Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Data Center Colocation?

A data center colocation is a specialized facility designed specifically for housing, supporting, and securing critical IT systems. At these facilities, providers offer equipment, space, and connectivity services to clients/tenants. Colocations can offer varying models – from leasing a single rack for a few backup servers to renting out advanced turn-key private suites for a production data center operation. There are many benefits to colocating, but the general concept is to leverage economies of scale by providing a single specialized environment to multiple clients with similar sophisticated IT needs. Colocation clients typically find that they receive a higher quality service at a lower cost than they could effectively manage in-house.

What are the Benefits of a Colocation?

Every day more companies are realizing the benefits of colocating and making the transition from their in-house data center. While some colocations offer managed IT services, colocations are first and foremost a provider of specialized IT space and equipment. This means unless you elect otherwise, your in-house IT team retains all control and operation of your critical systems. Colocations don’t mean outsourcing your IT operations, but simply relocating your operations to a facility better designed for supporting them. The colocation provider is responsible for the facilities and infrastructure supporting and securing those systems. With this, your IT team’s cycles are focused completely on your actual data management and IT equipment operations, instead of managing data center overhead items like generators, cooling systems, and power equipment. Victory Tech Center has provided more in-depth detail as to the many benefits of colocating your data center in an article here.

What is a Tier Level Rating?

Uptime Institute has established a standard Tier Classification System for rating data centers. Data centers are rated from I to IV with IV being the highest. There is an overall rating as well as individual ratings for different aspects and components of the data center environment. These ratings are indicative of the redundancy, security, quality, and sustainability of a data center or aspect of it. However, tier levels can be misleading as some data center providers determine and claim their own tier level. A reliable data center colocation provider should submit their facility to a Tier Level Assessment (TLA) performed by a qualified and independent third party to determine their tier level, and should be willing to provide the findings to their tenants and prospective clients. Victory Tech Center underwent a TLA performed by Panduit Professional Services. The findings rate the facility overall Tier III with our critical infrastructure components meeting Tier IV.

What is PUE?

It takes power to deliver power. Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is a metric of energy efficiency calculated as the total facility energy used divided by the energy used by the IT equipment (known as the critical load). Low PUEs are close or equal to 1.0 and indicate high efficiency. A PUE score of 1.0 indicates that for every 1 watt used by the critical load (client’s equipment), 1 watt is used by the facility to deliver that 1 watt to the critical load. The higher the PUE, the more power is being used to deliver power. Poorly managed facilities have inflated energy costs because of inefficient critical infrastructure systems. In addition, low-efficiency systems lowers the life of expensive IT equipment as the fans on the equipment have to work harder to keep the equipment cool, and the equipment runs at hotter temperatures. High efficiency means equipment is optimized for its longest life possible. Poorly managed and inefficient data centers are very costly to organizations.

Where is Victory Tech Center?

Victory Tech Center is in the Buffalo area of Western New York State. The region offers many benefits for a data center and/or colocation. The facility was independently rated Tier IV for site selection. Victory Tech Center has a unique birth story which provides several advantages as a colocation.

What are the Benefits of Victory Tech Center?

Victory Tech Center has many unique benefits as a facility which stem from our birth story and site selection. Some of these benefits include priority power restoration, priority diesel delivery, and priority telecommunications restoration. With all critical infrastructure independently rated Tier IV, VTC is the optimal environment for either production data center or disaster recovery operations. VTC’s colocation cabinets are secured by three-factor authentication at the actual racks which eliminates tedious key management. VTC can offer several power configurations, including for high density racks. The facility is highly efficient with a PUE of nearly 1.0. Additionally, most colocations include power in their monthly cabinet rate, and clients are charged for the max power draw of their configuration regardless of their actual use. VTC offers metered power so clients only pay for what they actually use.

What is VTC's Standard Rack Configuration?

The standard rack configuration at Victory Tech Center is two three-phase 30 amp feeds per rack. These feeds are dual fed from two separate utility grids and are backed up on UPS and generator. This model offers a maximum rack power of 8 kW redundant. VTC also provides two advanced power strips with metering capability and cord-locking receptacles. VTC can offer custom power configurations for clients who require a high density model. For example, VTC currently has clients receiving dual three-phase 60 amp feeds for a max rack power of 17 kW redundant.

What Does it Cost to Colocate at VTC?

Victory Tech Center offers a very competitive service at a higher tier level than other colocations in the region. When submitting bids to provide services to state agencies, VTC has been awarded contracts based on both quality of service and pricing. To find out more information about VTC’s services, contact the VTC team today.