Cloud Computing

Colocation Northwest offers private, hybrid and multi-cloud colocation and connectivity. In addition to housing private cloud infrastructure, we help organizations design, deploy and operate successful cloud strategies.

If you are unfamiliar with terms like private cloud or hybrid cloud or multi-cloud, you may wonder, what colocation has to do with cloud computing. Cloud providers like Amazon, Google, IBM and Microsoft are supposed to eliminate the necessity for IT hardware; right?

In truth, cloud computing is a major force behind colocation's growth. From running legacy applications to high-density computing to regulatory compliance, businesses keep finding reasons to operate a hardware footprint. Longstanding enterprise corporations and growing or maturing startups are equally likely to need private cloud colocation.

At the same time, raising real estate costs and the breakneck speed of IT evolution makes running an on-premise server room or data center unattractive. Colocation offers stable power and cooling, the ability to scale abruptly, and predictable costs. Companies can outsource activities like monitoring and maintenance, making it easy on their IT staff.

Cloud Colocation

Private clouds refer to cloud operating environments, like Microsoft's Azure Stack and IBM's Bluemix Cloud. When a private cloud networks with an online or public cloud, hosted by the provider, the private cloud becomes a hybrid cloud. Connect a hybrid cloud to more than one public cloud provider, such as AWS plus Google Cloud together, and a hybrid cloud becomes a multi-cloud.

If a non-cloud server, on-premises or colocated, dynamically shares data to a public cloud, this is considered hybrid cloud computing too. For example, a public cloud-based application might access a MySQL database on an a colocated Apache web server.

Private cloud infrastructure, housed in different locations, can connect through a global or wide area network as well.

Colocation Northwest data centers make excellent homes for private cloud infrastructure.

Cloud Provider Connectivity

We connect private cloud servers to public cloud providers like AWS and Azure. You can connect your physically separate private cloud environments with each other as well.

All Colocation Northwest data centers connect with our points of presence in three carrier hotels, giving us low-latency access to cloud vendors. Avoid the public internet.

Cloud Infrastructure Colocation

Host your private cloud hardware with us. Our South Hill Seattle data center is ideal for colocating information technology. This is a Tier 3 facility built for powerful computing. With 7 available megawatts and 50,000 square feet of open whitespace, it easily handles 3 to 30 kilowatt cabinets. South Hill features impressive security as well, and it is designed to survive a magnitude 9 Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.

Learn More About Private Cloud

Private Cloud Uses

We have identified common uses for colocating private cloud storage and computing. Consider these when planning your cloud mix.

Application and Data Integration

When a legacy application cannot operate in the cloud but it accesses a database that is. Or a cloud-based application accesses a legacy data source outside of the cloud.

Consistent Application Development

To ensure that programs will operate as expected after moving them from a sandbox to a production environment.

Security, Compliance and Sovereignty

For when laws or regulations keep certain data from being stored in the cloud or outside of specific geographic regions.

Disaster Recovery

While there are many credible options for remote backups and failover sites, the most secure and accessible are ones in your physical possession.

High-Density Computing

Public clouds charge by usage and storage. Before committing to the public cloud, study whether it will be more cost effective to perform constant or intensive computing on owned hardware.

Cloud Bursting

Operate your website or applications from your private cloud. Use a connected public cloud provider to quickly scale whenever excessive demand exceeds your infrastructure or connectivity.

Data Gravity

Instead of transferring large data collections, which can be cost prohibitive, run calculations at or near the source, or edge, and send only the results to your public cloud.

Custom Built Clouds

Colocation Northwest designs private, hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Enjoy the same expertise and experience Global 100™ companies receive.

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