Colocation: A group or sequence formed by placing things side by side or in a place or position. e.g., words in a sentence or sound in music.
On the Internet, the term (usually spelled “Colocation”) refers to provisioning space for a customer’s communications equipment within the colocation carrier’s premises.
Colocation is also provided by carriers specializing in Web site hosting, which is; the housing, serving, and maintaining files for one or many web sites. For example, the owner of a Web site can place the site’s servers on the premises of an Internet service provider.
Most often colocation or colocated hosting, refers to a customer’s servers being housed in a data center, which is a facility where computer systems and associated components are housed. Typically this includes telecommunications and data storage systems. It also includes redundant or backup power supplies, redundant data communications connections from multiple carriers, environmental controls (air conditioning), fire suppression, security devices and security protocols.
A carrier hotel is a secure physical site or building where data communications media converge and are interconnected. Typically multiple service providers share the facilities of a single carrier hotel. This minimizes overhead & optimizes efficiency for all participants so long as the infrastructure is capable of handling all the data at times of peak demand. A carrier hotel is a sizable facility, often containing more than 50,000 square feet of floor space. Businesses benefiting from the use of carrier hotels include; Web site hosting companies, storage service providers and telecom providers..
WHAT WE DO
If you are need of T3 internet services, we provide free assistance in comparing prices for voice, data, high speed Internet and colocation solutions in your area. We connect with multiple carriers, and negotiate the lowest prices. There is no fee for this service.
HOW WE DO IT
Our experienced colocation agents have deep relationships with all the major colocated hosting carriers and are able to secure the lowest rates from all the tier one carriers. Our agents are often able to obtain special promotions or incentives that are not available outside the independent agent channel.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Quote Request – Upon receipt of your quote request form, an email response, with a tracking number acknowledging receipt, will be sent to you. A service agent will either call or email if there are further questions. Prices will be sent to you usually within a day. For certain services pricing may take 48 hours. Alternatively, please feel free to call (888) 650-5353 and speak with an expert. Your first step in acquiring quality colocation services.
- Contract and order process – Our authorized carrier agent will prepare & process the T3 carrier’s contract docs, follow the order through the installation process and coordinate with carrier, vendor and customer until provisioning is complete. We are your single point of contact for all issues or questions. Ongoing, your agent of record will continue to service your account to resolve any support or billing issues for the life of the contract. Finding and securing the best colocation service couldn’t be easier or more affordable.
Why more businesses are choosing our independent agents instead of direct representatives to acquire telecommunications services…
Mergers and Acquisitions Sales is a high turnover profession.
Mergers and acquisitions make it highly unlikely that your original direct sales rep will still be there to assist you within a year. By using an Independent Telecom Agent, you can be sure that, regardless of continued merger activity or bankruptcies, your Agent will not be laid off or fired and will continue to have the same contact phone number and email address. They will continue to supply all of the options you need.
Single Point of Contact Single Point of Contact – SAVE TIME.
Whether your Independent Telecom Agent recommends a single colocated hosting solution or a multi-carrier solution, you still have a single point of contact to deal with who knows your account best. The number of appointments with different carriers you have to schedule could easily reach up to a dozen before an educated decision is made for your telecom solutions. A qualified Independent Telecom Agent can evaluate your company’s needs in a single meeting.
Person who understands your company
Your Independent Telecom Agent acts as an assistant buyer once he/she understands your business needs and preferences. While potentially complicated at times, our Agents have made it their careers to understand the broad colocated hosting services industry.
You get to hear the truth!
When you use an experienced Independent Telecom Agent, you tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience of someone who has been in the field for many years, working with multiple carriers. Your agent can tell you how the carriers really perform – who has the most reliable network – which has billing problems – who is going bankrupt and who can make the desired install date? Why would you want to repeat that process every couple of years?
Unbiased opinion of multiple carriers and their product lines
Since most carriers have gone to term agreements, it’s key to get set up with a carrier that can move with your needs. Do they have MPLS? Do they do SIP trunking? Can they offer an Can they offer an IP-VPN solution for your remote sites? Your Independent Telecom Agent knows the carriers’ products and limitations, and can put you in the right solution.
Agents are invested in your success long term.
Independent Telecom Agents are commission only, and residual based, earning a small percentage of the monthly bill. There is no motivation for a direct representative to speak to you again after you sign. You are directed to deal with the carriers call center. However Independent Telecom Agent’s goal is to build a book of business of satisfied customers with minimal issues. They have EVERY motivation to assist you in solving any service issues that you may ever have. A good Independent Telecom Agent becomes part of your team, allowing you to take care of your business.
They don’t have a quota.
It is very common for Independent Colocated Hosting Agents to uncover up to 10-20% of pure fluff on your bill during the auditing process. Direct representatives have a quota to make and will often sell you what is good for them, not what is good for you. Top Independent Telecom Agents, almost without exception; do not carry quotas and tend to be “solutions oriented” rather than to be motivated only by quotas.
Extra Incentives and Promotions.
Independent Colocation Agents are typically more knowledgeable, better trained, and set proper expectations with the clients. Agent channels often have promotions or incentives for the customer that the direct agent hasn’t been given. If the direct representatives have promotions available, they are often compensated extra if they do not use them. Their clients tend to remain clients longer, and it is more cost effective for the carriers to deal with Agents.
Same Standard Pricing is used in the Agent Channel and the direct channel.
For large projects, special pricing is available to both Agent and direct channels at the same amounts. It’s an incredible model that helps the customer and agent win, and insures all clients are treated equally.
Next Generation Technology
Independent Telecom Agents will typically be better versed in MPLS, IP-VPN, VOIP, hosted solutions, call center applications, and SIP technologies since they need to understand multiple carriers’ offerings and have attended their trainings. Direct representatives may not have the overall understanding of all that is coming with new technology.
DATA CENTER or CARRIER HOTEL
A data center is where multiple customers locate network servers and interconnect to a variety of telecommunications and other network service providers . Most network access point facilities provide colocation and/or a variety of colocated hosting solutions. Carrier hotels and data centers provide the telecom and network industry locations to interconnect with other telecom companies at a physical level, in a neutral facility offering an availability of high density of carriers. As telecommunications continues moving towards packet networks and services, Internet protocol exchanges and interconnection points will be of even greater value to the global telecom community.
Carrier hotels are essentially real estate operations. Carrier hotels make money by leasing or licensing space, uninterruptible power, cooling, and interconnections. The more interconnections and networks present within a property, the more important that property became to the telecom and network provider community. The large networks are demanding compensation from smaller networks and content providers for use of their infrastructure, while the Internet community in general is demanding free access (network neutrality) to that infrastructure used, or contracted from the large facility-based networks. Carrier hotels may also offer additional utilities or options for Tier 2 and Tier 3 networks to interconnect. Carrier hotels are essential to survival of smaller companies hoping to compete with established public utilities such as: AT&T, Verizon, and BellSouth.
BENEFITS
Increasingly, organizations are recognizing the benefits of colocating their mission-critical equipment within a data centre. Colocation is becoming popular because of the time and cost savings a company can realize as result of using shared data centre infrastructure. Significant benefits of scale (large power and mechanical systems) result in large colocation facilities, typically 50,000 to 100,000 square feet). With IT and communications facilities in safe, secure hands, telecommunications, internet, ASP and content providers, as well as enterprises, enjoy less latency and the freedom to focus on their core business.
Additionally, customers reduce their traffic back-haul costs and free up their internal networks for other uses. Moreover, by outsourcing network traffic to a colocation service provider with greater bandwidth capacity, web site access speeds should improve considerably.
Major types of colocation customers:
* Web Commerce companies, who use the facilities for a safe environment and cost-effective, reliable andredundant connections to the Internet
* Major enterprises, who use data centers for disaster avoidance, offsite data backup and business continuity
* Telecommunication companies, who use data centers and carrier hotels to exchange traffic with other telecommunications companies and to access to potential clients
DATA CENTER FEATURES
* Fire protection systems, includes passive and active design elements, as well as implementation of fire prevention programmes in operations. Smoke detectors are usually installed to provide the first warning of a fire developing by detecting particles generated by smoldering components prior to actual flames. This allows for the investigation, interruption of power, and manual fire suppression using hand held fire extinguishers before the fire grows out of control. A sprinkler system is often provided to control a full scale fire. Clean agent fire suppression gaseous systems are often installed to suppress a fire quicker than a sprinkler system. Passive fire protection elements include installation of fire walls around the space, to restrict a fire to a portion of the facility for a limited time.
* Equipment: 19-inch racks for data equipment and servers, 23-inch racks for telecom equipment. Cabinets & cages for physical access control over tenants’ equipment. Private suites are also offered in some data centers. in larger data centers for tenants. Overhead cable rack (tray) and fibreguide, power cables usually on separate rack from data.
* Air conditioning is used to control temperature and humidity in the space. ASHRAE recommends a temperature range of 20–25 °C and humidity range of 40–60% as optimal for electronic equipment conditions. The electrical power used by the electronic equipment is converted to heat, which warms the ambient air in the data centre space. Unless the heat is removed, the temperature will rise, resulting in electronic equipment failure. By controlling the space air temperature, the server equipment is kept within the manufacturer’s specified temperature/humidity range. Air conditioning systems control space humidity by cooling the return space air below the dew point. Too much humidity and water could begin to condense on internal components. In case of a dry atmosphere, additional humidification systems may add water vapor to the space. If the humidity is too low, static electricity discharge may damage components.
* Low-impedance electrical ground.
* Few, if any, windows.
SECURITY
Most colocation centers have high levels of physical security, and are guarded 24/7. CCTV surveillance is normal. Most Data Centers require that customers be escorted by employees. In some data centers, a PIN code or proximity card access system may permit access into the building. Individual cages/cabinets also can have locks. Biometric security measures, such as fingerprint recognition, voice recognition and “weight matching”, are also becoming more commonplace in modern facilities.
POWER
Colocation facilities have diesel generators that start automatically when utility power fails, There may be two or more generators, depending on how the facility is built. The swithchover to generator power is not instantaneous, so colocation facilities have battery backup systems. In many facilities, large inverters to provide AC power from the batteries are provided. Customers may install smaller UPSes in their racks.
DC Power is provided in many facilities with (48V DC) battery banks. DC power generally provides better effeciency.
An alternative to batteries is a motor generator connected to a flywheel and diesel engine.
Data Centers may also provide multiple power feeds into the facility. Customer equipment, and telecommunications equipment often can have two power supplies installed.
INTERNAL CONNECTIVITY
There are different rules in different facilities regarding cross connects between their customers. These rules may allow customers to run cross connects at no charge, or allow customers to order for a monthly cost. They may allow customers to order cross connects to carriers, but not to other customers.
Some colocation centres feature a “meet-me-room” where the different carriers housed in the centre can exchange data.
Most peering points are located in data centers. Because of the high concentration of servers inside larger colocation centres, most carriers will bring in direct connections.
Often there will be a larger Internet Exchange, hosted in the data center, where customers can connect for peering.
EXTERNAL CONNECTIVITY
Colocation facilities usually have multiple points for entry of fiber optic cables into building. This provides redundancy if one bundle of cables is damaged.
INTERNET TIERS
• Tier 1 – the backbone carrier. Tier 1 carriers facility-based, and carry the entire Internet routing table. Internet network providers normally acknowledged as Tier 1s include Verizon (formerly UUNET/MCI Internet), Sprint, AT&T, and Cable & Wireless.
• Tier 2 – regional and 2nd level Internet networks. Also normally facility-based, however still rely on one of the Tier 1s for some routing and transit. This includes cable TV networks, CLECs, and international 2nd tier carriers.
• Tier 3 – Access networks and content service provider networks.
PEERING
is a concept that allows networks to have private mutual agreements allowing the transfer of traffic directly between their networks, without having to use a higher tier network for that transit. Paid peering is how Tier 2 and Tier 1 networks charge smaller networks for accessing their backbones or allowing subscribers to their networks access to the rest of world Internet.
NETWORK NEUTRALITY
assumes users will be able to control the different kinds of content or apps they produce or access, without regard to grade or the quality of service. Thus, whether you pay for a dedicated, unlimited port, or if you pay a usage-based model, what you are paying for is the ability to send and receive packets at an contracted agreed rate with an “upstream” Tier 2 or Tier 1 network provider.
T1 Connection – T1 Carrier
Existing frequency-division multiplexing carrier systems worked well for connections between distant cities, but required expensive modulators, demodulators and filters for every voice channel. For connections within metropolitan areas, Bell Labs in the late 1950s sought cheaper terminal equipment. Pulse-code modulation allowed sharing a coder and decoder among several voice trunks, so this method was chosen for the T1 system introduced into local use in 1961. In later decades, the cost of digital electronics declined to the point that an individual codec per voice channel became commonplace, but by then the other advantages of digital transmission had become entrenched.
The most common legacy of this system is the line rate speeds. “T1″ now means any data circuit that runs at the original 1.544 Mbit/s line rate. Originally the T1 format carried 24 pulse-code modulated, time-division multiplexed speech signals each encoded in 64 kbit/s streams, leaving 8 kbit/s of framing information which facilitates the synchronization and demultiplexing at the receiver. T2 and T3 circuit channels carry multiple T1 channels multiplexed, resulting in transmission rates of 6.312 and 44.736 Mbit/s, respectively.
Supposedly, the 1.544 Mbit/s rate was chosen because tests done by AT&T Long Lines in Chicago were conducted underground. To accommodate loading coils, cable vault manholes were physically 2000 meter (6,600 ft) apart, and so the optimum bit rate was chosen empirically — the capacity was increased until the failure rate was unacceptable, then reduced to leave a margin. Companding allowed acceptable audio performance with only seven bits per PCM sample in this original T1/D1 system. The later D3 and D4 channel banks had an extended frame format, allowing eight bits per sample, reduced to seven every sixth sample or frame when one bit was “robbed” for signaling the state of the channel. The standard does not allow an all zero sample which would produce a long string of binary zeros and cause the repeaters to lose bit sync. However, when carrying data (Switched 56) there could be long strings of zeroes, so one bit per sample is set to “1″ (jam bit 7) leaving 7 bits x 8,000 frames per second for data.
A more common understanding of how the rate of 1.544 Mbit/s was achieved is as follows. (This explanation glosses over T1 voice communications, and deals mainly with the numbers involved.) Given that the highest voice frequency which the telephone system transmits is 4,000 Hz, the required digital sampling rate is 8,000 Hz (see Nyquist rate). Since each T1 frame contains 1 byte of voice data for each of the 24 channels, that system needs then 8,000 frames per second to maintain those 24 simultaneous voice channels. Because each frame of a T1 is 193 bits in length (24 channels X 8 bits per channel + 1 framing bit = 193 bits), 8,000 frames per second is multiplied by 193 bits to yield a transfer rate of 1.544 Mbit/s (8,000 X 193 = 1,544,000).
Initially, T1 used Alternate Mark Inversion (AMI) to reduce frequency bandwidth and eliminate the DC component of the signal. Later B8ZS became common practice. For AMI, each mark pulse had the opposite polarity of the previous one and each space was at a level of zero, resulting in a three level signal which however only carried binary data. Similar British 23 channel systems at 1.536 Mbaud in the 1970s were equipped with ternary signal repeaters, in anticipation of using a 3B2T or 4B3T code to increase the number of voice channels in future, but in the 1980s the systems were merely replaced with European standard ones. American T-carriers could only work in AMI or B8ZS mode.
The AMI or B8ZS signal allowed a simple error rate measurement. The D bank in the central office could detect a bit with the wrong polarity, or “bipolarity violation” and sound an alarm. Later systems could count the number of violations and reframes and otherwise measure signal quality and allow a more sophisticated alarm indication signal system.
The decision to use a 193-bit frame was made in 1958, during the early stages of T1 system design. To allow for the identification of information bits within a frame, two alternatives were considered. Assign (a) just one extra bit, or (b) additional 8 bits per frame. The 8-bit choice is cleaner, resulting in a 200-bit frame, 25 8-bit
channels, of which 24 are traffic and 1 8-bit channel available for operations, administration, and maintenance (OA&M). AT&T chose the single bit per frame not to reduce the required bit rate (1.544 vs 1.6 Mbit/s), but because AT&T Marketing worried that “if 8 bits were chosen for OA&M function, someone would then try to sell this as a voice channel and you wind up with nothing.”
Soon after commercial success of T1 in 1962, the T1 engineering team realized the mistake of having only one bit to serve the increasing demand for housekeeping functions. They petitioned AT&T management to change to 8-bit framing. This was flatly turned down because it would make installed systems obsolete.
Having this hindsight, some ten years later, CEPT chose 8 bits for framing the European E1.
Higher T
In the late 1960s and early 1970s Bell Labs developed higher rate systems. T-1C with a more sophisticated modulation scheme carried 3 Mbit/s, on those balanced pair cables that could support it. T-2 carried 6.312 Mbit/s, requiring a special low-capacitance cable with foam insulation. This was standard for Picturephone. T 4 and T-5 used coaxial cables, similar to the old L-carriers used by AT&T Long Lines. TD microwave radio relay systems were also fitted with high rate modems to allow them to carry a DS1 signal in a portion of their FM spectrum that had too poor quality for voice service. Later they carried DS3 and DS4 signals. Later optical fiber, typically using SONET transmission scheme, overtook them.
Digital Signal
DS1 signals are interconnected typically at Central Office locations at a common metallic cross-connect point known as a DSX-1. A DS1 signal at a DSX-1 is measured typically at 6 Volts Peak-to-peak (0dBdsx signal level at 772 kHz Nyquist) at plus or minus 1.2 volts to permit easy interconnection of DS1 equipment NCI Code=04DS9/ /). When a DS1 is transported over metallic outside plant cable, the signal travels over conditioned cable pairs known as a T1 span. A T1 span can have up to -130 Volts of DC power superimposed on the associated four wire cable pairs to line or “Span” power line repeaters, and T1 NIU’s (T1 Smartjacks). T1 span repeaters are typically engineered up to 6,000 feet apart, depending on cable gauge, and at no more than 36 dB of loss before requiring a repeated span. There can be no cable bridge taps across any pairs.
T1 copper spans are being replaced by optical transport systems, but if a copper (Metallic) span is used, the T1 is typically carried over an HDSL encoded copper line. Four wire HDSL does not require as many repeaters as conventional T1 spans. Newer two wire HDSL (HDSL-2) equipment transports a full 1.54400 Mbit/s T1 over a single copper wire pair up to approximately twelve thousand (12,000) feet (3.5 km), if all 24 gauge cable is used. HDSL-2 does not employ repeaters as does conventional four wire HDSL, or newer HDSL-4 systems.
One advantage of HDSL is its ability to operate with a limited number of bridge taps, with no tap being closer than 500 feet from any HDSL transceiver. Both two or four wire HDSL equipment transmits and receives over the same cable wire pair, as compared to conventional T1 service that utilizes individual cable pairs for transitor receive.
DS3 signals are rare except within buildings, where they are used for interconnections and as an intermediate step before being muxed onto a SONET circuit. This is because a T3 circuit can only go about 600 feet (180m) between repeaters. A customer who orders a DS3 usually receives a SONET circuit run into the building and a multiplexer mounted in a utility box. The DS3 is delivered in its familiar form, two coax cables (1 for send and 1 for receive) with BNC connectors on the ends.
