Server Room: knowing what it’s about

The meaning of server room

A server room houses physical servers. It has conditions optimized for this hardware to operate safely and continuously. The server room is usually located in an appropriately equipped, professional data center. This building provides rack space via server cabinets, as well as power. It also focuses on cooling, fire safety, security, certification and offers remote hands.

Server room rental
The rack space within the professional server rooms houses the physical servers as well as any other equipment belonging to the IT infrastructure. All of this hardware is and remains the property of the company, individual or organization. The provider of a server room, also known as colocation, provides a custom supply of the required numbers of rack units, and arranges monitoring, data center management, climate control, power supply and fire prevention, among other things. This means the customer wanting to rent a server room has a reliable, efficient place to run his, her or their physical servers both centrally and cost-effectively.

Space for servers
A physical server serves other computers. It does so by providing storage and/or processing of files and data. The server thus keeps websites, domains, email traffic and other web traffic online. It does this through the operating system in conjunction with software. In addition to this type of server, there are storage servers for which you can rent a server room. These are often owned and used by e.g. cloud storage providers.

Server room:

• Is (usually) located in a professional data center
• Provides customized rack space for servers and associated IT hardware
• Comes with services; such as around power, cooling, monitoring and fire safety
• Putting your server(s) in a central server room is efficient and cost-effective
• The servers remain under the management of the owner / renter of the server room

Server room rental and related services

After reading the introductory section, the following is already clear. A server room is located in a data center, where you will find more than just the physical racks for being able to place the servers and other equipment. You can also rely on the professional presence of several other services. These colocation services are indispensable in order to have the servers do their work continuously and reliably. We list these services here one by one, with explanations.

Rack space

Rack space provides the physical foundation for the server room. Racks are standardized server cabinets in the data center to house the server(s), switch(es), router(s) and other IT equipment. The owner of these can rent the rack space in the amount needed, tailored to the numbers of servers to be placed. The company that wants to store its hardware in the server room can rent one or more full racks, as well as half a rack or an even smaller portion of the server cabinet.

Units
The amount of rack space is measured in Rack Units (RU or U). This rack space unit has standardized dimensions: 1.75 inches (4.445 centimeters) high in the most common 19-inch wide server cabinet. Per unit, it holds one 1U server or other piece of ‘flat’ 1U hardware. In addition, there are 2U and 3U servers and hardware, for example, which require two and three rack units, respectively.

Types of rack space
The depth of a rack is usually 100 centimeters or, with the better server room service providers, 120 centimeters. The overall height is typically 42U to 47U. Renting part of a rack is called shared rack space rental. The data center also offers the option of renting rack space in an enclosed section of the server room. Such a private server room can be a private cage, private corridor or private suite. All racks provide standard uniformity for redundant connection of required power and network connections.

Power

A precarious service in a server room is providing power. That power is needed for the servers and hardware in operation needs no further explanation. However, the way the power supply is set up in a data center is crucial. In the event of a power failure, there will always need to be adequate backup, and it needs to be instant. That’s the only way the servers and other IT hardware can keep the websites, apps and all the other internet applications they serve online. Without momentary, let alone long-term outages. Generators and other backup power supplies are therefore indispensable in a data center. So is great accuracy in setting up the power network, with attention to UPS redundancy.

What is UPS redundancy?
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is the provision for an uninterrupted supply of power. If the regular power supply within the server room service fails for any reason, then the installed UPS redundancy will have to prevent sites and apps from going offline, and with it, harmful consequences such as data loss, customer loss, repairs or recovery work and revenue loss. The emergency power from which Uninterruptible Power Supply draws when power outages occur involves a temporary power buffer, usually via fully charged batteries.

Regular and backup capacity
Server room services will therefore offer data center power specifications that cover both regular mains power capacity and UPS capacity, as well as the generator capacity; all expressed in megawatts. In addition, there is the designation N+1 for both UPS redundancy and generator redundancy. In this case, N+1 indicates that one more power supply is present than would actually be needed.

Prices in kWh
We express the power costs associated with renting a server room in prices per kWh; kilowatt hours. See also the information on our server room pricing, elsewhere on this page.

Cooling

The server room in a data center houses sensitive, meticulous, high-performance equipment. It should not get too hot (and not too cold), so cooling and climate control is one of the essential professional server room services. Again, backup cooling facilities and redundancy, of at least N+1, are of key importance here. Therefore, in their specifications, data centers also include information on the type of cooling system, the number of cooling towers and/or hybrid coolers, cooling redundancy and things like cooling density, expressed in kW per rack. The cooling system usually consists of chilled water or a thermal energy storage system such as ATES (Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage).

Fire safety

Server room and fire safety. In what ways do the server room provider and the data center provide the best possible conditions for fire prevention? Conventional spot detection and fog suppression (high-pressure water spray) are common methods used for this purpose. Indispensable are smoke detectors and thermal detectors, as well as aspiration detection. The latter is aimed at early detection of possible fires.

Security

A server room may never be entered by unauthorized persons. Individuals with unwanted access to the physical servers, hardware, network infrastructure and power supply could sabotage the stable operation of websites and many other online applications, causing enormous potential damage. Whether financially, in terms of privacy breach, data loss or, for example, reputation damage; server room security is fundamental for many businesses, website owners and others.

24/7
Aimed at preventing, data center security consists of a series of proactive measures. 24/7 server room security ranges from physical guards to a full building perimeter fence, and from CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) to a man-trap (lock) security and personal profile access control.

Certification

To independently ensure the quality of server room services in data centers, these spaces undergo assessments for multiple certifications. The most common certifications for data centers are PCI DSS, ISAE 3402 – SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, ISO 22301 and NEN 7510.

Remote hands

In practice, the term remote hands is usually associated with services in a server room. As a customer of a colocation provider offering rack space in a data center, it’s convenient to be able to outsource physical operations around your equipment there. That way, you don’t have to travel to the data center yourself for often relatively minor but necessary operations at sometimes inconvenient times. This provides both speed and great time savings. Moreover, the former is of additional importance when an acute situation unexpectedly arises.

Smart hands
Instead of remote hands, there is also such a thing as smart hands. Both mean the same thing. With this server room service, data center staff with technical expertise are available for ‘on demand’ on-site work. Many of these are routine tasks on the IT (network) equipment for which, in principle, the server room renter is responsible. Examples of remote hands include visual inspection, providing wiring or a simple connection. Troubleshooting (minor) malfunctions may also be involved. But managed remote hands services can, by agreement, go beyond that.

Time and cost effective
Naturally, the customer pays for these mostly cost-saving services. Those costs may or may not be included in the fixed server room subscription. We consider this cost saving since otherwise, the owner themselves or an employee would have to set aside time for this. Especially including travel time, they would then spend much more time than the data center employee with his or her ‘remote hands’.

Placing servers through DC1.AMSTERDAM

Want to place your IT hardware through colocation provider DC1.AMSTERDAM? Then join a well-known server room service provider that carefully builds its business class services around the rack. You can become a customer with as little as one rack unit. Our rack space is located in high-quality data centers that keep up with the times in every aspect. DC1.AMSTERDAM also takes care of your business internet and hybrid connectivity at the same time.

Why rent a server room at DC1.AMSTERDAM?

Where is the best place to rent a server room? With which provider and in which data center? There are several server room providers, but which one best suits your business, the type of hardware and other specific requirements? On this page, we already wrote about what exactly the term server room means. Time to explain a little more about the characteristics that makes DC1.AMSTERDAM stand out in this regard.

Benefits: such as server room and connectivity in one

DC1.AMSTERDAM provides high-quality business server room services. Have you been looking into a server room and did you end up with us? Then you can count on the following benefits.

The first part of our colocation services includes the assurance that in DC1.AMSTERDAM, you will find a partner that works based on intrinsic professionalism. This is closely related to our enthusiasm for the challenging technology behind server room rental. Our intrinsic professionalism is also reflected in the fact that we work with and from the love of the rack. And in all that entails, for a comprehensive, properly customized connection. Focused on the customer, requirements and equipment.

Working ‘from the rack’. You can read it all over this site: that is our focus. Whether you rent a redundant server room with a shared rack or purchase one or more full racks. From the base, or the rack itself, we flesh out all other colocation services. We do so in a professional, adequate and helpful manner from a cooperative perspective. This is reflected in everything. From our easily navigable dashboard (with a clear overview of all services, invoices and specifications) to the wide range of services in and around our energy-efficient, modern data centers. We focus on quality but remain price conscious, so that our server room prices are not unnecessarily high.

(Internet) connectivity

The second part of our colocation services? That would be the all-in-1 offering of both a server room and business (internet) connectivity. We also immediately offer an integrated solution for the best-suited DSL or fiber optic internet connection through a single point of contact. That also includes hybrid IT with flexible access to the public cloud, and we do that from all of our data center locations. So you don’t have to look for an external partner for business internet and a suitable subscription! Moreover, with cloud connect, hybrid IT and business internet via DC1.AMSTERDAM, you automatically opt for the highest speeds and performance. You can read more about that later on this page.

In short, choosing DC1.AMSTERDAM is beneficial for these reasons:

1. Server room at the highest business level
2. One partner for both a server room and connectivity
3. Everything around the rack professionally outsourced in one fell swoop
4. Modern, secure and energy-efficient data centers
5. Server Room, Data Center Advice, Cloud Connect and Business Internet
6. Driven by a great passion for the technology
7. Low-threshold, cooperative company without frills
8. Favorable prices; yet the best in terms of security and quality
9. User-friendly dashboard: the DC1.AMSTERDAM Partner Portal
10. A server room from as little as one RU; high service with the rack as the starting point

Data center choice

Choosing your server room provider is closely related to choosing a data center. All of our data center locations are set up to meet today’s demanding standards, as we have explained in detail at the top of this page. Among other things, they offer the highest standards of security, safety and redundancy. They are also conveniently located and thus easily accessible. These data centers belong to the international network of our strategic partners Digital Realty and NorthC. There we combine a reliable server location with a ready-made, also economically priced solution to the network problem. Of course, secondary facilities are also in good shape. From available meeting and reception rooms with coffee to good parking.

Sustainable data center grows with you
Each of these sustainable data centers are also good server room locations for possible future scale-up, as your business grows. Regardless, the exact choice for a server room data center is not something you make lightly. Therefore, we are happy to give you the opportunity to schedule a joint viewing without obligation. Of course, an explanation to help you choose the data center by phone is possible as well.

Server room possibilities

To place your server(s), switch(es), router(s) and other IT equipment, you can opt for a server room on a smaller or larger scale. The colocation provider in conjunction with the data center offers a full rack, a half rack or even other sizes of shared rack. Or choose a series of racks in a shielded environment. Think of a private space with server cabinets such as a private cage, a private corridor or a private suite. DC1.AMSTERDAM also offers a flexible number of rack units, tailored to the business and its IT needs, as the basis for further colocation services.

We already mentioned a full rack. The most common variant is the one that is 19 inches wide and usually 42 to 47 rack units high, at 1.75 inches per unit. The depth of such a full rack is usually 100 or 120 centimeters. A half rack usually implies an average of 21 rack units in one of the aforementioned 19-inch server cabinets. Except for the height and thus the number of rack units available, semi racks are no different from full racks. If you choose a shared rack, then you rent x number of rack units at 1.75 inches / 4.445 centimeters high, each unit suitable for one so-called flat server or other 1U hardware.

Do you opt for a private cage when renting a server room? Then your company or organization will have several server racks enclosed by a transparent fence. A private suite entails the same thing, but is even fully walled. In case of a private corridor, then the shielded server room in the data center is only accessible to the company’s own employees.

Other server room and data center services
All options come with the purchase of the other data center services as described on this server room explanation page. Furthermore, server room options also consist of arranging the necessary solutions for (internet) connectivity yourself, or outsourcing it.

Server room prices

See the price overview of the server room solutions of DC1.AMSTERDAM here. As you can see, redundant power (A + B feed) is of course included in each package. The 19″ colocation racks have a depth of 1.20 meters. Power costs are based on consumption, except for the shared rack package. We offer a redundant internet uplink (1Gbps or 10Gbps) with full racks. Internet data traffic and bandwidth are always included (flat fee). Also included are IPv4 (8x) and IPv6 addresses. The same goes for the best security and surveillance, and there is 24/7 access to the rack.

“We are happy with our new dedicated server room. DC1.AMSTERDAM listened attentively to our needs and requirements, which we noticed in the server room advice that followed. Then they set it up for us in that exact way, including internet connections for both the server room and office. This combination also lowered the overall operating costs for us compared to our former server room situation.”

All-in-1

DC1.AMSTERDAM provides a complete package of server room services, as a One Stop Shop solution. You can purchase both a server room and (internet) connectivity from us in one go – all-in-one – and at a lower cost as well. Included as standard is a wide range of fully up-to-date data center facilities. Our data center locations at Digital Realty and NorthC offer the best conditions for achieving the desired uptime of your servers and for the smooth operation of other hardware.

Connection
Furthermore, we can provide network connectivity: cloud connect for added flexibility and performance. Plus, through us, direct, low latency connections can be configured between your IT infrastructure and global cloud solutions. Business internet at the office and redundant data center internet connectivity based on 1Gbps or 10Gbps is also available, at one fixed price.

Favorable power rates
When opting for a full rack, power costs are variable. This way, you pay only for what you actually use. We also keep power costs as low as possible for rack units (shared rack). In fact, in addition to the number of rack units per device, we also tune the power consumption as efficiently as possible for each device; with a power package choice of 0.5A (115W), 1.0A (230W) or 2.0A (460W).

Directly through DC1.AMSTERDAM: both a server room and connectivity

We already touched on it. With DC1.AMSTERDAM, you not only arrange for a server room, but also business (internet) connectivity in one go. Without having to make separate arrangements with external providers of DSL and fiber optic internet subscriptions. And without having to make separate arrangements with providers of cloud connect and hybrid IT, since you can put together the best solutions in this area directly through us.

Business internet
DC1.AMSTERDAM itself provides the entire network, supplemented by fiber pathways for connection between the geographical locations. We have a partnership with established fiber optic partners for this. In that context, we also offer the option of moving all your DSL and fiber optic connections with you. Both IPv4 and IPv6 connections are available. Our independent Business Internet connectivity service offers low latency, stable connection and, through our Partner Portal, clear insight into the (high) speeds. With our redundant internet connectivity, there is a choice of 1Gbps or 10Gbps.

Hybrid cloud connections
Hybrid IT is the standard. We offer cloud connect for maximum flexibility and performance. Through us, direct, low latency cloud connections can be configured between your IT infrastructure and Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, IBM Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Salesforce Cloud, SAP Cloud Platform and Nutanix Enterprise Cloud.

Directly arranged: server room including (internet) connectivity
In short, besides one contact for all your server room and rack space needs, we also offer ‘en passant’ integrated (internet) connectivity.

More about DC1.AMSTERDAM

DC1.AMSTERDAM provides server room services and business network connections, with reliability and continuity as the core values. From our cooperative approach and a pooled expertise, we provide the server room and connectivity services our customers demand. Together with our solid partners, we work on our colocation services in a committed manner, financially attractive and unadorned.

Born from a strong desire
DC1.AMSTERDAM Colocation was born from a strong desire. The desire to do something about the reduction of colocation services at less modern data centers. And around 2020, founders DOCKTERA, A2B Internet and High5! had another motivation: they felt that renting a server room could be more complete, easier AND more affordable. Today, DC1.AMSTERDAM offers both better quality and favorable prices by joining forces as one party.

In summary, DC1.AMSTERDAM stands for…
DC1.AMSTERDAM stands for a reliable server room and connectivity through a single point of contact. We offer rack space in modern data centers, and the rack is always in focus here. We are a powerful cooperative with pooled expertise. Together with solid partners, we strive for the highest level of reliability and continuity in our server room services. And for the best possible financial and technical conditions for this. This makes DC1.AMSTERDAM a business partner with one solution for Server Room, Data Center Advice, Cloud Connect and Business Internet.

Contact us for server room rental without obligation

Want to rent a server room? Still looking around? We are happy to inform you further.