Running your own server infrastructure gives your business full control over the hardware. However, it also requires suitable space, reliable power, cooling, network connectivity, security, and ongoing maintenance.

As the infrastructure grows, an office or private server room may no longer provide the required capacity, redundancy, and reliability. A colocation data center provides a dedicated environment for your equipment. This means the company doesn't have to build and maintain all the supporting infrastructure itself.

In this guide, we cover the main criteria for choosing a colocation data center, including location, power and cooling, network connectivity, reliability, security, support, costs, and contract terms.

Define Your Colocation Requirements

Before comparing different colocation facilities, determine what your infrastructure actually needs. Start with the required rack space, power consumption, cooling, and network connectivity. Then add requirements for reliability, security, physical access, regulatory compliance, and future expansion. This gives you clear criteria for evaluating different providers.

This will help you avoid making a decision based only on advertised features or price. A facility may have plenty of available space but lack the required power per rack, suitable network carriers, or flexible enough contract terms. When your requirements are clear from the start, you can eliminate unsuitable options early.

Choose the Right Data Center Location

Evaluate the data center location based on your infrastructure needs, not just its distance from the office. A nearby facility is convenient when you need physical access to the hardware. In some cases, however, another location may provide lower network latency, better connectivity to critical systems, or lower exposure to natural disasters and other local risks.

Physical access also matters, especially if your team manages the equipment directly. Consider how easily technicians can reach the facility for installation, replacement, or hardware inspection. You should also account for data residency requirements and the applicable jurisdiction. This helps you assess location based on the business's real needs rather than distance alone.

Example from practice: Imagine a company moving several of its own servers from an office into a colocation data center. The nearest facility may seem like the obvious choice, but further review shows it cannot provide enough power for future equipment and has only one suitable network carrier. Another facility is farther away but provides redundant power, multiple independent network connections, and room to add more equipment without relocating. In this case, distance matters less than infrastructure resilience and scalability.

Assess Power and Cooling

Power Capacity and Redundancy

Check whether the available power per rack is sufficient for your current equipment and future expansion. If you require redundant power, make sure independent A and B feeds are available and supported by UPS systems and generators.

Cooling Capacity

Ensure the cooling system can handle your equipment's heat output and density. This is particularly important for high-power configurations, where cooling capacity can become a limiting factor.

Check Network Connectivity

Carriers and Redundancy

Check which network carriers are available and whether they can provide the required capacity. If you depend on redundant connectivity, make sure the separate connections use different physical routes. Two connections running along the same fiber route do not provide true redundancy.

Cross-Connects and External Connections

Check how cross-connects are ordered, how quickly they can be provisioned, and what fees apply. If you use cloud platforms, internet exchanges, or other locations, make sure the facility offers the required connections under suitable terms and with the necessary level of redundancy.

Assess the Facility's Actual Reliability

Redundancy and Maintenance

Review how the facility makes power, cooling, and network connectivity redundant. Critical components should be serviceable or replaceable without interrupting operations. Also find out how planned maintenance is carried out and how customers are notified.

SLA and Evidence of Reliability

Do not rely only on the advertised uptime percentage. Review how the SLA measures availability, what exclusions apply, and what compensation is provided in the event of an outage. Ask for documentation, certifications, or reliability data that support the provider's claims.

Match Security and Compliance to Your Requirements

Evaluate physical security based on the equipment and data that will be hosted in the facility. Review access control, video surveillance, on-site security, and how visits are recorded.

If you have regulatory or contractual requirements, confirm that the specific facility and its services meet the relevant standards. 

Do not judge a provider only by the number of certifications it lists. What matters is whether those certifications apply to your infrastructure and requirements.

Review On-Site Support

If your team cannot reach the facility, check whether the provider offers remote hands services and whether support is available 24/7. Clarify which tasks can be performed on-site and what response times apply in urgent situations.

Also check which services are charged separately and which responsibilities remain with your team. Clear responsibilities and predefined response times can significantly reduce the time needed to resolve a hardware issue.

At Delta.BG, we offer a "Remote Hands" service, enabling our team to assist whenever physical intervention on equipment at the data center is required.

Clients can also request system administration as an additional service, ensuring they have not only on-site support but also technical assistance for managing and maintaining their servers.

Compare the Total Cost, Not Just the Monthly Fee

Base Price and Additional Services

Check what the base price includes for the rack or allocated space. Add the costs of electricity, cross-connects, network services, remote hands, installation, and other additional services.

Total Cost Over the Contract Term

Include setup fees, annual increases, and all recurring charges. Compare providers based on total cost over the full contract term, not just the monthly fee.

Review Contract Terms and Expansion Options

SLA, Pricing, and Renewal

Check what the SLA guarantees, how it measures availability, and what exclusions apply. Also review the renewal terms and any provisions that allow prices to change.

Changes in Capacity

Clarify how you can increase or reduce rack space, power, and connectivity. Check whether future expansion requires relocation, a new contract, or high additional costs.

Termination and Equipment Liability

Review the notice period, early termination fees, and the conditions for removing your equipment. Also clarify who is responsible in the event of damage, loss, or another incident.

Make a Final Comparison of the Shortlisted Facilities

Compare the final options using the same criteria: power, connectivity, reliability, security, support, cost, and contract terms. Separate mandatory requirements from preferences, and ask for documentation to support important claims rather than relying only on the sales proposal.

If possible, visit the facility in person. Review physical security, access procedures, and infrastructure relevant to your equipment. This will help you confirm whether the actual conditions match what the provider presented.

Conclusion

A well-chosen colocation data center should make your infrastructure easier to manage, not introduce new operational limitations. Clear responsibilities, predictable support, and the ability to respond quickly when something goes wrong matter as much as the facility's technical specifications. When making the final decision, consider not only what the provider offers but also how easy it will be to work with them in both day-to-day operations and emergency situations.

For companies looking for a provider that can meet these requirements, we at Delta.BG offer a colocation service designed around your requirements for equipment space, connectivity, power, and security.

Our service includes flexible space options from individual rack units to full racks, redundant power and N+1 cooling, network connectivity through three independent internet providers, and physical security measures including access control, video surveillance, and 24/7 monitoring.

To discuss your requirements, contact us at support@delta.bg or +359 2 4 288 288.