Colocation Hosting Education and Training

Learn what you need to know to evaluate colocation server hosting

Colocation hosting education and training is actually easier than the actual job of managing your own server. Your job is to learn enough to choose a host that can keep your server safe and secure and connected to the Internet. This is generally easier than learning to do so yourself, and less expensive as well.

Visit websites that don't offer hosting and read recommendations on how to pick the right colocation data center for your website's server. You will experience the following advantages of colocation versus other types of hosting:

1. You leave the hassle of providing a round-the-clock engineering staff to someone else.

2. You don't have to worry about power outages or other security and safety issues.

3. You can hand the installation of new servers over to your colocation services if you outgrow what you have.

Start with an introduction to colocation hosting

If you have no experience with this type of hosting, there are some new concepts and terms to learn. Learn what to look for and find out what all of the confusing words mean. Make sure you understand the difference between a gigabyte and a megabyte and how companies measure bandwidth.

Learn what to look for when evaluating colocation facilities

Just as you look for a safe place to park your new car, you want a safe place for your new server. Look for reliable staff, 24-hour service and fast connection to the Internet. If you will need to deliver or visit your server yourself, you may need to consider proximity to your place of business as well.

Compare the offerings of various colocation service providers

Prices and other specifics vary more between hosts than with lower-cost hosting options. You can learn by reading the features offered by each host you are considering. Identify which features are most important to you.

• If you choose server colocation, you're buying an expensive piece of equipment and agreeing to allow another company to house it and maintain it, so do more research before choosing a host than for other types of hosting. If you are able to physically visit the location, do so. Also consider asking for references and following up by calling them.

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