Key industries in Memphis include logistics, entertainment, and healthcare. These are all sectors that increasingly rely on fast and reliable access to data and services. If you wish to serve these sectors, then it can be very helpful to have a Memphis data center. Here is a quick guide to what you need to know.
Probably the single biggest reason for implementing a Memphis data center is to leverage the city’s strategic position. It’s long been known as one of the most important transport hubs in the southeast. Now its transport infrastructure is matched by its network infrastructure.
This means that Memphis not only has a robust economy in its own right but also excellent physical and digital links to surrounding areas. These include the rest of Tennessee, including Nashville, along with Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Alabama.
Memphis also benefits from a skilled workforce and a fairly benevolent climate. While heat and humidity are considerations, these can be managed. There is a low risk of unexpected environmental incidents. There is also a low risk of civil unrest.
There are two stages to choosing a Memphis data center. Stage one is to evaluate potential data center facilities. Stage two is to evaluate the Memphis data center vendors themselves. Here is a quick overview of both stages.
Overall, the process of evaluating a Memphis data center facility is essentially the same as the process of evaluating a data center anywhere else. There are, however, some location-specific considerations. Here are the key points to check.
Security and compliance: All data centers must have robust physical and digital security. It is, however, common for there to be variations in the exact level of security. Likewise, it’s common for there to be variations in the specific data security frameworks and standards they support.
Reliability: Check the vendor’s guaranteed uptime and the penalties for breaking the guarantee. Also, check the facility’s tier rating and its historical performance data.
Data center infrastructure: All organizations will need to check a data center’s power, cooling, and network connectivity options. When looking at network connectivity, check the vendor’s position on carrier-neutrality, interconnectivity, and multicloud support. Organizations that plan to use vendor-supplied hardware will also need to check the vendor’s range of options and their support for customization.
A data center’s specific location will touch on almost every aspect of its operations. It’s therefore crucial to think carefully about which specific area of Memphis is right for your data center. Here are the three key points you should consider.
Environmental stability: This refers both to the natural environment and the human-created environment. On the natural side, Memphis has a low risk of natural disasters. You should, however, still consider factors such as flood zones and other climate-related risks. On the human-created side, you should think about how human activity in the area could influence data-center security.
Security vs accessibility: If you are planning on having your own staff manage your Memphis data center then security vs accessibility may well be a major consideration. If, on the other hand, you are planning to outsource the tasks requiring on-site labor, this may be much less of an issue.
Proximity to key infrastructure: What qualifies as key infrastructure will depend on each organization’s priorities. That said, proximity to network hubs, operational bases, and transport infrastructure tend to be considerations for most organizations.
It’s also important to note that the exact location of a Memphis data center is likely to have a strong influence on its purchase and/or running costs. Organizations therefore need to be sure that they are getting the best overall value from the data center they choose.
In addition to evaluating the data center facility, you also need to evaluate the data center vendor themselves. There are three main points you need to consider.
Service options: Will the vendor just provide the facility and leave you to manage everything else yourself or can they offer additional support? If the latter, what, exactly, can they offer and at what cost?
Costs and pricing structure: How something is charged can be at least as important as the headline cost. Whatever pricing structure(s) a vendor offers, it should always be straightforward to calculate how much you would need to pay in any given situation.
Service quality: Look for a Memphis data center provider who makes customer satisfaction their top priority. This will vastly increase the likelihood of you being able to build a long and successful partnership with them.
Discover the DataBank Difference today:
Hybrid infrastructure solutions with boundless edge reach and a human touch.
