SEACOM offers colocation to large companies in South Africa

In today's fast-paced and technology-driven world, data has become the new currency for businesses. From social media platforms to e-commerce websites, every business collects a vast amount of data on their customers, operations and competitors. The ability to process and analyse this data has become a critical factor in determining success or failure.

Companies that process a lot of data use colocation services because it provides them with a secure and reliable environment to store and manage their data. Colocation services allow businesses to rent space in a data centre facility, where they can store their servers, networking equipment, and other IT infrastructure.

Colocation services

Colocation, also known as colo, is a type of data centre where companies rent space to house their servers and other computing hardware. Instead of hosting their servers on-premises, businesses can move their hardware to a third-party provider's data centre.

It has become an attractive option for enterprises of all sizes and industries, providing them with the peace of mind that their data is always available and protected. Colocation gives enterprises access to higher security, guaranteed uptime and greater bandwidth than they would be able to achieve in-house. It also offers more power resiliency and redundancy. As such, it is becoming an increasingly popular option for companies looking to outsource their server hosting needs.

Benefits of colocation for South African enterprises

Colocation is the preferred server hosting option for South African enterprises for a number of reasons:

1. Improved reliability and uptime - Faced with an energy crisis and regular power outages, South African businesses can enjoy third-party colocation services for improved reliability and uptime. Colocation providers offer highly available and redundant infrastructure, including power, cooling and network connectivity. This helps to mitigate network disruptions caused by load shedding or unexpected power cuts.
2. Scalability - South African enterprises can face unpredictable growth and demand for their IT infrastructure. Colocation providers offer flexible and scalable options for housing IT equipment, allowing enterprises to quickly and easily scale their infrastructure as needed. Scaling infrastructure can happen without the capital expenses and lead times associated with building and expanding an in-house data centre.
3. Access to advanced technologies - Colocation providers tend to offer access to advanced networking and cloud services. With colocation, companies enjoy improved application performance and reduced latency. This can be especially beneficial for South African enterprises that need to connect with customers, partners and data centres located in other regions. It is also beneficial for data-intensive businesses, such as those in online entertainment and gaming. With colocation, there is peering with major cloud and content providers.
4. Reduced costs - Building and maintaining an in-house data centre can be expensive. South African enterprises face high costs for power, connectivity and a lack of skilled IT personnel. Colocation providers can offer economies of scale that result in lower costs for power, cooling and connectivity, as well as reduce the need for in-house IT staff.
5. Improved security and compliance - Colocation providers typically have robust physical security measures and compliance certifications. This ensures that companies can meet regulatory requirements and customer expectations for data security.

Colocation or cloud hosting?

Businesses are increasingly relying on technology to stay competitive. As a result, the choice between colocation and cloud hosting has become a critical decision for many enterprises.

While colocation involves renting space in a third-party data centre facility to store servers and other IT infrastructure, cloud hosting involves accessing computing resources and services over the internet. Both processes are related in that they both provide alternatives to building and maintaining an in-house data centre.

Colocation is suitable for enterprises that need to house their own IT equipment, but want to take advantage of the advanced networking and cloud services that colocation providers may offer. For example, a company may use colocation to house its servers but then connect to a cloud provider, such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, through a direct network connection provided by a colocation provider, such as SEACOM Business through its CloudWorx or peering solutions.

Cloud computing appeals to enterprises that want to avoid the capital expenses and complexity of managing their own IT infrastructure. However, cloud computing may not be suitable for all types of applications and workloads, and some enterprises may prefer to use a combination of colocation and cloud services to meet their specific needs and requirements.

SEACOM offers colocation services

Colocation is ideal for South African enterprises that want to improve the reliability, performance and security of their IT infrastructure, while also reducing costs and complexity. It provides large companies with the flexibility and scalability needed to support their changing business needs.

It’s important for enterprises to carefully evaluate colocation providers based on factors such as location, connectivity, reliability and cost. This will ensure the colocation provider can meet their specific needs and requirements. For more information or to get a quote for colocation, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.

SEACOM operates Africa’s most extensive network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including multiple subsea cables and secure internet connections tracing both sides of the continent. This is partnered with broad terrestrial fibre networks in Southern and East Africa, extending services to these regions.

Today, SEACOM provides holistic ICT solutions covering connectivity, cyber security, cloud, smart networking and communication products that provide African businesses with the necessary building blocks to deliver world-class solutions to their clients. We are privately owned and operated, making us agile and adaptable to the needs of our customers.

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