Choosing the right partner for your Internet based services means finding a partner who can help you with your current needs, without limiting the potential of the future. The wrong decision can leave you with poor quality, slow downloads for your users, disruptions of service and expensive Telco-costs. Listed below are a handful of questions you should ask your provider to ensure you are getting the quality of services and value that you deserve.

If you have more questions or would like more information about Access US co-location services, contact us at sales@accessus.net or give us a call at 314-655-7700 or 1-800-638-6373.

How many power grids are connected to the facility?
Electricity could be the single most important resource to a data center and co-location facility. To ensure our facility has the best supply of power possible, Access US' facility is connected to two separate power grids for redundancy.

Are there emergency power generators connected to the facility?
The co-location facility is designed to withstand power disruption via on site generators. These on site generators are designed to provide power until the power grid is restored. The Access US' facility is connected to 5 diesel generators, each the size of a large truck providing up to 7.5 Megawatts of power.

Does the facility offer redundant Internet backbone connections?
Many facilities only offer a single connection to an Internet backbone provider, increasing the chance your site could be down for an extended period of time. Access US is a carrier neutral site with connectivity to Qwest, Savvis and SBC.

Is there enough bandwidth capacity to avoid slow downloads?
Make sure you are connected to a provider that can handle capacity. Limited bandwidth availability affects expansion needs. Having multiple carriers in a carrier neutral facility provides more efficient connection expansion via cross-connect panels, allowing the routing and bandwidth you require.

What type of fire suppression system does the facility have?
Access US has deployed an FM-200 gaseous fire suppression system in our facility so if a fire started, it would be suppressed in a matter of seconds with no damage to other equipment in the facility. Many providers do not have a fire suppression system at all, or have water-based sprinkler systems which can do even more damage to equipment than a fire.

Does the facility have special cooling systems to avoid overheating?
Equipment running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can generate a great deal of heat. Traditional office cooling systems are not adequate to keep servers running at optimum efficiency and prevent overheating. Access US has deployed special cooling systems to handle the environmental demands of our co-location space.

Is there 24/7/365 support available?
Access US can help you with everything from your own remote servicing options, to having a Network technician available to troubleshoot a problem, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We can also provide MRTG statistics so you can monitor your bandwidth usage.