Note

The decision to co-locate all or part of the data center facility can be a risky one. Because the decision to build vs. buy is essentially one of cost, IT decision makers must put in the time and effort in requirements gathering, determining the...

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A co-location Service Level Agreement (SLA) provides a definition of performance for the negotiated service. SLAs ensure accountability on the part of the service provider and also determine the price of the service. Understand and develop...

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Ongoing management of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) and co-location contract is critical for a successful co-location engagement. Assessments should be conducted at least annually to ensure the co-location vendor is complying with the...

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Vendor co-location site visits can validate decisions or uncover vendor inadequacies and biases. Conduct site visits to shortlisted data center co-location vendors to add another layer of due diligence to the final vendor selection.

Tool

When the organization has received completed proposals back from co-location vendors, a common scoring method should be used to compare and evaluate each proposal. Implement a common scoring method into evaluation processes to determine a...

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After defining the organization's requirements for data center co-location service offerings, expectations for the engagement methodology should be defined. Many organizations run into trouble in the co-location agreement when a vendor's...

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Organizations in the selection process for a co-location vendor should issue an RFP to gather required information from vendors and make an informed decision. After finalizing selection criteria that is relevant to the organization's needs, use...

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Managed services offerings build on basic co-location with added services provided by the vendor. Regardless of immediate needs, IT should include managed services criteria in the vendor selection process. Choose a set of criteria based on...

Organizations planning to build or refresh the data center should consider the build versus buy decision in the planning phase. This decision requires careful examination and evaluation of options involving asset inventories, facility...

An organization that is looking to build or refresh the data center will ultimately be faced with a build versus buy decision. Those that have chosen to outsource their data center must then find the right co-location vendor. Establish a set of...

Organizations in the selection process for a data center managed services vendor may find it difficult to differentiate vendor offerings in a highly commoditized market. TELUS Corporation is a leading vendor in Canada with a range of offerings...

Enterprises entering the selection process for a co-location vendor should not only consider services offered by the vendor, but also the vendor's customer engagement practices. Ensure business practices align by establishing a set of criteria...

Enterprises evaluating co-location vendors must sort through a commoditized market of basic services. Whether or not IT plans to invest in recovery services provided by the vendor, these capabilities should still be assessed before choosing a...

Enterprises beginning the selection process for co-location vendors should establish a set of criteria to evaluate the vendor's managed services offerings, regardless of present need. Managed services may not be in scope when first embarking on...

Basic services offered by server room co-location vendors represent a commodity in the market. In order to differentiate vendor offerings, IT must first establish a set of criteria that focuses and narrows the search. Choose criteria relevant to...

When a shortlist of co-location vendors has been determined, IT must complete an additional key step in due diligence that includes validating vendor claims and following up with site visits to each potential location. Be prepared to confirm...

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Organizations looking for a co-location vendor should issue a RFP in order to gather the required information from vendors and make an informed decision. After finalizing selection criteria that is relevant to the organization's needs, use this...

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Organizations that have determined a shortlist of co-location vendors (likely after the RFP process) should conduct additional due diligence before making the final decision. Vendor co-location site visits can validate decisions or uncover...

When a shortlist of co-location vendors has been determined, IT must complete an additional key step in their due diligence that includes validating vendor claims and following up with site visits to each potential location. Be prepared to...