There are many reasons to consider an external data centre. Sometimes it's obvious that the current environment is gradually approaching its limits - in power, cooling or security - and it makes sense to address the situation ahead of time. Often, the main impetus is growth - new projects, higher power demands, or the need to expand infrastructure beyond what your own facilities allow. And sometimes the existing environment no longer meets the operational demands and the solution cannot be delayed.
In each of these cases, the choice of data centre becomes an important decision that affects service availability, data security, connection quality and how easily the infrastructure can be expanded in the future. If you are considering placing your own IT infrastructure in a professional data centre, it pays to keep an eye on a few basic parameters. These often determine whether the operation will be stable and secure, or whether it will become an unnecessarily expensive complication over time.
Why choosing a data centre is so important
The data centre is the basis for reliable operation of corporate IT. If it does not meet the real requirements of the company, problems can occur with outages, limited connectivity, insufficient security or complex infrastructure expansion.
Therefore, it is not enough to compare only price or basic technical parameters when making a choice. It's important to look at the data centre as a whole - from physical security and power to connectivity, SLAs and operational facilities.
1. Data centre location
The location of the data centre affects the physical availability of technology, network latency and business continuity. For many companies, it is important that the infrastructure is located in the Czech Republic or in an easily accessible location with quality facilities.
When evaluating a site, it makes sense to observe in particular:
- availability for service interventions,
- stability and security of the site,
- environmental risks,
- the suitability of the location from an operational and legislative perspective.
A well-chosen location simplifies infrastructure management and reduces operational risks.
2. Connectivity and network availability
A quality data centre must be based on reliable connectivity - that is, an internet connection and network infrastructure that ensures stable and fast access to corporate services. Without sufficient capacity and properly designed redundancy (backup routes that take over traffic in the event of an outage), even a well-designed infrastructure cannot function in the long term.
It pays to be interested in:
- the number of independent connectivity providers,
- the available connection capacity,
- network infrastructure redundancy,
- monitoring and supervision of operations,
- possibilities for further expansion of connectivity.
Connectivity often determines the real quality of rackhousing. Almost everything can look good on paper. The performance is less convincing. If you're planning future growth, also check whether it's possible to increase connectivity capacity without having to physically modify the infrastructure - ideally by simply changing the configuration on the provider side.
3. Physical security
Data center security doesn't start with a firewall or antivirus. It starts with the facility itself, access rules and physical movement control.
When choosing, it is important to observe:
- controlled access to the building,
- camera system,
- recording of accesses and interventions,
- separation of individual zones,
- set operational and safety processes.
Physical security must be part of the basic standard in a data centre, regardless of the systems that are housed there.
The physical security of the data centre works on the principle of multiple layers. The outer perimeter consists of a fence with motion detectors and a camera system with continuous recording. Access to the building is controlled via a reception desk with visitor registration. Access to the server rooms requires a combination of an access card and an additional authentication factor - typically a PIN or biometrics. Each entry is logged and records are kept for later auditing. When selecting a provider, ask whether they run their own security service around the clock or rely on an outside vendor, and how they handle third-party access to your infrastructure.
4. Power, cooling and redundancy
Reliable operation of IT infrastructure relies on stable power supply and adequate cooling. The data centre must be prepared not only for normal operation, but also for outages, failures or increased load.
Important are:
- redundant power supply branches - i.e. separate and independent power supply routes,
- UPS and backup power for instantaneous failover,
- back-up power supplies (motor-generators) for longer outages,
- efficient cooling system,
- continuous environmental monitoring.
These parameters have a direct impact on how stable applications and services will run in everyday operation.
Cooling efficiency translates directly into operating costs. When choosing a data centre, ask what type of cooling is deployed - whether it is direct air cooling, indirect freecooling or a combination of both approaches. Find out whether the cooling circuits are redundant, i.e. whether the failure of one unit will jeopardize the operation of the servers. The question of what happens in extreme summer temperatures is also important - a quality data centre needs to maintain a stable temperature in the halls all year round, regardless of the outside conditions. Cooling capacity should match not only the current load, but also the margin for future rack power growth.
5. SLA and operational support
The SLA (Service Level Agreement) defines what guarantees the data centre offers - what is the guaranteed availability, how incidents are handled and what happens if an outage occurs. A general statement of high availability is not enough. What is essential is what is included in the service and how incidents are handled in practice.
Worth watching:
- guaranteed availability of services,
- availability of technical assistance,
- clearly defined incident processes,
- understandable contract terms.
When it comes to the problem, specific processes and contractual obligations are the deciding factor, not general statements in the offer.
6. Future scalability
The data centre should not only meet current needs, but also future growth. The company can gradually increase the number of racks, performance and connectivity requirements. If the environment is not ready for this, the infrastructure will start to hold the company back.
It is therefore a good idea to consider the following when making a decision:
- the possibility of capacity expansion,
- flexibility of the operating model,
- room for long-term growth.
Scalability is not just about physical rack space. It's also about whether the data centre can respond flexibly to changes in power, cooling and connectivity requirements. A company that runs two racks today may need five in a year - and with that comes increasing demands for power, network capacity and operational support. A data center that has infrastructure reserves and a transparent process for expanding services saves a company the time and cost of potentially migrating elsewhere. Ask what the requirements are for adding additional racks, how long it takes to get them up and running, and whether capacity can be scaled down.
It is by these parameters that specific providers can be assessed. Let's see how they are built in practice.
How SafeDX meets the requirements of a modern data centre
SafeDX data centre in Prague Vysočany has been operating on the market for ten years and since the beginning has focused on rackhousing for corporate customers. The SafeDX Server Hotel concept is based on this logic: the data centre is not just a technical space, but an operationally managed service for corporate IT. In addition to the technology itself, the set processes, the delineation of responsibilities and the ability to maintain stable operation over the long term also play a role.
For businesses that need to place entire rack assemblies in a professional environment, it is essential that the service performs predictably and without compromise in key areas. Smaller configurations - one-third or half-rack units - are available for companies that need to house individual servers.
Location and facilities
The SafeDX data centre is located in Prague 9 - Vysočany. The total area of the facility is over 14,000 m², of which four independent data halls with a total area of 520 m² offer a capacity of more than 200 racks. The infrastructure is designed according to Tier III standards - in practice this means redundancy, which allows scheduled maintenance to be carried out without interrupting operations.
Connectivity
Five independent telecommunications operators - CETIN, ČD Telematika, T-Mobile, Vodafone and Quantcom - terminate optical fibres directly in the data centre's meet me room. The connection is routed through two independent internet nodes and includes a connection to NIX (Neutral Internet eXchange) and DDoS protection for connectivity. Geo-redundancy of traffic is addressed by connecting to a partner data centre over a distance of over 100 km.
Physical security
The security perimeter of the site includes a fence with infrared detection. Access to the data halls is controlled via a combination of PIN code and biometric readers. The facility is monitored by CCTV cameras inside and outside the building and physically guarded by a professional agency on a 24×7 basis. Every entry and intervention is recorded.
Power and cooling
The SafeDX Server Hotel is built to Tier III standards, which define concurrent maintainability - no scheduled maintenance of power branches requires downtime. Multiple independent power branches from different sources, backup UPS and diesel generators are part of the basic architecture. Total reserved power is 3.2 MW. The power per rack reaches up to 15 kW - including the environment for computationally intensive applications. Cooling is designed with N+1 redundancy, with separate cold aisles for efficient heat dissipation.
SLA and operational support
The Service Level Agreement guarantees availability of data center services at 99.99 %.An expert team with many years of operational experience provides 24×7 operation, supervision and technical assistance. Terms of service are contractually defined - with a clear structure of responsibilities and escalation process.
Scalability
In SafeDX Server Hotel, you can reserve seats for other seagulls in advance. The infrastructure is sized to grow with the client's requirements, without the need to move to a different environment.
What to look for to make the decision last
When choosing a data centre, it is worthwhile to put emphasis on areas that companies often overlook when making their first decision:
- consider connectivity and redundancy as carefully as price,
- examine specific SLA terms, not just a general statement of availability,
- verify the level of physical security on site,
- to take account of future infrastructure growth,
- to see how the service actually works in day-to-day operations.
It makes sense to choose a data centre based on how it will work in real operation, not just on the parameters on offer.
How to know if a data centre is the right choice
A good data centre can be identified by a combination of security, connectivity, stability of operation, transparent conditions and the ability to cover the needs of the company in the long term. It is these areas that determine whether rackhousing is a truly reliable part of corporate IT.
If a company is looking for an environment to house its own IT infrastructure, it pays to focus on a partner that has these parameters built in as the foundation of the service, not as an add-on.
Conclusion
When selecting a data center, it pays to look at location, connectivity, physical security, power redundancy, SLA, and opportunities for future growth. Only the combination of these factors will show if the solution will meet the company's requirements in the long term.
At SafeDX Server Hotel, we build rackhousing on these principles - as an operationally managed service with specific commitments that you can verify. This gives companies a stable and secure environment to run their own technology.
Interested in rackhousing at SafeDX Server Hotel?
Want to see how rackhousing in SafeDX Server Hotel looks like in practice? Arrange a tour of the data center with Petr Lukáš - write to ue.xdefas@sakul.rtep or call us at +420 721 060 101.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important parameters when choosing a data centre?
The most important factors are location, connectivity, physical security, power and cooling, SLA (guaranteed availability) and the possibility of further infrastructure expansion.
Why isn't it enough to choose a data center based on price alone?
Price alone says nothing about the quality of connectivity, level of security, operational support or redundancy. These factors have a direct impact on operational stability and long-term costs.
Who is rackhousing suitable for?
Rackhousing is suitable for companies that want to run their own IT infrastructure in a professional, secure and stable environment - outside their own building, but under their own control. For smaller configurations, individual servers are also available in one-third or half-rack units.
What to look out for when choosing a data centre?
Most often, companies underestimate connectivity, specific SLA conditions, physical security, and the readiness of the environment for future growth.
What is rackhousing?
Rackhousing means placing your own IT infrastructure - servers, network elements, storage and other devices - in a professional data centre. The company retains control of its hardware but uses the facilities of the data centre: power, cooling, connectivity, physical security and operational oversight.