Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said, “Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.” Jobs thought customers would seek out products and services from companies that innovate, and that is certainly true — even in terms of colocation facilities. But, with roughly 2,000 colos just in the U.S., many of which offer innovative improvements over earlier data center generations, how do you choose?
Enterprises seeking a new colocation suite will typically down-select four to six candidates for further consideration in preparation for sending them a request for proposal. To identify the most suitable colo candidates, many users begin with a simple web search referencing the desired geographical locations. Websites, like www.datacentermap.com, list the majority of colo facilities; IT consultant Gartner provides guidance to its clients on colocation providers; and many industry professionals consult fellow members of trade groups, such as AFCOM, for provider referrals. Third-party data center procurement advisors compile detailed information on candidate facilities during this phase of the project.