Weighing The Pros & Cons Of Building, Leasing & Outsourcing Data Center Capacity
Deciding whether to acquire data center capacity by building it yourself (as a primary or backup site), leasing it, using a colocation provider, or via other means is one of the most difficult decisions enterprise leaders will face because of the advantages, disadvantages, requirements, risks, and implications they must weigh.
An enterprise might have the capital to build its own data center, for example, but lack the capacity-planning skills to accurately provision it for future use. Another enterprise might greatly value the control that owning a data center provides but find it equally enticing that a colocation provider lets the enterprise predictably plan expenditures. The following offers guidance for weighing such considerations.