Comparison between half-rack colocation and full rack colocation

When business owners search for the options to collocate their servers in a well-equipped data center colocation environment, they have a plethora of options, and they often feel confused about choosing the right one. So as a result, they look for expert data center colocation services that can offer them server space of 1U, half racks, full racks, quarter racks, and private suites. Yet, many companies are still not able to decide whether the half rack is best for their needs or full rack can serve them better. To analyze which solution is more appropriate, Server colocation experts have made a comparison between half rack colocation and full rack colocation.

Half rack colocation and full rack colocation- an overview

Now it depends upon the size of your colocation racks, half racks offer almost 18U-22U of overall space. Full racks provide nearly 36U-44U of overall colocation space. Today, there are many aggressive services exist that even offer full racks at the space of 48U. The “U” in server space is described at 1.75″ which refers to the thickness of the cabinet.

Half rack colocation:

Half rack colocation solution is much cheaper than full rack colocation. Depending on your service provider, the overall location, and features of their data center, the half-rack colocation rack pricing usually starts from £65. Your half-rack colocation pricing plan will include unmetered bandwidth, 1 network port, extreme power allocation, 24 hours access, shared rack space, combination lock system, and work efficiently in remote hands in the UK. Half rack colocation is usually considered as the most ideal choice for every business owner as it doesn't involve huge costs and multiple features that are not a major requirement of any small business.

When it comes to security, most of the business owners want to choose the most reliable solution for their long term success. That’s the reason, if you want to rent rack space for your server, you can inquire about the security system of the service providers. Most of the services provide a lockable half rack for your servers. So if security is your most important requirement or you are a security-conscious business owner, then choosing a locked half-rack cabinet is recommended by the experts. In a half-rack colocation solution, you will only have physical access to your servers.

Well, there is always a downside to every service. And half-rack colocation is also not an exception. The solution is usually best for small business owners who do not have plans to scale up in the future. But if you have plans to grow and expand, or add more equipment & hardware in the future, then make sure you are relying on full rack solution because it’s not possible to migrate the new equipment or hardware to some other part of your data center in the future. That’s why if you want to avoid migrations, choose the solution once for efficient operations.

Full rack colocation:

In full rack colocation solution, business owners can get a complete cabinet for the installation of their servers with 36U of rack space. This solution is available with a lot of attractive features, which include enhanced power availability as well as additional power circuits that are available according to your increased requirement. This solution is often called full rack colocation, as you are receiving a full rack space that is enclosed in the secure cabinet. This option is different from 1U colocation and 2U that is a bit expensive than other types.

When you compare full rack colocation with half-rack colocation, you will come to know that this solution comes with more flexibility. The full rack provides your company with an opportunity to grow and make room for more success and development. If you have some additional space in your cabinet then you can also store other network gears or servers easily. Many companies tend to “resell” or rent out some additional space to the potential customer or their strategic partners by charging monthly fees. So if you have plans to grab another cabinet of space for your equipment in the future, then data centers in the US and UK will empower you with the “right of first refusal” on your adjacent rack space as well.

With full rack colocation, you can expect guaranteed security solutions. Many data center service providers offer full rack space usually in a type of lockable cabinet. Both, it's front and back areas will be locked and can be accessed and used by the company’s approved personnel.

Many business owners complain about the space issue in full rack colocation. Full racks are usually 16 to 32% cheaper as compared to the private suites solution. If business expansion plans include various cabinets, then private suites might be a better option for your business. Because private cages offer more scalability and flexibility that can easily store your network equipment, add a lot of advanced cooling elements, provide different amenities such as desks as well as keyboards and monitors. Additionally, it’s not possible to stick with full racks that are openly displaced around your colocation center floor.

To conclude:

Before choosing half rack colocation or full rack colocation, you need to consider plenty of important things that can simply help your company grow more efficiently. It’s also important to understand the needs of your infrastructure and growth elements so you can better analyze which factor is playing a vital role in your success. Because both of these colocation solutions have different features and elements that are specific for every business.

So if you have plans to choose colocation for your business, it’s better to demonstrate all the types and check rack space benefits and features. After that, choose a reliable company that can offer you customized pricing plans so you can add or remove features according to your requirements.

Reliable companies like Server colocation always provide detailed guidance to their potential customers before choosing the right option, because the company understands their needs and offer valuable suggestions for long term growth and success.

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