scalability must be carefully considered when designing the data center infrastructure.

What is Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)?

The processes, guidelines, tools, and methodologies used for provisioning, governance, and overall management of data center assets and infrastructures are referred to as data center infrastructure management (DCIM). It offers a comprehensive approach for the operation and maintenance of an enterprise data center and includes information technology resources, including power, cooling, lighting, and physical infrastructure.

What is Data Center Infrastructure Efficiency (DCIE)?

Data center infrastructure efficiency (DCIE) is a metric for assessing a data center’s power or energy efficiency. It entails assessing and measuring a data center’s overall energy consumption, especially related to the energy consumption of IT devices and equipment.

What are the 5 Things You Need to Know About Data Center Infrastructure?

Data Center Redundancy:

While most data centers will say that their systems are fully redundant, the terminology has become so muddled in recent years that their exact backup capacities may be unclear. The first thing to look for is the efficiency of the data center’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. A dependable facility would have a comprehensive auditing policy to ensure that backup batteries are still ready to go.

UnitedLayer’s N+2 redundant chiller configuration and redundant water sources ensure consistent temperatures are maintained throughout our facilities; also, our networks are at least 2N redundant, and they include numerous cabinet redundant panels, redundant UPS, an automatic transfer generator, cabs, versatile capacity, and high density (20KW).

Power Density:

Many data center cabinets were designed with lower power densities in mind than most current servers. However, significant transformations in server technology have changed the way facilities measure their power capacity over the last decade. Watts per square foot used to be the traditional unit, but data centers now calculate power density at the server rack level. Ten years ago, 4-5 KW per rack was considered average; today, that number is closer to 15-20 KW per rack in high-performance facilities.

For instance, UnitedLayer has guaranteed power density to support current and future technologies with 20KW and 2N power.

Uptime SLA Requirements:

Any data center infrastructure evaluation should start with a thorough review of the Service Level Agreement (SLA). This agreement specifies the services that a data center promises to provide and the penalties imposed if it fails to do so. Uptime SLAs are important for consumers looking to secure their data and assets because they are legally binding documents.

UnitedLayer’s G3 Private Cloud provides all the power of the cloud without the pain of running it, so your IT team can focus on tasks essential to the growth of your business. Also, G3 Private Cloud is a fully managed cloud by our team of experts 24/7/365 days with a 15 mins response time SLA. Also, we provide software-defined network, compute, and storage resources with 99.999% high availability N+M clusters.

Remote Hands:

Providing services via a data center can be challenging at times. Experienced IT personnel may lack the planning and expertise required to implement systems and develop networks within the data center environment. A facility offering skilled technicians who work together for migration and integration will help customers focus on services that benefit their businesses.

When problems develop, having remote hands staff available 24/7/365 to resolve issues quickly reduces the negative impact of downtime. These technicians are also familiar with the data center environment and can handle repairs and other emergencies more efficiently than external IT teams. With an excellent remote hands team in place, service-driven businesses like MSPs can focus more on developing new services instead of troubleshooting for their customers. Customers can use UnitedLayer to get a visual snapshot of all their devices in the colocation data center, track their output, and manage these devices without sending technical staff to the facility.

Visibility:

Understanding what goes on inside a data center is essential for any organization that provides services through that infrastructure. Customers have to know how traffic affects power and network performance to plan and determine how their assets are best deployed. This information is provided by data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software. Protection is also a significant concern in terms of visibility. Sophisticated DCIM systems make it easier to monitor properties and ensure that all equipment is where it should be at all times.

According to Gartner, “Data center infrastructure management (DCIM) tools monitor, measure, manage and control data center utilization and energy consumption of all sending IT-related equipment (such as servers, storage, and network switches) and facility infrastructure components (such as power distribution units [PDUs] and computer room air conditioners [CRACs]).”

Meeting compliance regulations can be challenging without the right data center partner. With SSAE-18 certification incorporating controls & requirements and a robust infrastructure that is regularly audited, UnitedLayer has the unique ability to assist our customers in achieving SSAE18 SOC1/2, PCI, FedRAMP/FISMA & HIPAA compliance if needed.

Why choose us?

UnitedLayer provides the Colocation services from one of the largest data centers in San Francisco, USA, at 200 Paul Ave. Our long list of managed services enables enterprises to modernize their infrastructure and improve their responsiveness, resource utilization, scalability, and agility resulting in better customer experience and faster time to market.

With more than two decades of experience and a pool of experts in leading technologies – we enable enterprises, SMB’s, government agencies, and start-ups to reap the maximum benefits from their multicloud investments.

To get a better insight into what else UnitedLayer has got in store, Sign up for a free demo today.

« Older Entries

Next Entries »