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In an increasingly digital and data-driven world, businesses face the daunting task of managing their colocation data centers in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. Enter managed colocation, a powerful tool designed to streamline your data center strategy and propel your business into the future.

But what is managed colocation, and how can it revolutionize your business’s data center management services? Let’s dive in and explore.

Understanding Managed Colocation

Managed colocation is a service wherein businesses rent space for their servers and other computing hardware in a data center owned by a third-party provider. But it’s not just about renting space. The term ‘managed’ signifies the comprehensive support services that the provider extends. 

These services encompass everything from hardware maintenance, network connectivity, and security to regulatory compliance, providing businesses with a holistic solution for their data center needs.

But why opt for managed colocation services in the first place? Let’s explore the transformative power of managed colocation and how it can benefit your business.

The Transformative Benefits of Managed Colocation

A plethora of benefits are offered by managed colocation. These benefits can be customized to suit the unique needs of your business. Here are four significant ways colocation managed services models can revolutionize your data center strategy:

Cost-Effectiveness:

Operating in-house data centers can be a significant financial burden. The infrastructure expenses, the operational costs, network equipment management, and the human resources required for management can quickly add up. This is where managed colocation steps in as a cost-effective alternative.

Savings are realized by avoiding capital expenditure on physical infrastructure, lowering operational expenses, and saving on travel costs. With your colocation data center handled by a third-party provider, there’s no need for your IT staff to travel for routine maintenance or troubleshooting. This delivers significant savings in travel expenses.

Operate in Diverse Geographies:

Managed colocation doesn’t just save you money. It enables you to expand your operations to other geographies without requiring a physical presence. With managed colocation, you can operate data centers in any location worldwide, irrespective of where your staff is located. This global reach can be instrumental in improving your services, reducing latency, and offering a better user experience to your customers around the globe.

This trend is inline with the emergence of edge computing. According to Grand View Research, the edge computing market is expected to grow 37.9% per year from 2023 to 2030. Managed colocation services support edge computing deployment models.

Enhanced Security and Compliance:

In today’s digital landscape, data security is a paramount concern. Managed colocation providers offer stringent security measures to ensure the safety of your data. From biometric access controls and CCTV monitoring to 24/7 on-site staff, you can rest assured that your data is safe.

Many managed colocation providers also offer services to ensure your data handling practices comply with regulatory norms. This is especially important for businesses operating in sectors like healthcare or finance, where data handling regulations are stringent.

Scalability and Flexibility:

Business needs are dynamic, and they change over time. Managed colocation offers the flexibility to scale your operations up or down based on your changing needs. It allows you to scale without hiring expensive IT staff. Whether your business is expanding or downsizing, managed colocation services can be adjusted accordingly.

The Power of Comanaged Colocation Services

As businesses increasingly recognize the benefits of managed colocation, a new trend is emerging — comanaged colocation services. This model offers a blend of traditional colocation and managed services, allowing businesses to manage their servers while benefiting from the data center-managed services.

In a comanaged setup, businesses can maintain control over their own servers and IT environment while still leveraging the technical expertise and resources of the managed colocation provider. In a comanaged solution, the provider is responsible for monitoring things like network availability and replacing hard drives. It’s a partnership where both parties share responsibilities, offering businesses the perfect balance between control and convenience.

Managed Colocation vs. Remote Hands

Both managed colocation services and remote hands offer significant advantages to businesses. They differ in the scope and nature of their support, however.

Managed colocation services offer a comprehensive solution for businesses seeking full support in data center operations. In this model, the provider not only rents out space in a secure data center for your servers but also takes up a major share of the management duties. These responsibilities typically include proactive response monitoring, server management, network management, and updates to software and infrastructure setup. This arrangement means your business can maintain control over its data and IT assets while the service provider handles the time-consuming task of managing them.

On the other hand, remote hands services focus on providing on-site physical support at the data center. This typically involves tasks like performing hardware installations or replacements, managing cables, visually inspecting equipment, and testing hardware components. It acts as an extension of your own IT team, providing immediate physical assistance when required.

While both services aim to free your internal IT team from routine maintenance and troubleshooting, managed colocation goes a step further by offering extensive support that covers both hardware and software aspects of your data center. In contrast, remote hands predominantly deals with on-site physical tasks.

Managed Colocation: Future Trends

The future looks bright for managed colocation. As businesses grapple with the complexities of big data, Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing, the demand for efficient and scalable data center colocation solutions is rising.

Furthermore, the current global business landscape, marked by remote workforces and decentralized operations, is fueling the growth of both managed cloud hosting and colocation. Businesses are increasingly recognizing the power of operating data centers in diverse geographies without the need for a physical presence.

According to Coherent Market Insights, the global colocation and wholesale market is expected to reach $202.71 billion by 2023, a clear testament to the growing demand for colocation-managed services.

Conclusion: Harnessing the Power of Managed Colocation

Managed colocation is a powerful tool that can significantly transform your business’s data center strategy. It offers many benefits — cost-effectiveness, operational efficiency, enhanced security, regulatory compliance, scalability, flexibility, and the ability to operate in diverse geographies.

If your business struggles with managing your data center or is looking for ways to scale your operations, managed colocation could be the perfect solution. Not only can it streamline your operations and cut down costs, but it can also set a solid foundation for your business’s future growth.

Investing in managed colocation is not just about outsourcing your data center operations. It’s about embracing a partnership that can propel your business into the future. With the right managed service and colocation partner, you can unlock new possibilities and better transform your business’s data center strategy.

Brightlio – Your Partner in Managed Colocation

Decoding the complexities of managed colocation and identifying the right full-service provider for your business needs can be challenging. That’s where Brightlio comes in. As an experienced telecom broker, we can help you find the most cost-effective and efficient colocation services tailored to your unique needs.

Beyond managed colocation and managed hosting, Brightlio offers a diverse range of services, including cloud services, network connectivity, SD-WAN, and unified communications solutions. Our advisory services ensure you make the best decisions for your business’s telecommunication needs.

Let Brightlio help you unlock the full potential of your data center strategy. Please contact us today for a competitive quote, and let us help you in your journey toward business transformation. With Brightlio, you’re choosing a trusted partner committed to supporting your growth in the digital landscape.