Seven often overlooked colocation costs

If you are considering a colocation arrangement, perhaps the most important initial activity is to identify your business and operational requirements. That way you'll be able to select a service provider that offers you exactly what you need. You can use those requirements as a starting point for negotiating price.

Once you've researched a number of potential colocation vendors, identify add-on features that may be useful to your organization. These features may or may not result in line-item costs that factor into your calculations. Ask service providers directly if there are any other costs that haven't been discussed. If you've done your due diligence, you won't have to worry about overlooked costs.

However, consider the following as potential costs that may be overlooked: 1) ancillary services, such as janitorial services in your colocated area, 2) backup power systems, 3) environmental services, 4) security guards, 5) contractors the colocation provider may obtain to assist with a problem in your space or within the site, 6) costs associated with network bandwidth and 7) costs associated with obtaining the services of experienced staff at the site.