Most data center colocation operators tout similar benefits such as reliability and uptime, scalability and flexibility, security and compliance, performance and speed, and cost efficiency. Not to mention carrier- and cloud-neutral network connectivity, 24/7 onsite support, marketplaces ..… the list goes on. So, on the surface, if it’s hard to distinguish the difference, the question becomes how can you choose a data center operator that can be a trusted partner now and into the future?  

This Q&A with Charlie Bernard, Centersquare’s Technical Fellow, offers market insights and a “Top 10” list of questions to use to help inform your search for the colocation operator best suited for your organization. 

Q: The data center space and power demand versus supply crunch is one of the hottest industry pain points right now. Why is this and what is Centersquare doing to offset it? 

A: In short, AI, as you would expect. The industry was prepared before the advent of ChatGPT and other large language models for modest growth across hyperscale capacity, while continuing to see reduction of on-premises infrastructure hosting by enterprises. With the contribution of AI workloads to data center consumption, there is now an unprecedented demand vs. supply challenge. What further complicates the situation is the continued increase in power density of AI technologies, which shows little sign of stopping in the near term. The ability to quickly adapt is very challenging for many existing data centers and cost prohibitive for new builds. 

Fortunately for our colocation customers, Centersquare has a portfolio of data center campuses that were built to last and designed to be versatile and extendable. We continue to invest in significant upgrades and expansion of our facilities. The advantage this provides our customers with is speed to value in highly connected data centers that are adjacent to technology and enterprise centers of business. 

Q: How are data center operators working to support high-density workload requirements? 

A: The definition of high-density workloads is often subjective and a frequent topic of debate in the data center world. Density for core environments has been slowly creeping up for a number of years due to higher thermal design power (TDP), adoption of technologies like hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) and a focus on efficiencies by right sizing. Traditional air-based infrastructure is not going anywhere anytime soon and there are marked improvements of existing technologies such as containment, rear door heat exchangers and in-row cooling, which will continue to support most workloads. This isn’t to say that clients will not opt for advanced cooling methods to reduce power consumption, increase efficiencies and save money. 

There are exceptions that do require liquid cooling, such as some high-performance compute and the latest AI/xPU deployments. What is clear is that with all variants of advanced cooling, access to water loops from the data center, requisite support and SLAs are paramount. Aligning services, experience and service should be the focus of data center operators when catering to these next-generation cooling technologies. 

Q: Besides availability, what should organizations prioritize when evaluating a colocation provider? 

A: A track record of maintaining mission-critical facility uptime is paramount but only paints some of the picture of what you should expect as a colocation customer. There are a lot of data center operators with well-maintained facilities but it’s a challenge to find those with the technical know-how and dedicated teams to support complex hosting requirements. 

Start by evaluating how long the colocation provider has been in business, their customer base, and core strengths. Look for a proven track record in managing space, power, technology roadmaps, and networking needs similar to yours. The right provider should offer the power, space, support, and ecosystem to meet your current and future infrastructure needs. 

Lastly, an often-overlooked factor is the data center operator’s customer portal—the key tool for self-service infrastructure management. Ask for a portal demo to assess ease of use, visibility, and response times for things like provisioning bandwidth, troubleshooting, requesting on-site support, or gaining credentialed site access.  

Q: How do you see demand for colocation evolving as businesses adopt hybrid IT models? 

A: Hybrid IT at its core is utilizing the optimal platform for executing the business objectives of each application. However, many businesses have overextended workloads into public cloud and are experiencing rising costs and loss of control. We help our customers embrace a hybrid approach minus cloud sprawl by supporting cloud recalibration and scaling business-critical workloads in our facilities to increase control, security, and reduce costs. 

With environments spread across multiple locations and an increasing comfort level in outsourcing workloads and applications to as-a-Service offerings, I also see growing demand for colocation services that are public cloud adjacent and interconnected to a diverse range of ecosystem service providers. Colocation facilities have an abundance of best-of-class service providers that offer vendor-neutral choices, which also helps minimize cost versus public cloud alternatives. 

Q: How does Centersquare differentiate itself from other providers? 

A: We have a phenomenal track record of exceptional customer care and are committed to delivering solutions designed to solve problems, not just fulfill orders from a fixed service menu. We have a large footprint with over 70 data center locations in 26 markets and serve thousands of customers whose needs range from a single rack to extensive site-wide and multi-facility deployments. Every customer is assigned an expert customer success manager and there is 24x7x365 support on standby ….. not to mention the Centersquare customer portal is second to none. 

And I would be remiss not to mention our consistent 100% availability for more than two decades across all markets. This is a testament to our rigorous maintenance, tech upgrades and tenured staff with an average 15+ years of experience ….. a differentiator in and of itself! 

Beyond Colo Window Shopping: Preparing Your Data Center RFI 

Finding the right colocation provider is more than comparing price—it’s about ensuring your infrastructure is secure, reliable, and can scale. With so many providers offering various levels of service, connectivity, and support, knowing the right questions to ask can help cut through the noise and identify the best fit for your needs. Whether you’re prioritizing uptime, high-density workloads, or future growth, these 10 essential RFI questions will help you evaluate potential colocation partners with confidence. 

1. Where are your data centers located and how scalable are your colocation solutions? 

Ask about primary and secondary markets, especially if you need branch office, IoT/OT, or edge support. And confirm whether the data center provider can support your future growth with additional power, space, and services. 

 2. What power and cooling infrastructure do you have?

Assess redundancy (N+1, 2N), efficiency, and sustainability efforts like liquid cooling or renewable energy use. 

3. What level of uptime and reliability do you guarantee?

Look for providers with a track record of 99.999% uptime and robust SLAs. 

4. What connectivity options do you offer? 

Ensure access to multiple carriers, cloud on-ramps, and low-latency networking solutions. 

5. How secure is/are your facility(ies), physically and digitally? 

Ask about multi-layered security measures, compliance certifications, and cybersecurity protocols. 

6. What compliance certifications do you maintain? 

Verify certifications such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or any industry-specific requirements.

7. How do you handle disaster recovery and business continuity?

Understand backup power, geographic redundancy, and recovery options in case of an outage.

8. What is included in your customer services and hands-on support? 

Determine if they offer 24/7 support, troubleshooting, and on-site assistance. 

9. What are your contract terms and pricing structure?

Clarify pricing transparency, contract flexibility, and potential hidden fees. 

10. How do you differentiate yourself from other colocation providers? 

Choosing the right data center colocation provider is a critical decision that impacts your organization’s performance, security, and overall success. Whether you require high-density colocation solutions, a large data center footprint or a reliable, cost-effective environment for traditional IT infrastructure, a strategic partner should offer the resilience and hands-on customer support necessary to help your organization thrive. Take the time to compare options, verify service levels, and select a data center operator that can support you where you are today and scale with you into the future. 

About Centersquare 

Centersquare is a preeminent colocation provider with a proven track record of providing highly reliable data center services. Prioritizing security, reliability and superior customer service, Centersquare offers flexible data center solutions backed by a 100% uptime guarantee for thousands of diverse organizations across all industries. Learn more at centersquaredc.com or get a custom quote. 

Additional resources 

Data center evaluation checklist

Info sheet: A footprint to solve space and power requirements 

Explore: Markets served by Centersquare 

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