The Dallas colocation market is full of qualified colocation and data center providers.

For clients looking for a Dallas carrier neutral facility plenty of options are available. Colo4Dallas offers a 68,000 square foot, SAS70 type 2 compliant facility. Tier 1 connectivity is available along with 250 watts per square foot capacity.

Telx also offers a carrier neutral data center at 8435 Stemmons Highway in downtown Dallas. Telx offers connections to multiple Tier 1 bandwidth providers along with 24×7 physical access.

Databank’s Dallas data center at 600 S. Akard in downtown Dallas is another popular location for clients looking for a carrier neutral colocation environment. The facility was once home to the US Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and its entire electrical system is N+1 designed to ensure maximum uptime.

The city of Plano also has several tier 3 type data centers that offer both carrier neutral environments and fiber connectivity options. Global IP Networks has a SAS70 and PCI compliant facility. Unlike other data centers, they offer per U up to private cage space.

Waymark Communications also offers a redundant data center that is conveniently located in Plano at Hwy 121 and the North Dallas Tollway. Per U and secure colocation cabinets are available.

These are just a few of the available Dallas data centers. If your firm is looking for Dallas server colocation, please use our free quote service at www.QuoteColo.com.

Over the next few weeks, we will be writing about specific data centers and colocation providers in different markets across the domestic United States. This article will cover a few Raleigh North Carolina colocation providers.

Peak 10 offers a data center in Raleigh that More than 27,000 square feet of total floor space with N+1 redundancy and Diverse Fiber Entry Points– OC-12 up to OC-192.

Hosted Solutions has a Raleigh colocation SAS 70 Type II certified facility. Their Raleigh data center offers 24- to 36-inch raised floor rated to support 1200lbs/sqft. The facility is not carrier neutral but offers BGP bandwidth from multiple Tier bandwidth providers.

Sungard also offers a SAS70 compliant facility in Raleigh. Sungard is typically not a good fit for straight up colocation clients. They typically require managed services and full cabinet+ type commitments.

PaeTec offers a telecom grade data center in Raleigh. Full cabinets and 100Mbps connections are available.

If you are looking for colocation in Raleigh, please use our free quote service at www.QuoteColo.com.

Dedicated server providers are easy to find. Just Google the term “dedicated server” and you will find over 20,000 links to companies looking for your dedicated server business. Picking a reliable and cost-effective dedicated server provider is not always an easy task. Below are a few of the top questions that you should ask your potential dedicated server provider.

Ask basic data center questions to determine the provider’s reliability. How much planned/unplanned downtime has you facility experienced in the last 12, 24 or 36 months? Most quality dedicated server providers keep detailed records of downtime, maintenance windows, etc. Ask who owns the data center in which your servers will be stored?  Don’t be scared if they lease space from a larger provider such as Equinix, Switch and Data, or Internap. Many fine dedicated server providers lease space and do a superior job because they concentrate more on server management and technical support versus the actual operation of the daily data center infrastructure such as power, bandwidth routing, cooling, etc.

Ask questions regarding the provider’s managed service capabilities. Many dedicated server clients start with “unmanaged” server(s) and eventually look for the provider to assist with managed firewalls, back ups and storage. Having quality managed services available is not only a positive sign of the provider’s long-term capabilities but a real plus for a growing client who needs technical assistance as they concentrate on their own applications and business plan.

Ask questions regarding the reliability of the actual servers being used. What type of dedicated server equipment will be used? Some providers supply their own “white boxes” and other use better known names like Dell, HP, and Sun. Dedicated server providers using well known boxes are often in a better position for offering superior technical support and reliability.

Finally, ask questions about the dedicated server provider’s technical support. Are there on site technicians available 24 x 7? Ask what type of trouble ticketing system is available and the average time it takes to resolve an issue. Before signing a contract, call or email the support line to see the actual response time.

These are just a few recommendations. More updates to follow. If your firm is interested in finding a qualified and cost-effective dedicated server provider, please submit your specifications at www.QuoteColo.com.

• These days, it is more important than ever to ask your colocation providers the right questions before signing  a contract. The staff at QuoteColo has a combined 20+ years of colocation sales experience and thousands of clients have used our service to find a reputable and cost-effective colocation and managed hosting providers.

1) Ask your sales rep about bandwidth overage charges? Most colocation charge a base rate per Mbps and an additional fee if you go over your monthly allocation. Understanding and negotiating overage charges before you sign a contract is a smart business move!

2) If data center tech support is a top priority for your firm, call the support phone number at different times during the weekday and weekend. See how long it takes them to answer the phone. When connecting with a technician, politely tell them you are an interested new client and you were just checking on their response time and manner. Call the support phone number after standard business hours to learn more as well.

3) Make sure that you or your attorney review the colocation’s terms and conditions in detail. For example, some colocation providers include an “evergreen clause” which automatically renews your contract for another similar term.

These are just a few recommendations. More updates to follow. If your firm is interested in finding a qualified and cost-effective colocation or managed hosting provider, please submit your specifications at www.QuoteColo.com