What is Colocation?
In colocation, the customer owns and manages the hardware, and the data center operator provides the building, power, cooling, physical security and network access. The customer typically rents a cabinet, a part of a cabinet or a caged area.
Colocation differs from cloud hosting, where the provider owns and runs the servers, and from managed hosting, where the provider also operates the customer's systems. In colocation the customer is responsible for installing, maintaining and replacing its own equipment, which is why many customers need technicians on site.
Terms differ between operators. Space may be sold by the cabinet, by the rack unit or by the cage, and power may be sold by capacity or by use. The contract and the operator's rules decide what is included, including who may enter the hall and how deliveries and visits are arranged.
How it shows up in practice
- Colocation customers rely on on-site help for installs, cabling, hardware swaps and cross connects, especially when their own staff are far from the facility.
- Check the operator's access rules. Many require advance notice, named visitors and escorts, which affects how quickly a technician can start.
- Know which tasks the operator's own remote hands service covers and which you need to bring in a separate technician for.
- Keep an up to date record of what sits in each cabinet, with labels and photos, so remote work can be done safely.