According to Info-Tech Research Group, 64% of organizations engage in some form of data center colocation services. In addition, Gartner has observed more and more enterprises enlisting colocation services, and has identified several reasons behind this trend.^*

1.  Since organizations are more geographically distributed, they don’t necessarily have an optimal central location in which to locate a data center and Web systems.

2. Traditional office buildings don’t always meet the cooling, power and weight requirements to house dense and heavy hardware, and retrofitting them is too expensive. Also, these buildings rarely allow for the lockdown security measures that companies want for their server rooms.

3. Colocation gives companies that are consolidating or outgrowing their internal data centers a cost-effective alternative to building new facilities.

4. Remote “lights-out” management technology makes administering remote systems easier, allowing IT staffers to reboot servers remotely.

For more information on the drivers, benefits and ROI of colocation, download our Colocation Buyer’s Guide

*Focus Research Group

The potential advantages of cloud computing are well documented. If designed and provisioned properly, cloud deployments can lower capital and operating costs, increase flexibility and reduce complexity. You need to weigh the benefits gained from using one type of solution over another. When making the decision between private and public, it is useful to consider the following questions:

1. What level of security do your applications require?
2. What level of control and customization do you need?
3. What type of support services do you expect with your cloud solution?
4. What are your cost and flexibility expectations?
5. What stipulations will you have with respect to availability and performance?

Enterprises need to select a cloud-hosting model by evaluating each application or workload individually, as the security and customization requirements may differ greatly. For example, web content for public distribution may not need the same levels of security and control as a company’s ERP applications. Enterprises may end up leveraging both private and public cloud solutions for different initiatives or applications.

Regardless of your particular deployment, it is imperative to select a solution that delivers an enhanced end-user experience and superior availability. From the cloud to the end user, Internap will help you identify and deploy the best solutions for your business needs. Download our decision brief, “Cloud Hosting: Public or Private,” to help get a clear idea of your cloud requirements.

In January’s issue of Fortune (The Future Issue) there is a great short read on the newly burgeoning role of the “Data Scientist”.  The Data Scientist will manage the overflow of data needed to support the predicted 50 billion devices that are coming online over the next 10 years. Wow, 50 billion devices on the Internet, really?!  Multiple terabytes of data on mobile devices? All in the next ten years?!

Hmmm, it got me to thinking, in my family alone, we have nearly 20 devices on the Internet and the pace is growing rapidly as we consume terabytes of storage.  The next generation of cars and appliances are all connected to the Internet, so yes, the devices are coming and with it a tsunami of data and computing demands.

As IT leaders, we will need more options and flexibility than ever before.  As we explore and adopt cloud in its various forms and better understand how to utilize managed and dedicated hosting, we can prepare for the future.  We need to be ready to support new roles such as Data Scientists. We also need to have computing on demand and flexible storage solutions – not to mention new analytical capabilities to sort through the mountains of data.

If exploring and adopting new forms of computing isn’t on your road map today, I would encourage you to look to the not so distant future and ask yourself: are you ready to lead your company in a world that has 50 billion devices connected to the Internet?

Internap has been pioneering IT Infrastructure services for well over a decade and with our recent acquisition of Voxel, we offer you vastly greater choices for IT platform flexibility and performance. To learn more visit the Internap + Voxel page.

Like many Atlantans, I commute from the burbs on 75/85 each day to make my way downtown to work.  Most of the time my track down the major north/south artery takes me right around 30 minutes, but on certain days an accident blocks my path, or there is just so much traffic on the road that my commute is delayed. Today was such a day, and I couldn’t help but wish for a way to speed things up or a way around the usual rubberneckers.  But instead of honking my horn at the guy in front of me, I day-dreamed about how Atlanta traffic might be better if only it too could benefit from route control and acceleration services like a business using the Internet can.

You see the Internet has millions of packets of information traveling across its many information highways, just like Atlanta has hundreds of thousands of commuters traveling its highways, and sometimes things get bogged down. But unlike Atlanta travelers who have to sit through a traffic jam, companies that depend on the Internet for their business can turn to technologies such as TCP Acceleration or Intelligent Route Control (IRC) to speed things up and get around the blockages the Internet inevitably presents.

TCP Acceleration works to speed delivery of applications by up to four times, ultimately improving the end-user experience, just like traveling in the fast lane  might get me to work a few minutes quicker. IRC technology avoids the traffic jams and chooses the best possible route around delays− sort of like being able to weave in and out of traffic like a race car driver or drive down the shoulder (which I have considered). Using these two technologies in combination delivers a better online experience for website users. It’s just too bad they can’t do much for Atlanta traffic.

Looking for a way around Internet slow-downs and obstacles? Read how Beyond Nines uses Internap’s Accelerated IP service (XIP™) in conjunction with our Managed Internet Route Optimizer™ (MIRO) technology to provide enhanced services that help its customers maximize fund-raising systems. Download the case study now.

Well, both require speed, agility and teamwork to get the “W.” Just as a football player needs speed to run faster than his opponent to reach the end zone, a CDN needs speed to deliver content across a worldwide network to users that are hungry for video and feature-rich websites.  While a hockey player uses his agility to get the puck past other quick-skating players, a CDN also uses its agility with route optimization technology to get around the inherent delays and blockage points of the Internet. And of course, any sports team that expects to win requires dedication to teamwork, just as a CDN has a full team of technicians committed to 24/7 customer support.

Companies looking for a CDN should look for more than just an IT provider, they need a team player with speed and agility to deliver the win. That’s why when flexxCOACH, a leader in next-generation sports e-learning, started looking for a game plan to get their on-demand sports training program off the ground, they turned to Internap’s 100% uptime guaranteed CDN service with built-in route optimization and TCP acceleration.

Searching for a team player you can trust? Read more about why flexxCOACH selected Internap for its streaming media needs
Download the case study now.

We have all heard service providers profess that their facilities are “green,” but how do you know if they are acting on their green initiatives? Going green in the data center can significantly reduce your carbon footprint, but you need to know the right questions to ask to make sure your provider is doing their part. Here are some examples of things you will want to know to determine if you provider is truly green.

1) What practices are in place to conserve power?

The most significant consumer of energy in the data center is power. Ask what kind of rack management techniques the provider uses, if they use controlled lighting and if their UPS systems are running at optimal efficiency. These tactics will help conserve as much energy as possible and ensure a greener IT environment.

2) What practices are in place to make sure the facility is cooled properly and efficiently?

It’s impossible to talk about power consumption in the data center without talking about cooling. Raised floors, recycled water, close-coupled technology and temperature control all impact how much cooling and ultimately how much power the data center consumes.

3) Does the provider have any certifications such as LEED or Energy Star? Have they won any awards like the Green Globes?

Organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council certify data center buildings using the LEED system, while organizations like Green Building initiative and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set standards for high efficiency using the Green Globe Awards and the Energy Star rating system.

While it is uncertain what will be the newest energy efficient design, it is certain that green will continue to be more than just a trend as long as energy costs and carbon emissions are on the rise. Discover more green best practices by downloading our eBook, Choosing a Green Colocation Provider

It all began with a man by the name of J.C.R. Licklider who introduced the concept of an ‘intergalactic network.’ He was appointed the head of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) after he developed an idea for a global computer network that would allow users to access information from anywhere in the world. Vinton G. “Vint” Cerf continued the research started by Licklider and co-designed the TCP/IP protocol suite with Bob Kahn in the 1970s.

Just 20 short years after its invention, there are over 2 billion users on the web*, with the number of online transactions in the US totaling 1.3 billion for 2010 and online sales reaching $210 billion. A scenario never imagined by our predecessors, much of the world’s global commerce is driven by the World Wide Web.

With staggering amounts of traffic and transactions traversing the Internet, it’s no wonder site developers, designers, retailers and many others want their sites to perform at peak levels. Organizations are increasingly choosing Website Performance Optimization (WPO) technologies to boost reliability, availability and their bottom line.

Why WPO?

• Identify problems and shift traffic quickly without waiting for slow BGP convergence
• Avoid sending traffic down paths that are problematic due to route oscillations, black holes or routing loops
• Measure service levels and alternate paths
• Obtain performance, distribution and economic reports to validate and fine-tune policies

What are you doing to accelerate your website performance? Read more about these technologies and how to choose the best one for your business: download our IP Buyer’s Guide eBook now.

Managed hosting services are gaining popularity in the IT community. With growth rates in managed hosting for the North American and European markets estimated in the mid-teens to low 20% range through 2013*, you have to wonder what are the drivers causing this demand?

IT Infrastructure Costs
Most data center equipment has an average lifespan of three to five years. For instance, batteries should be replaced every two to three years, servers every four years and so on. In addition to simple wear and tear, the rate at which technology is advancing is also driving equipment replacements. What this means for companies is a constant technology refresh, which can add up over time. Managed hosting eliminates the need for purchasing your own hardware, removing you from the refresh game entirely.

Limited Data Center Space
Demand for data center space has been pretty steady according to an article from Data Center Knowledge**, however, the supply of space has become a problem. At the national level, the pending demand for data center space may be three times greater than the available supply of quality space, according to Jim Kerrigan, the director of the data center practice at the real estate firm Grubb & Ellis. There is a huge gap between data center space demand and supply, and it’s only projected to grow.

Limited Power and Cooling Capacity
The need for additional power and cooling is also a huge driver for companies looking for data center services. The average data center in the U.S. is 11 years old, and companies are having a harder time finding facilities with adequate capabilities to support demand. Under this circumstance, ease of scalability comes into question because a majority of data centers simply weren’t designed for the increased usage of power and cooling. In a managed hosting relationship, many issues of scalability, including power and cooling consumption, are decreased because the provider now bears the burden to expand based on the customers’ needs.

Lack of Qualified Personnel
As data center demand remains steady, many companies are seeking skilled staff and are having trouble finding qualified people. In a recent presentation at Data Center World, Richard Sawyer, a principal of HP’s Critical Facilities, noted that despite huge job losses, more than 2 million jobs remain unfilled in the United States. “These positions are valuable, and there’s no funnel to get trained workers into the data center industry,” says Sawyer. Training is a huge issue because of the specialized nature of data centers and the range of skills required to operate them. In a managed hosting environment, the staffing of personnel is left to the provider.

Managed hosting has many benefits for businesses across a variety of industries. Download our Managed Hosting Buyer’s Guide eBook to learn more.

*Tier One Research Group: Global Managed Hosting Market Overview 2011
**Strong Data Center Demand Seen for 2010, Data Center Knowledge

Cloud computing comes in many different flavors and has uses across a variety of industries. But how do you determine which configuration is right for you? Cloud can be broken down into three basic categories: public, private and hybrid. Figuring out which one will work for your business depends on your specific needs.

Private Cloud
Private clouds are ideal for enterprises working with multiple applications involving mission-critical data and suited to workloads that require greater levels of customization. This type of cloud deployment provides a higher level of control and security due to an environment with dedicated resources. Enterprise private cloud solutions are a great fit for organizations whose business relies on the performance and availability of their application platform.

Public Cloud
Public cloud, probably the most familiar cloud computing model, is a data center made available in a metered manner to the public for purchase, resale or as a pay-as-you-go service. In public cloud, you are sharing infrastructure with others and receive a standardized, yet highly scalable, type of capacity where you can bring virtual machines to life, on-demand. The benefits of an enterprise public cloud solution include the lack of upfront infrastructure investment and the ability to easily scale and address demand-based or workload-based fluctuations.

Hybrid Cloud
A hybrid hosting solution is the combination of at least one private cloud and one public cloud that are connected to allow programs and data to be easily shared. This model allows you to choose the best match for your workload requirements at any time giving you the best of both worlds at once – the cost and scale benefits of public cloud and the security and control of private cloud. Hybrid cloud solutions are a great fit for an organization that has some customization, security and compliance needs but wants the ability to burst fluctuating workloads into the public cloud when necessary.

Still unsure about which cloud “flavor” will best support your application? Use our Cloud Hosting Buyer’s Guide to learn more.