Data Center Security: Cybersecurity Must-Haves
With the ongoing threat of hackers, malware, and data breaches still looming over businesses in every industry and operating in all sectors, investment in cybersecurity is at an all-time high and continues to grow.
Research by Gartner points to worldwide spending on cybersecurity to increase by 8.7% to over $124 billion in 2019.1 Still, cybercriminals have continued to carry out successful attacks, hacking into servers, stealing valuable user data, and infecting networks with ransomware.
The Importance of Data Backup and a Disaster Recovery Plan
Why Is Data Backup and Recovery Important?
Should a disaster happen, avoiding major data losses and reducing downtime should both be top priorities for any company. Having a reliable data backup system and disaster recovery plan in place are necessary steps towards achieving those priorities and establishing vital safeguards to protect your business and its data.
A solid disaster recovery plan ensures your business can resume work as quickly as possible in the aftermath of a major data loss. It is a step-by-step plan for business continuity in the event of a disaster that fully or partially destroys your business’s resources such as IT equipment, data records, corporate network, or database.
What Is Data Backup and Recovery?
Data backup is the process of storing data in another separate storage medium in addition to the primary storage. So, should the primary hardware fail or get damaged, your company’s data is easy to recover. Essentially, it is the process of duplicating data which can then be retrieved in the event of data loss.
Our Boston colocation, Dallas colocation, and Massachusetts colocation professionals fully understand the benefits of data backup and recovery.
The Benefits of Data Backup
Reliability – One of the most significant benefits of remote data backup is that your company’s data is backed up automatically, either daily or on an otherwise regular schedule. This automated process is done over the internet, meaning you can access and recover any of your files instantly should you need to.
Reduced Workload – Having the process of backing up your files and data done automatically means manual backup becomes practically obsolete. One or more of your employees will not have to do the time-consuming job of making sure data is regularly duplicated onto separate external storage or USB drives.
Higher Security – Remote data backup has your data stored in a secure location separate from your business location and primary storage. This secure location is typically a data center that has safeguards built into its physical and digital framework. With advanced encryption tools and other security measures, you can rest easy knowing your data is physically safe and won’t be compromised.
The Benefits of a Disaster Recovery Plan
Cost Efficiency – Disaster recovery planning often requires more innovative hardware and software, which can save companies money in the long run. If your business opts for cloud-based data management instead of local storage and management, costs can be minimized even more significantly.
Greater Employee Productivity – One of the more unexpected yet important benefits of having a disaster recovery plan is an increase in productivity from your employees. Establishing a disaster recovery plan involves cross-training and multiple people being able to carry out specific important tasks. Vacation days, sick leaves, or resignations will not lead to interruptions or extended downtime.
Customer Retention – Today’s clients expect consistent reliability and almost instant results. They are not as forgiving of failures and downtime. Should a business not meet its expectations or suffer prolonged interruptions in their work, clients will easily move on to another competitor. Having a backup and a data recovery plan ensures your company will not be irreparably damaged by an IT disaster. Reducing the risk of data loss and downtime helps you retain your clientele.
Why Is There a Need for Data Backup and Recovery?
There is decidedly a need for data backup and recovery in modern business practice and environments because of the fact that most sensitive data and information is stored virtually on computers or on the internet. Without a successful backup plan, businesses run the risk of losing their data, which could be extremely costly or dangerous for organizations of any size. A successful data backup and recovery plan could work to prevent a disastrous data leak or loss.
More About LightWave Networks
Aside from data backup and recovery, we offer a variety of business network services that work to modernize a business’s operations. We offer proven services such as managed networking, colocation hosting, and more. We offer these services at a number of our data centers located around the United States, thanks to our Tampa data center, Philadelphia data center, Minnesota data centers, Charlotte data center, and New Jersey data center, among many others.
Source:
1 – Wenjin Hu, Tao Yang, Jeanna N. Matthews, Clarkson University – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Consumer Cloud Storage
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4,000 Unsecured Data Centers Attacked
Colocation vs. Cloud: The Key Differences
When planning your IT setup, it’s essential to understand the distinction between colocation vs. cloud computing. These two systems offer distinct advantages, depending on how your business manages data storage, growth, and computing requirements.
At Lightwave Networks, we specialize in both colocation and cloud services to help companies find the right fit for their operations. Whether you’re managing infrastructure resources or considering where your data is stored, choosing between cloud or colocation is a key decision that affects cost, control, and performance. Let’s explore which one might work best for your goals.
What Are Colocation Services?
Colocation means renting space in a colocation facility to place your own server hardware in a secure, third-party environment. A colocation data center provides power, cooling, connectivity, and on-site support, while you manage and maintain the equipment. This model lets you share the cost of power and space with other businesses while keeping control of your systems.
Many companies prefer colocation service when maintaining their own data on-site is important or when they have unique hardware needs. Colocation also supports strong data security and helps with compliance in regulated industries.
What Is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing lets you access off-site systems over the internet through a cloud provider, like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud Platform. The cloud provider manages the hardware while you focus on using the technologies and tools you need. You don’t have to worry about physical data or on-site equipment, and most cloud services may include data backups, monitoring, and scaling.
Companies with remote teams or fast-changing needs can benefit from the flexibility and benefits of the cloud. It’s also easier to manage workloads hosted on-demand without worrying about upgrades.
Cloud vs. Colocation: Key Differences for Businesses
The key differences between cloud vs. colocation revolve around ownership, control, and pricing. With colocation, you supply and manage the hardware, while a colocation provider supplies the data center floor space and infrastructure. With the cloud, the service provider owns the hardware and offers access as a set of services.
Over time, colocation centers can reduce additional costs for businesses with long-term needs. Meanwhile, using the cloud helps startups and teams that want fast access to computing resources without setting up a physical data center.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of cloud computing vs. colocation:
| Feature | Colocation | Cloud Hosting |
| Who owns the hardware? | You own it through a colocation provider | The cloud provider manages it |
| Setup time | Slower, requires install | Fast, on-demand |
| Costs | Higher upfront, may offer cost savings over time | Pay-per-use with additional costs |
| Control | High, as you manage your systems | Low to medium, depending on the cloud service |
| Flexibility | Manual upgrades | Easy to scale |
| Compliance/security | Strong with colocation data policies | Varies by public cloud provider |
Can You Combine Cloud and Colocation at a Data Center?
Yes! Many companies are now choosing a hybrid solution that blends colocation and cloud. This hybrid cloud approach lets you keep important private cloud tenants or data backups in a colocation data center while also running less sensitive apps in the public cloud.
With colocation, you can protect the security of the data, while the cloud helps you quickly spin up new systems. This model works well for businesses that want to access their data locally while using the cloud to scale. At Lightwave Networks, we help companies design these custom setups to get the best of both.
How to Choose Between Colocation vs. Cloud
Deciding between cloud vs. colocation depends on what kind of type of data you manage, how fast you’re growing, and how much control you need. If you’re a company with existing servers and want full access, choosing a colocation provider is a smart move.
If your team is remote or you rely on SaaS tools, the public cloud might be a better fit. You might also use colocation for regulated data and cloud storage for flexible projects. Every setup is different, but what matters most is having the right balance between cost, speed, and control.
Choosing a Colocation Provider for Your Needs
Whether you’re looking at colocation, cloud hosting, or a mix of both, Lightwave Networks is here to guide you. Our team helps clients make smart choices about data center needs, remote data access, and managed services.
We understand the differences between public and private cloud setups, and we’ll help you compare colocation vs. cloud based on your actual business use case.
Don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all approach to your IT. Contact us today to learn how colocation and cloud options can power your business into the future. If you want to learn more, feel free to read some of our other articles.
Related Readings
Defining Computer Systems Terms: The Cloud & The Internet of Things
If you’ve been paying attention to information technology news, you have probably heard the terms The Cloud and The Internet of Things at least once. You may have a basic surface level understanding of what these buzzwords mean, but have you really looked into their official definitions. What about finding out how these two concepts are interconnected? Luckily, you’ve come to the right place!
A Look into the Different Kinds of Server Rack Options
Which Server Rack Option Is Right for You?
Businesses have transitioned from keeping important documents and work inside filing cabinets to keeping them remotely in high-density data centers so they could take advantage of colocation services. Colocation Data centers are critical for modern businesses because they can efficiently store an incredible amount of information that can be instantly indexed and accessed regardless of where the company is located. Businesses that offer colocation services like Lightwave Networks have plenty of different server rack options available for businesses. However, companies get confused about the different sorts of racks available to them. Below, Lightwave Networks detail the differences between the most important server racks so your business can be more educated on how our colocation servers work.