![Which Datacenter Deployment Is Best for You](https://blog.451alliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Which-Datacenter-Deployment-Is-Best-for-You.png)
Although we often hear the terms public cloud, colocation and on-premises datacenter, how and why enterprises choose one option over the other can be a complex matter.
Organizations have different requirements, and they must identify the ideal IT environment for their specific needs.
Datacenter Terminology
A quick review of what each of these workload environments are:
- On-premises: Company owns the datacenter and maintains the facility itself.
- Colocation: Company rents datacenter space to store its servers and computing hardware.
- Public Cloud: Company allows a third-party to own the datacenter and all equipment, while the company only pays for consumption on a per-usage basis.
What factors do enterprises consider when deploying data?
According to a 451 Alliance survey report, cost is the biggest factor (21%) for enterprises when deciding where and how to deploy their workloads.
While this result should indicate a preference for public cloud (since the service is often described as delivering lower costs), the long-term costs of running public cloud workloads can equal, and in some cases even surpass, the costs required for a colocation or on-premises datacenter deployments.
Furthermore, the next top four factors (security, compliance/governance, availability, performance) add up to almost 50%, which indicates that other requirements are just as important as cost when deciding where to deploy.
As a result, the report suggests that many organizations prefer a mix of both on-premises and public cloud.
Getting the best of both worlds
Many organizations are shifting their data workload strategy toward a colocation-based approach. Colocation environments allow them to fulfill quality, compliance and security requirements while shifting a lot of the capital expenditure burden toward operating expense instead. This helps reduce costs and allows for more flexibility in the long run.
![most influential workload location factors](https://blog.451alliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/most-influential-workload-location-factors.png)
Half of 451 Alliance survey respondents stated that they see the move toward colocation as a means of improving continuity and disaster recovery, while 41% said that improved reliability and uptime were the primary reasons that factored into their decision-making.
Colocation trends by industry
Manufacturing (29%) and finance (27%) stand out as the two industries that are most willing to move workloads to colocation. These industries see colocation as the halfway point between on-premises and public cloud deployments.
![Industries moving onprem](https://blog.451alliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Industries-moving-onprem-1.png)
As noted by management, there are certain applications that are extremely difficult to move to the public cloud due to compliance or existing infrastructure requirements, and under such circumstances, an in-between model like colocation can prove to be most effective.
Since there is no one-size-fits-all, organizations that are deciding which workload environment to use should evaluate each option carefully before making a final decision.
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