It’s stating the obvious to when we say we live in an Internet-driven world. Numerous online businesses continue to pop up with each passing day, while others make sure they capitalize on the extra opportunities that come from having an online presence. Given this tremendous increase in Internet usage by businesses, various data centers have opened all over the world to provide different services, such as cloud computing, web hosting, networking and so on.
If you own or manage a medium to large-scale business, you are probably well aware of how crucial these services are to ensuring and sustaining day-to-day operations. However, when you start searching for the best data center facilities, you see terms like ‘carrier-specific’ and ‘carrier-neutral’ that may leave you scratching your head wondering what they are.
Here’s what you need to know.
Carrier-specific and carrier-neutral refer to two different types of data centers based on the kind of broadband connectivity that they offer. As the term suggests, a carrier-specific data center has an affiliation with only one particular network partner, whereas a carrier-neutral data center implies the exact opposite (no affiliation).
What is a Carrier-Neutral Data Center?
A carrier-neutral or network-neutral data center is a facility that runs completely independent of the network provider. This means multiple telecommunication carriers have access to the facility because it is not owned or controlled by a specific Internet Service Provider (ISP). Therefore, clients from these data centers have a variety of connectivity options to choose from.
A carrier-neutral data center is also called a carrier hotel.
What are the Benefits of a Carrier-Neutral Data Center?
Whether you are looking for cloud computing services, or safe and secure data storage for your business, choosing a carrier-neutral service is your best option. We will explain the three reasons why this is true below.
1. Cost-Effective
In carrier-neutral facilities, you receive better connectivity at a lower cost. A carrier-neutral data center serves as a highly competitive marketplace for all ISP companies striving to attract clients by keeping their prices low. If you are not satisfied with the current network provider, you can switch to another without affecting business operations or incurring extra costs.
2. More Reliable
Carrier hotels are more reliable than carrier-specific data centers because you can connect the most critical systems of your organization to multiple carriers. This is useful ife a network provider faces any connectivity issues or experiences a service outage; with more than one carrier, you stay protected from data loss and downtime as other services continue to operate.
3. Better Flexibility and Scalability
Every carrier has their own unique features that you can leverage if you choose a carrier-neutral data center. A change in customer requirements and business operations may mean that you need to modify the current networking plan accordingly. A carrier hotel makes this possible without any hassle.
A Carrier Neutral Service Provider
If you want to maximize your collocation investment and make the most out of using data center services, then a carrier-neutral data center is an excellent option for you. Finding the best carrier-neutral data center provider is also easier than you have imagined.
Contact us today to learn more.