Editing Colocation centre (section)

==Building features==
Buildings with data centres inside them are often easy to recognize by the amount of cooling equipment located outside or on the roof.<ref>Examples can be seen at http://www.datacentermap.com/blog/data-centers-from-the-sky-174.html</ref>

[[File:Rack001.jpg|thumb|A typical server rack, commonly seen in colocation]]

Colocation facilities have many other special characteristics:
* [[Fire protection]] systems, including [[passive fire protection|passive]] and active elements, as well as implementation of [[fire prevention]] programmes in operations. [[Smoke detector]]s are usually installed to provide early warning of a developing fire by detecting particles generated by smouldering components prior to the development of flame. This allows investigation, interruption of power, and manual fire suppression using hand held fire extinguishers before the fire grows to a large size. A [[fire sprinkler system]] is often provided to control a full scale fire if it develops. [[Clean agent]] fire suppression gaseous systems are sometimes installed to suppress a fire earlier than the fire sprinkler system. Passive fire protection elements include the installation of [[Firewall (construction)|fire walls]] around the space, so a fire can be restricted to a portion of the facility for a limited time in the event of the failure of the active fire protection systems, or if they are not installed.
* [[19-inch rack]]s for data equipment and servers, 21-inch racks or [[23-inch rack]]s for telecommunications equipment
* Cabinets and cages for physical access control over tenants' equipment. Depending on one's needs a cabinet can house individual or multiple racks.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Much Space Will I Need in a Colocation Center? |url=https://www.atisolutions.com/faqs/space-and-server-storage-options-in-colocation-centers.cfm |website=ATI Solutions Inc. |access-date=20 November 2018}}</ref>
* Overhead or underfloor cable rack (tray) and fibreguide, power cables usually on separate rack from data
* [[Air conditioning]] is used to control the temperature and humidity in the space. [[ASHRAE]] recommends a temperature range and humidity range for optimal electronic equipment conditions versus environmental issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techstreet.com/ashrae/products/1840202|title=Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments, 3rd Ed. - ASHRAE Store}}</ref> The electrical power used by the electronic equipment is converted to heat, which is rejected to the ambient air in the data centre space. Unless the heat is removed, the ambient temperature will rise, resulting in electronic equipment malfunction. By controlling the space air temperature, the server components at the board level are kept within the manufacturer's specified temperature and humidity range. Air conditioning systems help keep equipment space [[humidity]] within acceptable parameters by cooling the return space air below the [[dew point]]. Too much humidity and water may begin to [[condensation|condense]] on internal components. In case of a dry atmosphere, ancillary humidification systems may add water vapour to the space if the humidity is too low, to avoid [[electrostatics|static electricity]] discharge problems which may damage components.
* Low-impedance electrical [[Ground (electricity)|ground]]
* Few, if any, windows

Colocation data centres are often audited to prove that they attain certain standards and levels of reliability; the most commonly seen systems are [[SSAE 16]] SOC 1 Type I and Type II (formerly [[SAS 70]] Type I and Type II) and the tier system by the Uptime Institute or TIA. For service organizations today, SSAE 16 calls for a description of its "system". This is far more detailed and comprehensive than SAS 70's description of "controls".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.colocationamerica.com/data-center-certifications/ssae16-compliance.htm |publisher=Colocation America |title=SSAE 16 Compliance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020112139/http://www.colocationamerica.com/data-center-certifications/ssae16-compliance.htm |archive-date=20 October 2020 |access-date=24 August 2021 }}</ref> Other data center compliance standards include [[Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act]] (HIPAA) audit and PCI DSS Standards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Compliance - IBM QRadar SIEM |url=https://www.ibm.com/products/qradar-siem/compliance |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.ibm.com |language=en}}</ref>