Data center outsourcing has broad value, so there are many reasons you might want to investigate this opportunity. Different reasons may be more compelling for different segments of your enterprise, but the composite picture is one of all-around advantages. A rosy picture, indeed.

That’s a positive note in a world where business margins are diminishing, customer demands are expanding exponentially and global conditions are unpredictable.

Some benefits are clearly bankable, whereas others are more esoteric. Nonetheless, they all have direct bearing on your company’s ability to act and react strategically. These seven reasons for data center outsourcing are often cited by top executives:

1. Increased efficiency and productivity.

Outsourcing brings additional personnel into your fold. You aren’t merely “delegating” your data center, you’re expanding your team of IT professionals, adding new expertise and creative thinking to address ongoing IT questions. Your existing IT staff can redirect their own expertise and creativity toward broader enterprise-wide questions they currently have no time to contemplate.

2. Risk mitigation.

It isn’t just the marketplace that’s unpredictable. Natural disasters or even internal equipment or system failures can disrupt or literally dislocate your ability to function. Data center outsourcing gives you far more reliable disaster recovery and response options. For companies in highly-regulated industries, an outsourced plan can also ensure you’re meeting regulatory requirements.

3. The brass ring.

IT systems are tools for your enterprise. Data center outsourcing puts IT operations in capable hands, giving you the best tools for the job while freeing up your line staff and key executives to focus on core competencies and business-development tasks. As competitive as your environment is today, you need everyone’s attention focused on improving your product line, increasing sales and strengthening customer relationships.

4. Direct savings.

There are only two ways to beef up your bottom line, and saving money is one of them. Data center outsourcing enables you to save on operations costs typically directed to IT labor, physical space and associated overhead, equipment maintenance and upgrades.

You can choose to lease physical space and retain control of data center operations, or you can go virtual, lofting your data center functions into the cloud and eliminating space needs altogether. The latter option eliminates future capital expenditures for new equipment, too.

Either way, you can significantly lower your total cost of ownership.

5. Vision.

Strategic thinking is a dead end without capital to fund your new initiatives. Since outsourcing can reduce both operational and capital expenses, you’re smartly positioned to actually move forward on your hot new ideas.

6. Flexibility.

Scalability is one of outsourcing’s most desirable benefits, for any size enterprise. You’re in a much stronger position to reap the benefits of emerging technologies.

7. Branding.

Adopting data center outsourcing shows leadership. That reinforces – or establishes – your reputation as an innovative, forward-thinking company. And that’s what attracts investors, builds confidence in customers and motivates employees. After all, everyone wants to be associated with success.

From selected commoditized services to transformative changes that completely alter the way you view and use IT services, outsourcing allows you to choose exactly what works best for your company. With careful research and service level agreement negotiation, you can create an outsourcing partnership that assures a seamless near-term transition and provides a solid foundation to support your company’s future growth or changing needs.

So perhaps the strongest argument for data center outsourcing is that it represents an optimistic view of the future. 

Photo Credit: Bandarji