Colocation hosting is chosen by businesses that want to retain control over their server hardware but still see the major benefits associated with locating said hardware in a data centre that is operated by a third-party provider. There are many advantages to harnessing colocation hosting, with security being a particularly important resource that is offered by this set-up.

Physical Security
Since colocation hosting will see your business placing hardware it owns at a remote location that is not under its control, you will want to be confident that this kit will actually remain safe from unwarranted physical access.

Data loss and theft can occur if the hardware is exploited in person, which is why colocation hosting providers tend to make sure that there are several layers of physical security in place to protect it.

First, constant monitoring by both human security staff and electronic surveillance systems ensure that your hardware’s location is constantly under guard. Second, providers will be able to offer controlled access to your hardware so that only those with the right clearance will be able to get in and carry out any work that is required.

In addition, the colocation hosting provider will be able to account for the physical integrity of your hardware in a way that goes beyond human access. For example, a good data centre should also be prepared with fire suppression systems so that damage to hardware is unlikely to occur. You can expect factors such as temperature and humidity to also be on the watch list, because equipment must operate in an optimised environment. In summary, the data centre should reduce the risk of faults occurring due to complacency.

Digital Security
The important thing to remember is that the cost of replacing hardware is often much lower than the expense associated with data loss and downtime caused by digital security breaches, so you will also want to seek out a colocation hosting solution that will take this into account.

Servers can be attacked by all sorts of virtual threats and will often be under constant attack as malware, spam and dedicated hackers search for a weak point. With colocation hosting, protection against such risks is generally included in the basic price of the package.

The security systems should not only be able to prevent unauthorised access, but also have the ability to detect successful incursions and implement reparative or restorative measures as soon as possible. Malicious code that is allowed to linger on a server undetected is highly undesirable, particularly in a business environment, which is why security should be prioritised.

Depending on the type of features you are implementing on your server, you might also want your colocation provider to filter digital content so that viruses, spam and general spyware programs are stopped at the gate. This means your business will not have to worry about keeping everything clean and tidy, since this will already have been taken care of by a third party.

The offshoot of proper security measures, both physical and digital, as offered by colocation hosting, is that your server will offer better levels of uptime, improved bandwidth for speed and the kind of accessibility which does not come at the expense of the integrity of critical apps and data.

Most of the security woes that can afflict businesses are preventable, but maintaining safe systems requires your business to adopt modern solutions such as colocation hosting to stay ahead of the game. In addition, it is worth remembering that few businesses will be able to match the levels of security offered by colocation providers on an in-house basis, which should help you cut costs.

This article is published in association with Daisy Group plc, a leading UK provider of colocation hosting.