Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a data center?
A co-location, carrier-neutral data center offers a common physical location in which clients may lease cabinets or space within cabinets to house servers and other network equipment. Each client's equipment is secured inside a lockable wire cabinet. Co-location offers the flexibility to upscale/downscale technology requirements as the business grows (or slows down) without having to make repeated capital investments. - What are some of the benefits associated with outsourcing IT infrastructure needs to a data center?
Connectivity and bandwidth advantages — Utilizing circuits to connect a single business location to the internet is not as reliable or efficient as using the fiber optic connectivity of a data center. A data center also provides assurance of excess capacity so web traffic doesn't slow during peak load times. Greater network redundancy — multiple, fiber-optic carriers terminate in a data center. Carrier-neutral data centers use BGP4 routing to ensure data is sent along the most reliable path and that business-critical applications always are up and accessible. If one provider's connection fails, BGP4 allows instant failover and reroutes data through a different path with an alternate provider, thereby minimizing downtime. A carrier-neutral approach also encourages vendor competition that translates into competitive pricing and services for clients. - Is outsourcing your IT infrastructure needs good for the environment?
A trend in new data center construction follows a "green" model by operating in the most efficient manner possible. A green data center uses only the resources that it needs, such as power and water, and minimizes negative by-products such as excess heat. In the data center environment, earth-friendly objectives and business objectives align with one another to make green initiatives good for business and the planet. - What is the experience level of the PRF DataStation staff?
The PRF DataStation staff has many years of data center and information technology experience. The staff's collective IT hardware and software certification levels include:- CCNA (Certified Cisco Network Administrator)
- MCSE + Security (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA A+
