Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Colocation and Data Centers : Data Centres

Hi i need some help, i am planning to open a data centre but dont know were to start from. can some one tell me the funds required and also the equipment involved.
Also what else can someone use a data centre for...
Thanks
Tsflora

[SwedeHost-Luke]

Opening a datacenter is a very expensive investment, you should really look at colocating servers in an existing DC before considering opening one yourself.

[eth00]

There is a lot to consider with a datacenter, to do it properly the investment is huge. As suggested above you may want to look at colocation, unless you have a lot of servers this is most cost effective - or maybe even dedicated if you only have a few.

Thanks for that advise, i have available funds of around £100,000
can i atleast make a start with this much funds and secondly i have people already employeed who look after all the IT and networking.
Please if possible i am new in the field can i know what else could i do with the data centre to generate income.
I dnt have to carter for the costs for building as i have my own premises around 3000sq feet.

[goscombtech]

you need to multiply your available funds by at least 100 times...

With this funds you can buy 42u rack, few servers and colotate it somewhere... it would be good start.

[chrisbyrd]

Thanks for that advise, i have available funds of around £100,000
I'm not sure where you're based (UK I assume?), but in the UK it will cost you towards £100,000 (more in a lot of places) just to get your local electrical distribution operator to upgrade your building's power feed to anything useful for even a medium-low sized site.

I have seen individual companies build mediocre server rooms for around that price - should buy you a small UPS, basic HVAC, anti-static floor for a couple of racks at most plus the networking gear you need.
Is that what you're trying to do? If you are looking to go into business as a colocation service provider, you're going to need a lot more money (maybe not 100x, but at least 10x to start).

[Mike - Limestone]

That budget is a bit too low, unfortunately. You may want to look into other options mentioned by the other posters.
-mike

ok i have been tryong to figure out even if i managed to raise the income. how would i get my return. basically what else can be done to a data centre to utilize it fully to generate income.

and if possible can any one tell he how can i get my way forward, if i have the resources and money.e.g setup e.t.c

[ZL6net]

Hire a consultant to get an idea of who, what, when, where, how and the associated pitfalls.
Someone has to come out and inspect your facility before any planning/engineering can be done.
As for generating income, you would be the "landlord" leasing "contracted" space, power, bandwidth and technical services.

[hhw]

ok i have been tryong to figure out even if i managed to raise the income. how would i get my return. basically what else can be done to a data centre to utilize it fully to generate income.
With your budget, you're probably better off getting a custom cage in an existing data centre rather than building out your own. It'll be much less capex spent, and much easier to fill the space.
You also won't have to worry about bringing connectivity to your site, in case you were thinking of building your dc somewhere other than in a telco building.

Wow these things cost that much new? I am a sys admin in a DC that is slowly being decom. We just disposed of 5 full size IBM racks..

[Hannan]

That budget is low and even opening a DC is a risk!
You need rent a space somewhere with this money and sell your collocated servers if you are achieve in this, you can open a DC in future