Colocation in Irvine: A Simple Guide for Operational Excellence

Using colocation has become a strategic way for modern businesses to optimize both their IT infrastructure and their costs. This article will look specifically at colocation in Irvine (California). It will discuss the benefits and challenges of colocation in Irvine and the factors that influence its costs.

An overview of Irvine’s business landscape

Although Irvine is neither the capital nor the largest city in California, it is a key player in the state’s economy. Numerous corporations have their national or even international headquarters there with the technology sector being particularly well represented. Still more have some form of representation in the city, for example, a research and development base or an operations center.

For businesses, part of the attraction of Irvine is that it is a major academic hub. Institutions based there include the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Concordia University, Irvine Valley College, and the Orange County Center of the University of Southern California. There are also campuses for California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), the University of La Verne, and Pepperdine University.

The other major industries in Irvine are entertainment and travel (both recreational and business). Irvine is highly popular as a location for the entertainment industry. This feeds into its popularity as a tourist destination. Business travelers come for its event venues and industry but may extend their stay for pleasure.

Benefits of colocation in Irvine

Here is a quick guide to the three main benefits of colocation in Irvine.

Easy access to a prime location

Irvine may be a small city but its robust economy and popularity with students mean that it has a strong real-estate market. Using colocation in Irvine allows businesses to get access to this location without the hefty costs of buying real estate.

Flexibility to meet changing business needs

Businesses can increase or decrease their use of colocation in line with their business cycles. They can also customize their use of a colocation facility to suit their specific needs. This gives them the main benefits of the public cloud and data centers rolled into one.

Minimal administrative overheads

Running an data center requires a lot of commitment from management. Using colocation can deliver the benefits of processing with a much lower workload for the management team.

Challenges of colocation in Irvine

Here is a quick guide to the three main challenges of colocation in Irvine.

Finding the right location

At under 70 square miles in area, Irvine is a relatively small city. In some ways, this makes it easier to find the right location. There is literally less space to research before making your decision. In other ways, however, it can make the decision more challenging. This is because the differences between areas may be more nuanced than in other, larger, cities.

Choosing the right service package

Finding the right colocation vendor in Irvine is only a starting point. You then need to negotiate a specific contract. Getting the right contract for your business starts with clearly defining your needs, wants, priorities, and budget. You then need a robust and objective process for evaluating vendors.

Arranging necessary support

If you need more support than your colocation vendor can provide (or if, for whatever reason, you do not wish to use them), you will need to arrange your own support. Much the same comments apply to this as to choosing the right service package.

Costs of colocation in Irvine

Here is a quick guide to the three main factors influencing the costs of colocation in Irvine.

Location and space requirements

As Irvine is a relatively small city, there is limited variation within its real-estate market. That said, there is a difference between limited and none. As with any city, Irvine has areas with varying levels of desirability. There will inevitably be a price premium for the more desirable areas. The cost of colocation in Irvine will also depend on how much space you require for your equipment.

Service requirements

Network connectivity is generally a major point of competition between colocation vendors and this is certainly true of colocation vendors in Irvine. Network connectivity also tends to feed into resilience and hence a colocation facility’s tier rating. Another point of differentiation between vendors is the compliance programs they support.

There are likely to be other differences between different service providers that may be less obvious. For example, many colocation vendors will offer some level of on-site support. There may, however, be important differences between their skill levels.

Implementation and support requirements

The more the colocation vendor does for you, the more they will charge. With that said, if you need the services anyway, then the colocation vendor may offer the best value for them.