When you’re searching for commercial real estate options for your client, it’s important to ask the right questions about data storage needs.

Depending on your client’s business, you might consider colocation to lease space in a data center to store their IT equipment and servers. The biggest benefit for clients is that colocation data centers provide secure and redundant (multiple power, HVAC and internet sources) space built to withstand disasters.

What other factors should you consider about data centers? Read more below about what commercial real estate agents should know.

Asking the right questions up front

Whether your client is in the market for additional office space for anticipated growth or is in downsizing mode, a solid data center strategy is key to any successful real estate deal.

Below are a few key questions to help you get the conversation started.

  1. Is your client open to an off-premise (colocation) solution?
  2. Who is the decision maker regarding the IT infrastructure?
  3. Who are the influencers?
  4. Do they have a business continuity plan?
  5. How many racks do they currently occupy?
  6. What are their projected long-term needs?
  7. What is their monthly power consumption?
  8. What are their network bandwidth needs?
  9. Do critical personnel need a storm-safe disaster recovery workspace? If so, how many employees must it accommodate?

These are just a few thoughts to get you started in data center language. Once you start to educate yourself and slowly introduce the considerations into client conversations, you’ll definitely give yourself an advantage in the market.

Showing your clients you’re prepared for anything

Another option to think about is disaster recovery. Typically a second location for IT servers in case of a disaster, your client can then switch to using the secondary location without major interruption to business operations.

As you present colocation and disaster recovery choices, download our inventory checklist to use as a guide for the conversation. Or give it to your client so they can evaluate the options.

It’s important that your clients feel like you’ve covered all the bases about their commercial real estate needs. If they see you as a true partner in their hunt for the right space, they’ll appreciate your initiative in researching all possible selling points.

The best information to help close the deal

While space is certainly a concern for any data center, there are a number of other critical factors. A few points include “storm-hardened” construction to 24/7 on-site security, backup power generation and uninterrupted power supply for HVAC and other critical systems.

When you can’t meet all your client’s needs in a single location, a data center colocation (or off-premise host) may be the ideal solution.

Contact Fibertown today by email at info@fibertown.com or phone at 888-501-4368 to answer your data center questions.