Businesses across the globe rely on some form of server technology or another each day but often don’t realise the full implications of it. For example where is your business data held and how long does it take to get to you? It’s something many of us think of at one point or another but is it becoming increasingly important for businesses to understand?

Cloud computing has really taken off in the last five or six years, as an increasing number of businesses have moved their data to the cloud. While the beneficial aspects of the technology aren’t in any doubt, the implications sometimes are not fully taken on board by companies. Most significantly, there are both legal and physical issues that can prove to be problematic. Providers should also play their part in highlighting these issues, of which location is very much to the fore.

Choosing the Right Location

Location is often not considered, though server location is regarded as vital by many experts for companies when it comes to their IT strategy. A variety of factors are involved here, but finding a secure location is generally regarded as just as important as having files stored in a secure facility. The importance of data being in a secure place is underlined by what would happen to a business, when there are problems trying to access emails, files and invoices, for instance. Virtually all companies depend on this data and information, and, if it goes missing, or is unavailable, the damage done to that company can be very grave.

To begin with some parts of the world are more likely to be affected by natural disasters than others. These can range from floods and earthquakes to hurricanes and cyclones. There’s also countries that will be unstable, because of war, civil unrest, or political uncertainty. Also, no country is immune from being hit by financial problems, as has been seen with the crisis that has affected countries in Europe. Governmental interference can also be a problem, and this will often be more problematic in countries that are not democratic. Because of all these issues, any company will need to determine which country is the best option when it comes to stability.

Things To Look For

Business servers should preferably be in an area where any environmental risk is low. Political and economic stability are also major considerations, as are countries where the legal system is sound and where crime and corruption isn’t rife. Confidentiality should also be traditionally respected in any country you consider as a suitable location.

Because Switzerland passes the above criteria test, it’s unsurprising that it’s risen in popularity in terms of being a suitable location for company servers.

Remaining Competitive

Technology can help to give companies an advantage over similar businesses. This won’t always be easy to achieve, but many companies are utilizing modern technology to help their business to grow. Efficiency can be enhanced, and especially processing times for companies that are transaction based.

These are examples of why businesses should think long and hard about the benefits of finding a suitable hosting location. A provider will often see the obvious benefits, but how many companies actually do take the location of their business server into account?