The Strategic Advantages of Network-Centric Colocation

The Strategic Advantages of Network-Centric Colocation

AUTHOR: Bob DeSantis, CEO, 365 Data Centers

Colocation has been an important element of the data center industry since the inception of the internet. In fact, early on, colocation was commonly described as being available at “internet data center facilities.” However, not all colocation is created equal. Network-centric colocation is a strategic approach to data center infrastructure investment that prioritizes both connectivity and interconnectivity. It is important for data center customers to understand how a data center operator is positioned to provide interconnectivity within and between its data centers and other connectivity options outside of the data center. The more network-centric the data center operator the more harmonious and streamlined the colocation and connectivity solution will be. 365 Data Centers is proving out the model for how network-centric colocation can be successful and provide the service provider and its customers with strategic advantages.

Interconnectivity

Unlike traditional colocation, where the focus is primarily on physical space and power, network-centric colocation places equal emphasis on creating a network ecosystem within the data center facility. This approach enables customers to leverage the benefits of a carrier-neutral interconnection platform, allowing seamless interconnection to a significant number of international, national, regional, and local carriers. 365’s colocation customers include about 110 such carriers that maintain approximately 275 Points-of Presence (“PoPs”) within 365’s 20 data center facilities. As the facilities operator, 365 can arrange instantaneous interconnection to all of these carriers via cross connects. In addition to carrier interconnection within a network-centric facility, each of 365’s data centers are redundantly interconnected to each other to enable 365 multi-site customers to transport its data efficiently and cost effectively between their production and back-up colocation deployments. Strategically, 365 partners with its carrier colocation customers to secure the transport circuit element. An important distinction related to 365’s network-centric colocation model is that the network equipment element of the network ecosystem is owned, operated, and maintained by 365, not the carriers that provide the transport circuits.  As such, in this network-centric colocation model, the data center operator controls and manages the speeds and feeds of the interconnection.

By co-locating in a network-centric data center, customers gain the ability to interconnect with any carrier, business partner, or data center within the colocation operator’s network ecosystem, regardless of the geographic location of the interconnected facility. Network-centric colocation facilities provide customers with interdependent routing capabilities, traffic engineering, and a backbone of networks that constitute “digital bunkers” during manmade or natural disasters. 365 consistently makes major investments in the network equipment and circuit elements providing interconnectivity. As a result, the company’s data center facilities serve as important regional network hubs and is one of the nation’s densest network centric-data center operators. This positioning provides customers the strategic advantages of network access flexibility, bandwidth scalability, and redundancy, which ensures optimal performance by mitigating risks associated with service disruptions.

Connectivity

The second pillar of network-centric colocation is the provider’s ability to connect outward through a nationwide fiber network with initiation and end points managed by the operator’s owned network equipment infrastructure. In addition to its 20 redundantly interconnected data centers, 365 maintains 125 additional network PoPs throughout the US that house the Company’s state-of-the-art network servers and routers which are also interconnected with each of its data centers. This model not only allows for interconnectivity within the data center ecosystem but also for customer connectivity solutions to and between each of the combined 145 PoPs within and beyond the 20 data centers.

Another critical aspect of the 365 network-centric model includes a robust internet access capability. Unlike non or lesser network-centric business models, 365’s model includes registered ownership of a substantial number of IP addresses and more than 700 peering partners. The combination of in-place nationwide PoPs for data transport connectivity, and substantial IP address ownership coupled with significant peering partner connections to deliver the lowest cost internet connectivity, provides a full spectrum connectivity value proposition that further solidifies the strategic operating and cost advantage to both customers and the network-centric colocation provider.

Cloud services are also an important component of connectivity. Network-centric data centers, like 365, are designed to best serve a customer’s hybrid cloud requirements by providing several public cloud direct connectivity options. Customers are empowered to connect steady workloads that run in either the data center operator’s colocation or cloud instance with peak and valley workloads that are run in a public cloud environment. This combination best enables and supports the customer’s public cloud initiatives.

With the demands of AI technology for colocation space and power already on the horizon, colocation providers that are also network-centric and equipped to provide all of the interconnectivity and connectivity solutions described above and their customers will have a strategic competitive advantage. This is because the explosion of AI data which will be stored at colocation facilities will, to a great extent, also need to be transported. Colocation operators that are truly network-centric and their customers are best prepared to both store and transport the anticipated increases in data volume in the most flexible and cost-efficient manner. In addition, a significant portion of AI data will need to be stored close to where it is created and used. This also provides network-centric colocation service providers located in “edge” second tier markets and their customers a strategic advantage. 

365 Data Centers has spent over six years honing its network-centric colocation business and leading the way in delivering network-centric solutions. We have first-hand knowledge of what it looks like and how to define it. We trust this overview provides a front row seat to the operator and customer strategic advantages of network-centric colocation.

Contact us at [email protected] to learn more about our network-centric collocation and hybrid cloud solutions for your digitally savvy business.

 

365 Data Centers adds eight new data center locations across the U.S.

365 Data Centers Adds Eight New Data Center
Locations Across the U.S.

Through the recent acquisition of the US colocation and network business of Sungard
Availability Services, 365 Data Centers has added eight new data centers across the country.
The new locations (indicated with red pins) include:

  • Alpharetta, GA
  • Aurora, CO
  • Carlstadt, NJ
  • Marlborough, MA
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Rancho Cordova, CA
  • Richardson, TX
  • Smyrna, GA

365 Data Centers now features a total of 20 network-centric data centers spanning the country from coast to coast (existing locations indicated with gold pins.) With these new data centers, 365 now serves approximately 1,700+ carrier, content, and enterprise customers in these high-demand markets. For more information on colocation and networking services offered by 365 Data Centers, contact [email protected]

The Top 5 Network Challenges Faced by IT Professionals (Infographic)

The Top 5 Network Challenges Faced by IT Professionals (Infographic)

IT professionals have more to deal with today than they ever have before. In organizations of all sizes, across all disciplines, networking has become a complex and interconnected maze of technology possibilities and dangerous pitfalls. The challenges come from all corners: old infrastructure, a rise in cybercrime, increased demand for capacity, and the list goes on and on.

In a recent study conducted by InformationWeek with Network Computing, 300 IT professionals were interviewed extensively, and they reported five key themes that have arisen as the core issues they’re facing. See the infographic for a visualization of these findings ›

Challenge #1: Network security (40%)

Over the last several years, the reports of cyberattacks, phishing scams and other forms of malware releases have increased as much as 59%. Networking professionals report spending nearly half of their time ensuring networking security. As networks become larger and more complex, and organizations try to plan and position for growth, these concerns are understandable: more nodes require more security protocols.

Challenge #2: Reducing Costs (21%)

While many respondents reported that their organizations are increasing their networking budgets and deploying new technologies, roughly one in five respondents still cited reducing costs overall as a challenge. More than half of respondents reported that network security spending has increased by five percent to more than ten percent in the last two years. As a result, their budgets are stressed in other areas, and they seek cost-cutting measures across other areas, such as network maintenance and staffing.

Challenge #3: Staff/Training Issues (19%)

Perhaps as a result of increased spending on security and other networking requirements, staffing and training new team members are two areas that have grown as a concern for IT managers. Whether it was employee burnout from COVID-19 or linked to other causes, the respondents in this survey cited this as a key challenge. As an example, network managers must train both IT professionals and non-professionals how to spot basic phishing scams. And it goes further: respondents also cited issues with “training” upper management on understanding the complexities of IT networking and related costs, particularly when executives and boards are hyper-focused on profitability.

Challenge #4: Network Resiliency (15%)

For most IT managers, ensuring smooth and continuous uptime across their network is practically a full-time job. While some opt for network redundancy, costs can again become an issue for the additional physical or virtual hardware. Those who opt for more advanced recovery operations (usually at more competitive costs,) are choosing SD-WAN controllers and other software-driven network automation solutions to prevent bottlenecks, reduce complexity and increase network visibility.

Challenge #5: Supporting Hybrid and Remote Workforces (15%)

In addition to the staff/training issues reported by respondents, they are equally concerned with figuring out how to support an organization that is either entirely remote or a hybrid mix. This also includes ensuring end-user productivity, unified communications systems, and other network stressers. While Internet access and local network strength at every remote point is always an unknown, organizations now must deal with more remote VPNs and/or authentication structures, and how to route traffic to keep network performance high.

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We see you, IT professionals and network managers. At 365 Data Centers, our network services are designed to help you address these day-to-day challenges. Reliability and security are our forte, and our network services can offset the technical challenges associated with a remote workforce. We run a robust, never-oversubscribed nationwide network with peering partners to route traffic through multiple diverse paths that minimizes network congestion and maximizes uptime. We also leverage military-grade encryption to further ensure uptime by bolstering the security of your network.

Our highly experienced engineers can also help supplement your existing IT staff, whether that be through our 24/7/365 monitoring and support, helping you migrate to a cloud solution, providing expert advice, or more.

If your organization needs dedicated Internet access, private wavelengths, or even dark fiber deployments, our skilled technicians and helpful account representatives can help you meet your challenges, and gain piece of mind with a healthy and secure network. Contact [email protected] today for a review of your network, and let’s #transformyourtech together.

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

Is Colocation Right for your Business?

Is Colocation right for your business?
5 key benefits you can realize today

No matter what business you’re in, you likely rely on technology in some way. For many businesses, IT systems and networking are central to keeping core operations afloat. And even if you have strong IT expertise on staff, colocation is still a valuable addition to your overall IT infrastructure. It provides numerous benefits for your business, and we’ve outlined five of the most important below.

  1. Safety/Security

By far the most important aspect of colocation is the extra layer (and often several layers) of security it offers your business. Colocation offers multiple layers of protection for your critical equipment and sensitive information from threats such as power outages and natural disasters. Data centers are secure facilities that are compliant with all modern regulations, delivering constant power and cooling for your equipment. They are physically manned with security personnel, and customer cabinets are kept under lock and key. Plus, the data centers are managed by experienced technical staff to help ensure your equipment – and the information on it – stays secure with 24/7/365 monitoring of all systems.

  1. Customized Setup

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of colocation is that your company is using its own servers and its own hardware, housed in a physically separate location. That means your company can configure its entire setup the way your organization prefers. This is a major distinction between colocation centers and cloud providers, which use their own hardware and may charge you for additional computing and networking fees, depending on the type, size, and complexity of your IT infrastructure.

  1. Expertise

A colocation facility will often have highly skilled technology professionals on staff to help ensure your network and your equipment is running smoothly. Whenever you need it, you can connect to round-the-clock support for systems analysis, troubleshooting, advanced monitoring and reporting, and much more.

  1. Flexibility/Scalability

When you choose a colocation facility, you’re never locked into a single solution. The benefits of flexible options are built into the colocation concept. If your business grows, and you need more computing power, or need to add new team members on the network, there’s always room to expand your physical footprint in the same data center. If your business relocates locally, you can keep all your equipment in one place until you’re settled into your new location, then reconnect – with the help of the colocation service team – and be up and running again almost immediately. If you relocate across state lines, you will likely have to move your equipment to a new colocation center. (Note: 365 Data Centers has colocation facilities across the United States and could help you facilitate such a move in this instance to one of our nearby locations.)

  1. Financial Efficiency

What most businesses don’t realize is how financially advantageous it can be to leverage colocation services. When companies try to DIY their IT infrastructure, they face a steep upfront investment – needing the space, power, cooling capacity, racks, and support staff to keep their equipment running smoothly. In a colocation environment, everything –the space, the power, the cooling, the security, and the support is amortized to a manageable monthly fee.

Whatever the status is with your current technology, you can consider colocation services as an advantageous next step for your business. When you partner with 365 Data Centers, you get the core services outlined in the sections above, standard. Plus, we’ll customize a technology solution to meet your exact needs so you can realize all these benefits and much more. Contact [email protected] today for a review of your systems, and let’s #transformyourtech together.

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

Is your organization READY TO GO VIRTUAL?

Is your organization READY TO GO VIRTUAL?

In modern enterprise and network management lingo, “virtualization” is a current buzzword, although the concept and implementation have been around for decades. The term virtualization was derived from the idea of turning a single physical server into multiple virtual servers utilizing either a single or multiple software applications.

In most computer network systems, a single server runs one or more software applications on a single operating system on its hardware. While that seems simple and logical, it often leaves a large amount of computing power unused. And as organizations grow, this can lead to a great deal of wasted processor power and hardware resources essentially sitting idle even as the computing needs may be expanding.

Through the process of virtualization, a single server can be transformed into multiple – virtual – resources. Through this process, each server is transformed into multiple virtual machines, each running its own operating system independent of the others on the same physical server. The process is achieved through a special type of software called a hypervisor, that manages the new virtual systems, each now capable of operating as an independent machine with a specific function, and running its own various applications.

Advantages of virtualization

There are numerous benefits to virtualization, the first and most obvious being the financial benefits of full server utilization, typically meaning less required servers online.

Virtualization also helps with overall information technology management, as consolidated systems are easier to manage, often with the same or fewer resources. This also means backup and storage functions can be streamlined across the network.

In addition, the virtualized environment offers flexibility and scalability for any organization. With the ability to run multiple operating systems on a single server, it creates additional functionality for the organization – now various teams can be running different types of applications on different operating systems all located in a single physical server. And once a virtual machine is set up, it can be copied to another server anywhere on the network for immediate use by another member of the organization. Often, a virtual machine can be moved to another server with little to no interruption in workflow.

Finally, virtualization has become popular as a methodology for general maintenance and disaster recovery. Since virtual machines offer a host of backup/copy functions, organizations are often able to mitigate losses during disruptions or outages.

Contact us to learn about a virtualized environment for your organization through 365 Data Centers.

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

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Understanding Edge Computing and its Benefits

Understanding Edge Computing and its Benefits

In today’s modern world of data, there’s a lot written about the cloud and why it’s so valuable. And it’s true – cloud computing offers innumerable benefits for data storage, backup and security. But in many ways, the cloud is the 18-wheeler of the information superhighway. Edge Data Centers are more like speedy convertibles.

Edge computing is typically handled at smaller, networked data centers located in or very near (at the “edge” of) the areas they serve. This physical proximity enables quick up/download and processing of information to and from client systems before being sent to the cloud. Edge and cloud work hand in hand – with Edge running fewer processes in shorter time frames, and cloud handling the heavy lifting.

The primary benefit of Edge computing is speed-related, due to lower latency, but it also aids in creating more efficient methods of processing data that are needed on a regular basis. The way Edge servers are configured allows for efficient traffic flow between networks. Because Edge servers are generally processing fewer requests, they’re able to cache data efficiently and keep things moving quickly.

Bandwidth is another excellent benefit of Edge computing. Because Edge Data Centers are networked, data requests can be handled from several Edge centers to deliver more throughput in the same or less time.

And most welcome to end-users is the cost-effectiveness of Edge computing. These Data Centers are typically smaller than larger facilities, and are customized to the needs of users, requiring less hardware and maintenance time.

Faster, more flexible, cost-efficient and scalable – these are words being used to describe Edge computing, and for good reason. Contact us to learn how 365 Data Centers can help your business with Edge computing.

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

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What is Colocation and How Does it Compare to the Public Cloud?

Edge Data Center Operator Continues to Execute on Network-Centric Colocation Strategy and Doubles Customer and Revenue Base

Colocation is the practice of housing privately-owned servers and networking equipment in a third-party data center. Instead of the in-house scenario where servers live within a room or a section of an organization’s own business infrastructure, there is the option to “co-locate” equipment by renting space in a colocation data center (also known as a third-party data center).

When migrating assets to a colocation center, keep in mind that:

  • It is a shared facility. With colocation, companies share the cost of power, cooling, communication and data center floor space with other tenants. It is cheaper than building a new data center.
  • It is best for businesses that require full control over their equipment. Companies can maintain their own equipment the same way they do when servers are installed in-house.
  • It addresses the limitations of an existing data center. Instead of building a new data center, businesses can simply augment their current data center by using the space in a colocation facility.
  • It can provide access to higher levels of bandwidth. Housing data hardware in a colocation data center gives companies access to higher levels of bandwidth compared to a normal office server room at a much lower cost.
  • It has higher reliability. Data centers in a colocation facility are more reliable. They offer greater protection from power outages because of the numerous data backups in place and provide low-latency networking options.
  • It provides higher levels of physical protection. Colocation centers apply more stringent measures for securing data such as CCTV monitoring, private suites, mantraps, fire detection, and suppression systems.

How does colocation compare with the public cloud?

The main difference between colocation and the public cloud is the way the data is stored and managed. It is a matter of having physical assets versus virtual ones. Like colocation, cloud-based infrastructure services offer cost savings because of shared facilities. But, that is where their similarities end. In terms of cloud services, the cloud provider manages your servers, storage and network elements. The provider’s staff (not your own) is responsible for setting up these elements, cutting capital expenditure and operating expenditure costs. Colocation requires businesses to set up their own servers, storage and network elements. The downside of this is the additional costs involved in making the move.

Many businesses consider cloud-based services because they prefer to use their data centers for more productive tasks in expanding the business. Others select a cloud provider because of the flexibility of being able to rapidly scale data capacity up or down based on fluctuating business needs.

Understanding how the provider controls access to the environment, manages infrastructure resources, and addresses change management without being physically present is another advantage of migrating to the cloud.

But the convenience of the cloud has its downsides. Cloud providers may offer the advantage of managing data for businesses, but the conflict lies whenever data expands. More data means additional storage and costs. That’s why experts believe that it is less costly to build a physical data center via data colocation. This route is more flexible because businesses only rent the space for all assets, which is different from renting the asset itself (the cloud storage) that will be limited based on the subscription.

The Bottom Line

Colocation and cloud services offer businesses alternatives to housing their data. Based on their specific requirements, each service has its unique pros and cons. Does your business put a higher premium on delivery or data security? Do your assets require full control or is convenience your main priority?

Knowing the colocation service that best fits your business needs can go a long way in determining the best course of action.

Learn More About Colocation

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

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Breaking Bad Buzzwords of the Data Center Industry

Breaking Bad Buzzwords of the Data Center Industry

Simplifying Digital Transformation One Buzzword at a Time

We’ve all heard the phrases digital transformation and disaster recovery, so much so that these terms may have lost meaning over the past few years. But what does it really mean to transform digitally? And what disasters are we recovering from? To wrap up 2021 in a rather fun way – in this blog, we break down overused data center industry buzzwords and uncover the real, scaled-down meaning behind them. 

Digital Transformation: An Explanation

Perhaps the buzziest term in all telecom and tech-related industries is Digital Transformation. But what does it mean? Why does it matter? The truth is that it’s nebulous enough (see Cloud puns) to mold into a definition that fits the users’ agenda or position. So how then does a business ultimately determine whether or not Digital Transformation is relevant to their unique business needs and what the benefits might be? That’s what we’ll unpack below. But for starters, let’s start thinking about Digital Transformation as more of a Digital Acceleration. Because while there are a number of buzzy words and concepts associated with Digital Transformation, at its core, it’s about the acceleration of digital processing, applications and automation. It’s about evaluating your existing tools and processes and optimizing them using the latest “digital” innovation. Now let’s break some other buzzwords often associated with Digital Transfo….errr Acceleration. 

IoT

Also known as – The Internet of Things (IoT). Truthfully, there may not be a more simultaneously vague and all-encompassing acronym in the history of tech and telecom (but it is totally plausible). We need only to see that the word “things” is literally in the name to realize this buzzy term is broken — we’re talking about an infinitely evolving definition. But for our purposes, let’s look at it like this; the “things” we’re talking about here are essentially the applications and processes we mention above. IoT refers to applications or processes that are dependent on accessing the internet to do their jobs. The digitization of these jobs, and thus their dependence on accessing the internet, create process optimization and automation efficiencies never before realized. Think predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and problem resolution, etc. And it’s only getting better.  

OTT

OTT refers to over-the-top. All of our favorite services from Netflix to Spotify ride OTT networks. Without OTT, you would not be able to stream your favorite television show while riding the bus. OTT also makes it possible to watch TV and movies without needing a cable box. So how is OTT delivered? It’s rather simple. Consumers can access OTT services through streaming apps on their smartphones, personal computers, and even smart TVs. And speaking of “over the top,” according to Cisco, online video will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than in 2017 — by 2022. Wow.

Disaster Recovery (DR)

Disaster recovery refers to the plans a business puts into place for responding to a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster, fire, act of terror or a host of other blood pressure elevating things. A disaster recovery plan puts into motion the response to these such events and remedies any operational disruption, immediately — immediately being the operative word here. This term can understandably be overwhelming to small to medium sized businesses. But don’t frett! As long as your Digital Acceleration partner has a comprehensive DR plan in place, it’s out of sight, out of mind. This allows you to focus on what matters most — running your business. And if you need help with your business continuity, call us! We’re happy to guide you through it.

Cloud

When thinking about the cloud, it’s hard for the idea to not go over our heads. Surprisingly, our data being in the cloud does not mean it’s hanging out on fluffy cumulus pillows. The cloud refers to services that run on the internet — not physically on your computer. The cloud makes it possible to access your data on your mobile phone, tablet or laptop. You don’t have to worry if you forget your laptop at home, you’ll still be able to access your data. Another benefit of the cloud is storage space. Since data is being stored on servers, you don’t have to worry about all of your documents taking up space. The only time the cloud will rain on your parade is when you do not have internet access. Without access to the internet, you will not be able to reach your data, period. 

Now Let’s Take a Step Back to the Basics

What is a data center (or data centre if you’re from Europe)? This can be a building, a devoted space within a building or a campus with multiple buildings that host your company’s servers in a secure warehouse. Basically, its main purpose is to centralize your shared IT operations and equipment for storing, processing and disseminating data and applications. Data centers are vital to the continuity of your daily business operations because they house your most critical and sensitive assets.

What is the difference between colocation and cloud?  The main difference between colocation and the public cloud is the way the data is stored and managed. It is a matter of having physical assets versus virtual ones. Like colocation, cloud-based infrastructure services offer cost savings because of shared facilities. But, that is where their similarities end. In terms of cloud services, the cloud provider manages your servers, storage and network elements. The provider’s staff (not your own) is responsible for setting up these elements, cutting capital expenditure and operating expenditure costs. Colocation requires businesses to set up their own servers, storage and network elements. The downside of this is the additional costs involved in making the move. 

Think of it this way: Cloud is like buying a car whereas colocation is like leasing a car. 

So that’s our cheeky take on demystifying the buzziest terms of the data center industry. Now, as we prepare to turn the page on another ‘unprecedented year’ (bonus buzzword!), our message is simple. Having the right partner to guide you through a secure and modernized digital acceleration plan is critical to resounding success in 2022 and beyond. So get in touch with our team today!

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

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Understanding Ransomware Attacks: How Cybercriminals Infiltrate Your Mission-Critical Data?

Understanding Ransomware Attacks: How Cybercriminals Infiltrate Your Mission-Critical Data?

I’m sure we’ve all heard the term ransomware, but what does it mean? Ransomware is  malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or data until a sum of money is paid. The effects of these attacks may not only impact your business, but your customers too. For example, the recent Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack took down the entire pipeline with just one hacked password. The attack resulted in a gas shortage across the East Coast. So, who is at risk of these attacks and how can they be prevented?

Who is at risk for ransomware attacks?

From healthcare to finance, all industries have been affected by a ransomware attack. However, while all companies can be the victim of ransomware attacks, some are more susceptible than others. Hackers are looking for valuable data like credit card information, social security numbers and medical information. Even well-protected data is vulnerable to an attack. In 2019, 56% of organizations in multiple industries, including healthcare, finance and education, reported ransomware attacks. There’s no perfect formula for which industry will be attacked. Companies of all sizes have been affected by these cyber attacks. So what could these companies have done to deter the cybercriminals from knocking on their doors?

Preventing Ransomware Attacks:

Now that we understand what causes the attacks, what can we do to prevent them? Here are a few tips:

  • Audit Security Vulnerabilities – Surveying your system for security vulnerabilities is step one to preventing a ransomware attack. Make sure your software is up to date and a proper back-up and recovery plan exists. Not having a plan in place can be detrimental to your business.
  • Educate Your Employees – Employees unaware of the dangers of ransomware may put your company at risk. Make sure your employees know not to click on suspicious links, use an unknown USB stick, open suspicious attachments, or disclose personal information.
  • Use Preventative Ransomware Software – Anti-virus and anti-malware software, along with content filtering/scanners for email and web traffic offer numerous benefits to help prevent exposure to ransomware attacks. By installing anti-ransomware software, you are taking a big step in the right direction to protect your business. 

Let Us Worry About Your Network!

All this information may seem daunting, but 365 Data Centers is here to help and protect your data. With over a decade of experience in the industry and 1,300+ customers, our breadth of experience spans various network and hardware configurations. 365 Data Centers delivers timely technical support to improve the uptime, security and availability of your business’s network infrastructure. Nowadays, we know you’re being asked to do more with less, and 365 Data Centers’ Monitoring Services can help you achieve that goal.

Our Managed Firewall Service provides administration, monitoring and maintenance of firewall infrastructure, freeing you from the burden of upgrades and patch deployment. Our team of skilled security professionals deliver operational protection to your network and infrastructure resources. To help your organization get started with crafting a plan, download our free eBook. To learn more about how 365 Data Centers can help your business, contact us.

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

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Keep These 5 Disaster Recovery Factors in Mind This Hurricane Season

Keep These 5 Disaster Recovery Factors in Mind This Hurricane Season

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through the end of November, is well underway, with the season’s peak lasting from mid-August to late October, according to the National Hurricane Center. While all eyes are on the tropics this hurricane season, businesses and network operators in the U.S. are focused on safeguarding critical data to keep business operations up and running in the event of a natural disaster.

If you haven’t secured your business yet with disaster recovery (DR), don’t wait for a dangerous storm to threaten before taking action. Though it becomes top of mind during hurricane season, DR is the insurance policy every business, big or small, needs year-round. Unfortunately, many companies don’t fully realize the importance of comprehensive DR until the day their business depends on it to stay operational. With customers up and down the East Coast, including in South Florida, 365 Data Centers takes DR and business continuity (BC) very seriously – and we want to make sure all businesses are prepared. Keep reading to explore four key components to DR.

Disaster Recovery Time vs. Disaster Recovery Point Objectives:

A DR plan isn’t just backing up data. It’s important to understand the difference between the two, which lies in the time and point objectives for data recovery.

 #1: Disaster Recovery Time Objective (RTO)

Data backup is a long-term type of protection that can take months or years. For example, if you need to recover a file that you lost a few weeks ago and it’s not an urgent situation, data backup will come to the rescue. DR, however, is required when your systems are down and you need to recover your most recent data in a matter of minutes. Both time objectives are very different but equally important to your business.

#2: Disaster Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

The version of the data you access in a DR scenario, known as the disaster recovery point, is just as important as the time spent getting your data back online. With backup, it’s not always necessary to find alternate points of data retrieval, but it is important to utilize this method during a disaster. During a hurricane, businesses can replicate data with multiple copies across many locations to mitigate the risk of data loss. For example, if a hurricane targets South Florida, it’s crucial to have a DR plan with north-south and east-west diversity to protect your assets no matter which way the storm turns. Businesses can also turn to public or private clouds to store information if it’s not feasible to roll out infrastructure to support a DR plan.

#3: The Network Component of Disaster Recovery:

The most overlooked and challenging part of a DR process is the network component. As you replicate your data to alternate sites, you must have the same applications and data running as your home site. It’s not just a transfer of data from point A to point B. It’s critical to have network infrastructure designed to configure and support the function of data transit and transfer. When you failover from one site to the next, it should look seamless. If your site is in Boca Raton and you route it to another location, such as Nashville, Tenn., it must look the same. That can only happen if you’re tapping into networking, data and applications supported by modern, redundant network architecture.

#4: Data Locality:

In addition to making the data transit look seamless, the linchpin in getting operations back online quickly is data locality. If you are just replicating the data, you will need to pull that data down to an alternative site and that will take time, in addition to the time spent turning those services back on quickly. However, if you are close enough to the data to reduce latency, then you can reduce that time needed to restore services. The business impact can be directly related to how fast you can get your business back online during a disaster. Data locality will greatly expedite the process of restoring data quickly. The closer you get to the data, the less downtime your business will have. The 365 Data Centers team has the replication technology needed to save you time and money lost from systems down.

The timeframe to get back online and operational is becoming more narrow and aggressive, and the demands are higher for businesses to be online all the time. For example, downtime in the healthcare industry could put lives at risk and downtime in the financial industry could severely and negatively impact trading firms.

#5 Business Continuity Office Space

Although it’s not likely that your office space would become uninhabitable due to a natural or manmade disaster, it is important to have a safe and secure space to keep business practices going. Do not let power outages, floods, sprinkler malfunctions, or disaster stop your business operations. Business Continuity office space is customizable to fit business needs located in private, secure, temperature-controlled suites, powered by diesel generators and network.

365’s Disaster Recovery Plan

The 365 Data Centers team can help you create a customized disaster recovery plan to protect your company’s critical data. Our onsite staff across our 13 data centers, and especially the teams at our Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa facilities, are highly experienced in DR services and have expertise in DR plans to keep critical data safe and up and running during hurricane season. In addition, 365 has customizable, private, and secure business continuity space in Boca Raton, Nashville, Philadelphia, and Tampa that can be available to your local staff, so they can keep working during a power outage, significant wind damage or flooding.

About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is a leading network centric colocation provider operating 13 carrier-neutral data centers located in strategic, primarily edge markets. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes secure and reliable edge colocation, nationwide network connectivity, cloud compute and storage, DRaaS, BaaS, and business continuity services.

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