Nexxtep Technology Services Opens First Local Data Center Accessible to Public
Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
Businesses in southern Georgia now have access to a local data center owned and operated by Nexxtep Technology Services, Inc., which can provide back-up and disaster recovery solutions, host desktop applications as well as host a company's IT equipment through colocation solutions. Nexxtep opened the center in November 2012 and has received a very positive response from its clients to the new offerings.
"Most people prefer not to think about technology and instead want to focus on their business. We want our clients to pay for IT services the same way that they pay for dial tone," said Ryan Williams, Partner and Vice President of Business Development for Nexxtep.
"Clients pay a flat monthly rate and we manage and maintain their IT systems for them. Benefits include greater security, less downtime and more predictable, lower costs."
Expanding into data center operations was a move that was two years in planning at Nexxtep. The company purchased a building in Valdosta that had been the operations center for a regional bank. Most of the needed infrastructure was in place although Nexxtep updated and expanded the facility.
"It's the first data center in the area to be open to the public in this way," Williams said.
Advantages of a Local Data Center
Nexxtep offers several solutions to clients that leverage the data center's infrastructure and capabilities.
The company offers a back-up and disaster recovery solution. Clients in the region can keep a secondary copy of critical data in the data center. If they lose power or connectivity in their offices, their data is still available and accessible. According to Williams, data back-ups can be delivered to clients on short notice.
Nexxtep offers colocation solutions that involve moving the client's IT equipment into the Nexxtep data center. Many clients have a less than ideal setting for technology equipment. Colocation places client equipment and data in a friendlier environment with excellent connectivity and multiple power sources including a back-up generator.
Clients can choose to host their desktops at the data center and use low-cost Internet computers in their offices. These computers are designed to connect to the Internet and use applications that reside remotely, in this case in the Nexxtep data center. The client specifies the applications it needs and Nexxtep creates a custom desktop for the client's employees.
"There are several advantages to this solution. Users are no longer tethered to a specific location. It cuts down on the risk of virus infections. And Internet computers are much lower cost and do not need to be upgraded as frequently as personal computers," Williams said.
Nexxtep also rents out square footage or rack space in the data center. Clients can install and manage whatever equipment they choose.
Who Can Benefit
According to Williams, a third-party data center can benefit most businesses. Internet connectively has gotten more reliable and new ways of connecting have emerged such as going online via an iPad on a cellular network. However, certain applications should remain in-house.
"In critical scenarios such as in a hospital where health care workers are tracking patient care in real time, it doesn't make sense to move the application to a remote location," Williams said.
Those scenarios tend to be the exception as cloud computing becomes a more accepted way of doing business and managing IT. With the cloud located nearby, businesses have even greater assurance of its security and accessibility.
More information on Nexxtep Technology Services is available at www.ncare.com or call (229) 671-1513.
