Things to Consider When Selecting Third Party Data Center Service Providers
Data is the lifeblood of all organizations and hence companies and organizations cannot risk losing it as it can lead to catastrophic consequences. The data which can be customer data, employee data, vendor data, or company data need to be secured, protected, backed up and at the same time make it easily accessible to those who require it. And a data center is what that helps companies and organization in storing, managing and distributing data. However, this is only one of the important aspects of data center. Then what exactly is a data center? Data center is actually a facility that houses the computer systems, data storage systems, telecommunications, data connectivity, equipment housing and support, electrical power distribution, backup power systems, environmental systems, fire suppression systems and security systems.
For any business organization, smooth IT operations are crucial in order to achieve uninterrupted business continuity. Hence, data center is one of the most important parts of a business as it helps to keep the business running smoothly and efficiently. Some companies and organizations develop their own data centers in house, while majority depend on external companies and systems. Depending on third party datacenter service…providers can help companies and enterprises to focus on their core activities. However, it comes with an added risk and that is if the vendors are not vetted carefully it can bring in more harm than good.
The following are some of the factors that the companies and organizations need to look at before handing over its critical and sensitive data to a third party datacenter service provider.
Location of the Data Center
The data center need not be near to the company’s office but it should be located at a safe and secure place. It should be located at a place where it faces no potential threats related to natural and manmade disasters.
Power Supply
The data center should have uninterrupted power 24/7/365 days. And if there are frequent power outages, the data center should have emergency power generators. For instance, a data center in Delhi has redundant power systems with back-up generators and UPS systems.
Security
All kinds of security measures be it round the clock security and surveillance, biometric systems, surveillance cameras, or automatic fire extinguishers should be implemented at the data center without fail.
Cooling System
The data center must have precision air conditioning system to maintain optimal temperature and humidity providing optimal server operating conditions. For instance, a data center in Bangalore has high-volume, temperature control systems to ensure ventilation. Its air conditioning units with N+1 redundancy helps to ensure that optimal temperature is maintained even in the event of a single machine failure.