IPv4 Colocation: Why Host the Servers and IP Space Together?

For specialized network deployments, this can simplify both operations and troubleshooting.

What Is IPv4 Colocation?

Traditional colocation allows a company to place its own server or network equipment inside another organization’s facility.

The colocation provider supplies infrastructure such as:

• Rack space
• Power
• Cooling
• Internet connectivity
• Physical security
• Remote hands

IPv4 colocation adds dedicated public IPv4 resources and routing to that environment.

Learn more about IPv4 colocation.

The Traditional Multi-Vendor Approach

A business might build its infrastructure like this:

• Vendor 1 provides IPv4 addresses.
• Vendor 2 provides server colocation.
• Vendor 3 provides Internet transit.
• Vendor 4 provides BGP expertise.
• Vendor 5 manages hardware.

This can work.

But when something fails, identifying which provider owns the problem can become complicated.

The Integrated Approach

A managed infrastructure environment can combine:

The customer has fewer technical boundaries between providers.

Benefit 1: Simpler Routing

When the IPv4 resources and servers operate inside the same network environment, routing can be more straightforward.

The provider may route the addresses directly to:

• Customer servers
• Firewalls
• Routers
• Virtualization platforms
• Switching infrastructure

This can reduce the need to transport the IPv4 block between unrelated providers.

Benefit 2: Fewer Vendors

Every additional vendor introduces:

• Contracts
• Billing
• Support systems
• Contacts
• Technical boundaries

Consolidating infrastructure can simplify operations.

When the address space, network and server are managed within one environment, troubleshooting can begin with a single provider.

Benefit 3: Faster Troubleshooting

Consider an unreachable server.

Potential causes include:

• Server failure
• Switch failure
• Routing problem
• BGP issue
• Power loss
• Cabling
• Firewall configuration
• Internet connectivity

If each component belongs to a different provider, troubleshooting may require several support tickets.

A vertically integrated environment can reduce this complexity.

Benefit 4: Remote Hands

Servers occasionally require physical intervention.

Examples include:

• Rebooting hardware
• Replacing a cable
• Moving a network connection
• Checking indicator lights
• Installing equipment
• Swapping components
• Connecting a console cable
• Troubleshooting power

Remote-hands service allows technicians at the facility to perform physical tasks for the customer.

This can eliminate unnecessary travel.

Benefit 5: Network Engineering

Specialized IPv4 deployments often need more than standard server hosting.

Requirements may include:

• BGP
• VLANs
• Custom routing
• Reverse DNS
• Prefix segmentation
• Firewalls
• Multiple uplinks
• Failover
• Network monitoring

A provider that operates both the network and the colocation environment can engineer these components together.

Learn more about Managed BGP Services.

Benefit 6: Easier IPv4 Segmentation

Dedicated IPv4 allocations can be segmented according to application.

For example:

This can improve:

• Documentation
• Monitoring
• Routing policy
• Security
• Reputation tracking
• Troubleshooting

Learn more about IPv4 block sizes.

Benefit 7: Reputation Management

Specialized IPv4 applications should be isolated from unrelated customer infrastructure where practical.

A dedicated allocation makes it easier to monitor:

• Abuse complaints
• Blocklists
• Traffic patterns
• Application behavior

If an individual address develops a problem, network operators can potentially isolate it without affecting unrelated systems.

Learn more about IP reputation.

Benefit 8: Easier Scaling

Suppose a customer begins with:

The business grows.

Later it may need:

A managed colocation environment can make expansion easier because the underlying facility and network relationship already exist.

Should You Ship Your Own Servers?

That depends upon the application.

Customer-owned hardware can make sense when:

• Specialized CPU/GPU equipment is required
• The company already owns servers
• Custom storage is needed
• Specific hardware configurations are required
• Long-term server usage justifies ownership

Alternatively, managed or dedicated server options may be available depending upon the provider.

What Information Is Needed for an IPv4 Colocation Quote?

Provide:

IPv4 Colocation vs. Traditional Cloud

Cloud platforms are ideal for many applications.

But specialized infrastructure may benefit from colocation when a company needs:

• Physical server control
• Dedicated hardware
• Large IPv4 allocations
• Custom network routing
• Predictable architecture
• Specialized connectivity
• Long-term infrastructure

The right choice depends upon the application.

West Texas IPv4 Colocation

NetWest can combine managed IPv4 resources with server and network-equipment colocation in West Texas.

Potential services include:

• Rack space
• Power
• Cooling
• Internet bandwidth
• Dedicated IPv4 resources
• BGP
• Reverse DNS
• Remote hands
• Network engineering

Learn more about West Texas server colocation.

One Provider From IPv4 Address to Server

The strongest benefit of IPv4 colocation is simplicity.

Instead of asking:

the customer can operate the infrastructure within one managed network environment.

NetWest’s approach is:

Your servers. Your application. Our network infrastructure.

Learn more about Managed IPv4 Infrastructure.