Server colocation allows individuals and small businesses to store their data on a server at a different location, sharing bandwidth with the provider and avoiding bandwidth charges. The provider charges a rental fee and provides backup power and security. Drawbacks include having to log into a different location to update the server.
Server colocation is an attractive option for individuals and small businesses who want all the benefits of having a popular website with tons of hits, but don’t necessarily want to pay for the bandwidth that popularity demands. They still pay a fee, but it’s not for bandwidth; it is a rental fee. A company will store all of its sensitive data, such as web pages and downloadable files, on one server, then physically transport the server to a different location. This location is the server colocation provider’s home operations center. Once the server is there, the provider will take over and install it in their rack.
In effect, the website owner shares bandwidth with the server colocation provider; this is how you avoid bandwidth charges. It can also rent a server from the company, but then it doesn’t own any part of the process other than the data.
Once the server is installed, the site owner will receive an IP address which will allow him to connect to his server from afar and of course allow his customers to connect to the website. If it has a lot of traffic or a lot of high-density files are downloaded continuously from the site, its bandwidth will be correspondingly high. By outsourcing bandwidth responsibility to the company that physically hosts the server, you avoid paying a fee.
The provider will charge the site owner for the space occupied by his server, of course. In some cases, this charge is actually higher than what you would pay if you were hosting the server itself. However, your expenses will usually be lower with this service.
However, a site owner shouldn’t feel sorry for the server colocation provider. They feature some sort of volume discount deal, whereby they host a number of servers. This allows them to earn from the service
One of the main advantages of server colocation is that the provider is usually very well equipped to deal with problems that could arise in the normal functioning of the servers. Power outages can be a server’s biggest enemy, so the provider will have backup power on hand, in the form of generators, to keep the servers running if the electricity is somehow removed.
Another major benefit is that the provider will likely have a more secure location for all servers than what is available at home or in the office. They make a living providing people with a vital service, and it’s in their best interest to protect their investments. The site owner might have their own security at their home or office, but security at the server colocation provider’s business address is almost always better.
One major drawback is having to log into a different physical location if the site owner wants to update his server or software. Overall, however, many industry analysts conclude that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
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