When it comes to designing, upgrading or maintaining a data center, it’s imperative that businesses – no matter the size, budget or scope of the project – pay special attention to which companies they source their computer cabinets, server racks and other hardware from. Data centers must not only comply with certain industry requirements, including cooling systems, but they also need to be scalable to accommodate what seems like a perpetually growing demand on the part of company data.
Therefore, every business needs to find a technological partner that understands the goals and challenges involved with a company’s network technology plans. Here are several things to keep in mind when choosing a technology partner for your data center needs:
Have a Discussion with the Hardware Provider about your Specific Needs: Unfortunately, every data center isn’t the same, so that means your data center will require some flexibility in regard to solutions. Therefore, in order to find the best provider, it’s probably a good idea to take some time to speak with every candidate one-on-one in some sort of a Q&A session. Lay forth your requirements and needs and discuss their specialties, experience, etc. to learn more about whether or not it will be a good fit.
Ensure that the Hardware Provider Has All of the Information Available: When choosing a provider, it’s certainly a good idea to have a walkthrough of your data center to discuss any hot/cold spots, any issues with downtime, power failures, and other areas that will affect or influence the type of solution they design.
Review the Hardware Provider’s Background: Before you decide on your hardware provider, ask to review past case studies to see whether or not the provider will be able to deliver. Oftentimes but not always, past experience will indicate future successes and failures. Ask about any special customization projects as well to determine whether or not the provider is willing to step outside of its comfort zone.
Discuss the Numbers: This is especially important if the business is limited in budget but it pertains to businesses of all sizes. The price quote of the computer cabinets and other hardware, the amount of time it will take to finish the project and other logistics must be considered obviously when choosing a technology partner. Therefore, it’s crucial to have numbers in mind before you get to the selection stage in order to find a partner that fits within your budget.
