Introduction to Colocation Data Centers | Corning

A colocation data center—also called a "colo," carrier hotel, or multitenant data center (MTDC) — is a third-party facility where businesses rent space to house their own servers, networking equipment, and IT infrastructure. Unlike operating a private data center, companies using colocation facilities pay for rack space, power, cooling, and internet connectivity, while retaining full ownership and control of their equipment. This setup allows companies to enjoy the benefits of a data center without the operational hassles.

At Corning, we understand the challenges of outsourced colocation facilities, whether you're an MTDC/cloud provider building out new colocation facilities or an enterprise client moving data center equipment into a shared environment. We offer a wide range of colocation and multi-tenant solutions for meet-me-room, main distribution area (MDA), and caged or hall environments. Our solutions provide maximum flexibility, improved lead times, and reduced total cost of ownership. With the growing demand from the Internet of Things (IoT) and related technologies, many multitenant data centers, also known as data center colocations, need upgrades to meet new requirements.

The MTDC market prioritizes Power, Space, and Connectivity. The importance of power, space, and connectivity becomes evident as businesses scale and require more robust infrastructure to handle increasing data and computing demands. MTDCs can be found in various configurations, including:

There are many elements that go into the construction of a colocation data center. A few elements include:

The need to handle growing amounts of data while keeping costs and resource use to a minimum is a significant challenge in today's digital age. Additionally, having the flexibility to scale operations up or down as needed is crucial. It's a tall order to keep a data center running optimally, reduce delays, limit downtime, and keep costs manageable. To address these complexities, many businesses are opting for colocation data centers which offer effective solutions to these data management challenges. 

Many businesses use a Hybrid IT model, managing some resources within their own data center while also using an MTDC or cloud service for additional storage needs. This offers flexibility, allowing companies to adapt their data management as needs change. It also provides a safety net, reducing risk by ensuring that if one part of the system fails, the rest can continue operating.