1-866-778-1212
Chicago Hosting Services
Conveniently Located 31 Miles Outside Chicago
Chicago Colocation FAQ

NetSource Has Been Providing Colocation Hosting Since 1995

Below we have listed a number of common questions people ask us about our Chicago colocation hosting services. Hopefully, this FAQ section will answer your questions. If you don't find an answer to your question below, please contact NetSource and we will help. Remember that NetSource specializes in the creation of custom colocation packages. If you need help creating a solution for your company, please give NetSource a call today.


How much experience does NetSource have with colocation hosting services?

NetSource has been providing colocation services to our customers since 1995. NetSource also owns and operates our own datacenter. NetSource does not rent space from a larger center like many other providers currently do. This means that NetSource has full control over our services and the reliability of the center. NetSource works with small, medium, and even Fortune 500 companies to provide mission critical hosting services. NetSource has a large staff of experienced professionals ready to help all our customers with their hosting questions and needs.

What does NetSource need to know about my equipment to provide me a colocation quote?

NetSource can sell colocation space by the U (1U, 2U, 3U...), or by the 1/3, 1/2, or full racks. When you are looking for a quote for colocation services, you will need to define your space, power, bandwidth, and managed services requirements to NetSource. For more help please view our how to buy colocation page, or our colocation overview page. Then you should contact a NetSource sales representative for an official quote or view the colocation pricing page for general pricing.

Can I come in for a tour of the datacenter before I purchase colocation services?

Yes, you are always welcome to come in for a tour of our datacenter. In fact, we always recommend visiting a datacenter before you want to move in. NetSource keeps our datacenter very clean, and we are always proud to provide a potential client a tour. We feel that if a datacenter is unwilling to provide a tour to a client, they must be hiding something they don't want the client to see. It is also a great way to meet the people who will be managing your services at the center, and ask all the outstanding questions you might have.

How long does it take for NetSource to get my colocation space ready?

We can usually have it ready by the next business day. In some cases we have to purchase new equipment, but even this usually only takes a few business days. We recommend providing a few business days for NetSource to make sure we can meet your deadlines. NetSource will always have one of our system admins contact you the day after you sign up for our service to answer questions and start providing IP space. NetSource allows up to 30 days to move your equipment in, and will start billing as soon as you begin your move or in 30 days (whatever comes first). This lets you sign a contract today, and then move in a couple weeks later without being billed for the planning time.

Does NetSource offer month to month contracts on colocation services?

Yes, NetSource is one of the few colocation companies around Chicago that offers month to month contracts on colocation services. NetSource feels that we should prove our services before we lock a customer into a long term. We are confident that you will be a NetSource customer for a long time after your initial time with us. If you want a longer term, we can do this also. In some cases a 1 or 2 year term could provide a small price break on larger packages.

What type of managed services are included with colocation services?

NetSource offers free managed services with all of our colocation hosting services. We also offer a number of other paid services that you can add to any of your colocation plans if you want help managing your hosting configuration. For more information on our free and paid managed hosting services, please check out our managed hosting page.

What kind of support is available for my colocation services?

NetSource has 24/7/365 emergency support services for all of our hosting clients. We have dedicated emergency phone numbers and people on call 24/7 to answer any questions or emergencies that could come up. NetSource supports hundreds of mission critical environments and we take our support and emergency services very seriously. NetSource fully understands that support is a huge part of being a successful datacenter, and we regularly score a 9.5/10 on our support polls based on our customer's feedback. NetSource also have a complete trouble ticket system for non-emergency issues that will help you document items that you need addressed.

When can I come in to work on my equipment and servers?

You can come in 24/7/365. During business hours you can stop in to work on your equipment at any time. After business hours you still have 24/7 access, but you have to follow a different plan depending on the type of colocation space you have. If you only have a few U of space, and are in a locked rack, you can call us to plan your visit or call the emergency number for real emergencies. A NetSource system admin will then walk you back to your equipment. If you have your own 1/3, 1/2, or Full rack, then you can sign up for a pass code and key card so that you have unescorted 24/7 access.

What is the difference between colocation and dedicated hosting?

With colocation services you provide your own equipment, and NetSource provides the space, power, and bandwidth. You would be responsible for maintaining the hardware with colocation services. With dedicated hosting, NetSource will provide and maintain the hardware for you. With both services you can add different levels of managed services to help you manage the servers.

What type of features and equipment does NetSource have at their datacenter?

NetSource has built our newest datacenter in 2007. The center includes state-of-the-art features and was built to the ANSI / TIA 942 standard for datacenters. For a detailed overview of our Chicago area datacenter please view our datacenter specifications page. You are also welcome to schedule a tour.

Can NetSource provide me with a bandwidth monitoring tool?

Yes, NetSource can setup a monitoring tool that will provide you with statistics of how much bandwidth you are using each month. This will help you manage your account, and avoid bandwidth overage costs. NetSource works with all of our customers to make sure they are on the most cost effective bandwidth plan for there business, because we understand how important this is to manage costs.

Should I provide my own firewall protection in a colocation environment?

The short answer would be yes. While NetSource does provide a certain level of protection, we recommend that our clients provide their own firewall protection and security features with colocation services. NetSource can also provide a fully managed Juniper SSG5 firewall for our clients as a managed service for the client and install the level of security hardware and software they feel is required.

What is your policy on SPAM and mass emails?

NetSource does not promote nor support companies who send out spam. Please do not attempt to use our service for these purposes. NetSource will not knowingly host any content that does not abide by the laws of the United States.

How do my servers connect to the Internet and what kind of bandwidth does Netsource have?

NetSource has fully redundant Gigabit BGP routed Internet connections. Our connections are from multiple providers and are actually routed out of our facility using different physical paths. All of our connections are burstable to 100 mbps unless noted. When signing up for bandwidth you can either pay using the 95th% method, or by paying per GB transferred. You can get more detailed information on these two different bandwidth methods here.

Can I colocate a tower server or do you need rails to mount a server in your datacenter?

NetSource uses standard 19" racks in our center. You should provide your own rails for your rack mounted servers if you have them. If you have a tower server or lost the rails for your rack mount server, then we can provide a shelf for you for a small one-time or monthly fee. You will either need rails or a shelf depending on your configuration and this will be covered during the install phase.

Can I ship NetSource my servers and can they install the server for me?

Yes, you can ship your equipment to NetSource and we can install the equipment for a small fee. The cost of this service depends on many factors and you should call NetSource at 630-778-1212 to get a quote before shipping to us.

Do I need a monitor when visiting the datacenter or does NetSource provide crash carts?

NetSource provides a number of crash carts with monitors, keyboards, and a mouse that you can use when visiting NetSource.

Can I administer my servers remotely or do I always need to come in?

Most modern server operating systems support remote administration, or have application software that allows remote administration to be performed. You may use any remote administration program to monitor your server(s) or other equipment co-located in our facility.

Does NetSource provide a remote reboot capability or remote hands for me?

NetSource provides a number of included managed services that do include remote hands. We also provide an option of a remote reboot PDU that can be added to any package. This allows you to reboot each plug in your environment as you need to. This feature has a small cost associated with it and is under the managed services section of our website.

Can I get T1's, phone lines, or other connections to my equipment?

Yes, this would require getting a cross connect cable (a billable item) to the provider of your choice. Please be sure to let your salesperson know about this in advance so they can quote out the correct pricing (our cross connect fee), and coordinate the work with you. We have many clients that have their own individual T1, DS3, and even Fiber connections into our center.

Does NetSource provide a PDU and UPS in my rack or do I need to provide my own?

Yes, NetSource provides datacenter grade APC PDU's and APC UPS power systems free of charge to all clients. You do not need to purchase or bring in your own equipment for these services, unless you have a specific need for them.