Exploring the Different Types of Data Centers in Dallas

In addition to choosing the right location for your data center, it’s also important to choose the right type of data center for your needs. With that in mind, here is an overview of the different types of data centers in Dallas.

What are colocation data centers?

A colocation data center is a facility where businesses can rent space to house their servers, storage, and other IT infrastructure. Instead of building and managing their own data centers, organizations utilize these shared facilities to benefit from advanced infrastructure, high security, and reliable connectivity.

Colocation providers offer the physical space, power, cooling, and networking required to maintain optimal performance of IT systems. Customers retain ownership and control of their hardware while outsourcing the environmental and operational aspects of housing it.

Colocation is ideal for companies seeking a cost-effective way to scale their IT infrastructure without the overhead of constructing and managing their own data centers. It supports hybrid IT strategies by integrating on-premises, colocation, and cloud environments.

Here are 10 characteristic features of colocation data centers.

Space options: Various configurations, including racks, cabinets, and private suites, to meet diverse needs.
Energy efficiency: Modern colocation centers are designed to maximize energy efficiency through innovations like renewable energy sources, energy-efficient cooling, and power management, helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint.
Power supply: Redundant power systems, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and backup generators ensure continuous operations.
Cooling systems: Advanced HVAC systems maintain optimal environmental conditions for equipment.
Connectivity: High-speed internet, low-latency networks, and multiple carrier options for reliable connectivity.
Physical security: 24/7 monitoring, biometric access, surveillance cameras, and controlled entry points.
Compliance: Certifications for industry standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, and HIPAA to ensure data protection.
Support services: On-site technical support and remote hands for hardware maintenance and troubleshooting.
Scalability: Flexible space and power solutions to support business growth.
Disaster recovery and redundancy: Many colocation facilities are located in geographically stable areas and offer disaster recovery solutions, including redundant systems and failover capabilities to ensure business continuity during natural disasters or outages.

Managed data centers vs. cloud data centers

Both managed data centers and cloud data centers are ways for businesses to access data center resources while delegating the management of the data center to a third party.

The key difference between managed data centers and cloud data centers is that managed data centers give clients access to a physical data center. By contrast, cloud data centers are purely virtual resources.

This difference has some major practical implications. These are five of the main ones.

Security and compliance

Managed data centers allow businesses to implement custom security measures and compliance protocols tailored to specific industry standards. Cloud data centers, meanwhile, manage security at the provider level, with compliance options varying by service level agreement.

Disaster recovery and redundancy

In managed data centers, businesses are responsible for designing and implementing their own disaster recovery and redundancy strategies, although providers may offer some support. Cloud data centers typically include built-in disaster recovery and redundancy features, such as geographic replication and automated failover, as part of their services.

Scalability

Scaling in managed data centers requires purchasing or leasing additional hardware, which can be time-consuming and costly. Cloud data centers, however, offer high scalability, allowing businesses to adjust resources on demand without any upfront hardware investment.

Customization

Managed data centers provide high levels of customization, enabling businesses to tailor hardware and configurations to specific needs. Cloud data centers offer more standardized infrastructure, though some providers include flexible configuration options.

Performance and latency

Performance in managed data centers is often superior due to lower latency, as businesses can control server proximity and network configurations. Cloud data centers may have higher latency in certain scenarios, given the shared infrastructure and reliance on internet connectivity.

Choosing the right type of data center for your needs

Here are the five key factors to consider when choosing the right type of data center for your needs.

Security and compliance: Ensure the data center meets your security and compliance requirements. Managed data centers allow for tailored security measures, whereas cloud providers typically offer built-in security but may have limitations based on their shared infrastructure.

Scalability: Consider how easily the data center can accommodate growth. If your business expects rapid expansion, a cloud data center might offer more flexibility, while managed data centers may require more upfront investment for scaling.

Control and customization: Determine how much control you need over the infrastructure. Managed data centers provide more customization and control, while cloud data centers offer standardized solutions but can be less flexible.

Performance and latency: Evaluate the performance requirements of your applications. Managed data centers tend to offer lower latency, while cloud data centers may introduce slightly higher latency due to the shared resources and internet reliance.

Disaster recovery and redundancy: Consider the disaster recovery and redundancy features offered, as cloud data centers often provide built-in solutions that may not be as readily available in managed data centers.