There have been a lot of numbers about internet traffic and information growth shared recently, but they all point to the same thing – internet traffic and the resulting data processed and stored will continue to grow, almost exponentially. According to a recent Cisco Global Cloud Index report, written about in Forbes, “overall data center traffic will triple in volume, growing from 3.1 zettabytes a year in 2013 to 8.6 zettabytes in 2018. The growth will be at least 23 percent annually.”
That’s a lot of data.
As it becomes more and more critical for companies to be able to share information in real-time, the ability to securely store data and information in a way that you can easily recall and access it is no longer the only concern. Companies also need to have the infrastructure in place to be able to expand that storage as they grow and become more successful.
It’s expected that as the data traffic increases, the amount of data center space needed will only increase. In fact, IDC has said in a recent study that “…the amount of data center space worldwide will grow from about 1.58 billion square feet total in 2013 to 1.94 billion square feet in 2018.”
So what does that mean for you?
It means that if you’re a growing company, you need a way to handle that data. Give you the storage you need. Make sure your employees have access to the information they need without any delay. Be able to handle your customers’ needs whenever and from wherever.
Some companies try to go it on their own with their in-house data centers, but most soon discover that they need a strong partner to be able to seamlessly scale as they continue to grow. But how do you make that decision? What are the key features you need to look for in a data center partner? Here are some of the top things to look for:
Scalability – this is possibly the most important consideration. Can your data center grow with you? Does it have the facilities, technology, staff and space to let you expand the amount of data you’re storing with it? You need a partner that can enable you to grow at your own pace. You shouldn’t have to buy space you don’t need yet – but you should be confident your partner will have the space you need when you need it.
Security – your data is critical to your company’s success. Your customers’ data needs to be protected. Your data center partner needs to be able to provide that protection. When investigating potential partners, check out their record. See whether they’ve had issues in the past – and ask exactly how they protect information today.
Reliability – has your potential partner ever had downtime problems? Do they guarantee 100 percent uptime? Investigate their reliability. Talk to their clients. Make them sign a guarantee.
Efficiency—how fast can they call up and get your staff the information they need? Is there any delay? How efficient is the data center? Are they doing all they can to be efficient in how they utilize space and energy? Speak to those who are working with your partner of choice and see if they’ve had any issues. Dedication to Latest Technology – are they using the latest tech? Do they often invest in the technology of their facility and their clients? Do they have a plan to stay up-to-date in the face of constantly changing technology standards and customer needs? Tour the facility. See what they’re using – and ask about when the next updates are planned.
At Markley Group we understand that this is an industry where the amount of traffic is ever-expanding, increasing what our customers need – and what we need to do to keep them happy. We want to remain a top-of-the-line data center and cloud computing partner, and we’re not afraid in investing to do so.
To learn more about how our colocation and cloud computing services can help your company, contact us here: sales@markleycloud.com.
