The IT infrastructure is at the heart of virtually every company, with the in-house data center as its foundation. Relocating this data center involves numerous risks and associated costs. A move is therefore the perfect time to consider outsourcing.
There can be several reasons for moving your in-house data center. Maybe the company is moving to another location. Or there are plans for expansion, causing the data center to outgrow its capacity. On the other hand, working from home can actually reduce space requirements, making the disposal of expensive office space an option.
If there is no in-house data center, and data is already stored in an external data center, dissatisfaction with the current supplier may be a reason to move to another supplier.
Relocating a data center poses a number of challenges. In today's digital world, IT plays an essential role at almost every level. This means that business continuity is quickly compromised if systems do not function at their best. When moving from an in-house data center, there is always a risk of outages and connectivity issues. A failure or malfunction can have major financial and operational consequences. Risk management is essential in this regard: all the risks associated with the relocation must be carefully mapped out.
However, thorough preparation like this comes at a price. On top of that, there are the costs of the actual move. Depending on the size of the data center, this can add up. For example, just moving a single rack costs around €6,000. Instead of a physical move (lift & shift), companies may opt to replace the existing IT equipment with new equipment at the new location. The advantage of this option is that there is less chance of failures or disruptions during the move. But this involves a hefty investment. After all, new IT equipment has to be purchased and implemented. While this new IT infrastructure is being built, the old IT systems continue to operate. And that means double the cost.
It's clear that moving a data center is a risky and costly operation. Moreover, managing an in-house data center is not a core business activity for most companies, so it makes very good sense to dispense with these tasks. That's why it's not a bad idea at this time to consider outsourcing your in-house data center to an expert. Outsourcing offers many benefits and is convenient, as well as providing several opportunities in terms of connectivity, ecosystems, co-creation and flexibility.
When it comes to connectivity, for example, LCL offers you a choice of forty different telecom providers. In addition, you may be able to connect to one of our ecosystems that we have set up in our four data centers across Belgium. Sustainability is also an argument in favour of choosing a data center. European legislation and regulations require data centers to meet strict requirements. For example, the European Green Deal for sustainable data centers requires investments in increasingly energy-efficient equipment. LCL has supported the Green Deal from day one. This means we offer a high-quality IT landscape that meets all the requirements of modern society.
Just like any other business, your company probably has specific needs and requirements when it comes to IT. A specialised data center will be happy to discuss this and find solutions together with you. Where customised co-creation solutions are concerned, for example, by connecting with potential business partners who are in the same data center. Or when it comes to financing new IT equipment. Purchasing new equipment requires an in-depth investment, which is difficult for many companies to finance. By selling old equipment and/or pre-financing new equipment, it's possible to reduce costs, as well as switch to a more flexible financing model based on operating costs instead of investments.
Fewer concerns, lower costs, and no risks to threaten the continuity of your business? Taking advantage of opportunities that arise as a result of better connectivity? It's possible if you use relocating your IT infrastructure as an opportunity to say goodbye to your in-house data center and opt for outsourcing.
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