How to choose the right data center service provider suited to your needs
Nowadays, organizations across all industries are increasingly embracing digital transformation to ensure business continuity and thrive amid the ‘never normal.’ In the Philippines alone, experts believe that these transformations can unlock PhP5 trillion worth of economic value by 2030, says a recent AlphaBeta and Google report.
Consequently, enterprise spending on data centers continues to grow. These facilities are at the heart of a modern enterprise, providing storage, computing, and networking resources to support various applications that drive the business.
Emerging trends show that data center investments in the Philippines will rise to USD535 million by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.40 percent from 2021 to 2026. The Philippines is also second overall among Southeast Asian (SEA) countries in terms of development, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), with several organizations planning to put up their data center sites in the country starting this year.
With the increasing number of organizations putting up their data centers in the country, Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, says it is integral to ensure that they partner with the right service provider for their facilities to avoid downtime.
A recent survey conducted by Uptime Institute revealed that IT downtimes have become more expensive despite being less pervasive than in previous years. These incidents caused 60 percent of respondents to lose more than USD100,000 to downtime.
“If you happen to experience unplanned downtimes in your data center, then you know how important it is to service and maintain your critical digital infrastructure properly. These facilities include crucial parts, such as precision cooling systems and uninterruptable power supply (UPS) units that work together to ensure business continuity. Since downtime can cost thousands every single minute, investing in professional data service providers is integral,” said Jason Lim, country manager of Vertiv Philippines.
‘More than just the costs’
Lim noted that when it comes to choosing a service provider for data centers, decision makers’ initial consideration is how much it will cost. However, while pricing is important, other factors are to weigh when deciding whom to trust while maintaining the critical facility. Some of these things to consider are as follows, as listed by Vertiv:
Quick to respond. Since downtimes can be costly, every single minute counts. So, it is vital to choose a provider who can respond quickly in case of an emergency. It also pays if the provider is in reasonable proximity to your facility and has guaranteed response 24/7 time within the area. Lastly, checking into priority scheduling policies to get a sense of how emergencies will be handled when you need a skilled set of hands on the scene fast is also important.
Availability of essential parts. Having the right parts make a difference in the way equipment function. These parts must be immediately available, especially in emergencies where time is crucial. So, it pays to look for a provider that maintains a large inventory of parts, factoring in the Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), which must be as low as possible to ensure that the facility can get back up as soon as possible. Depending on the age of the IT infrastructure equipment, it also pays to check the availability of obsolete and/or OEM-discontinued parts. Read More…
