If you have equipment in a data centre, you'll eventually need hands on it. The question is: whose hands?
Data centres offer their own remote/smart hands services. Third-party providers like us also operate in these facilities. Here's how to decide which to use.
Data Centre Staff: Pros and Cons
Pros
Already on-site: DC staff are there 24/7. No travel time.
Facility access: They can access areas you might not be able to (power distribution, cross-connects).
Simple tasks: For basic tasks like "reboot server in rack 12," they're efficient.
Cons
Generalists: DC technicians handle security, facilities, and hands work. They're not specialists in any one thing.
Queued work: During busy periods, your job joins a queue. Non-emergency work might wait hours.
Limited troubleshooting: They'll follow your runbook, but complex problem-solving isn't their strength.
Rotating staff: Different person each time. No continuity.
Limited hours for some tasks: Complex work might only be done during business hours with advance booking.
Third-Party Smart Hands: Pros and Cons
Pros
Specialists: We do infrastructure work, not security or facilities. It's our focus.
Dedicated attention: When we're on your job, we're on your job. Not juggling other responsibilities.
Same engineer: Build a relationship. They learn your environment over time.
Deeper skills: Azure certified, network troubleshooting, complex deployments - not just "follow the runbook."
Flexibility: Project work, regular maintenance, or emergency response.
Cons
Response time: We need to travel to site. For Slough corridor, that's under 30 minutes. Other locations take longer.
Additional cost: DC remote hands might be included in your contract (though it's often limited).
Facility restrictions: We can't access DC power systems or building infrastructure.
When to Use DC Staff
- Simple power cycles: "Reboot the server in cage 7, rack 3, U22"
- Visual checks: "Is the drive light amber?"
- Receiving deliveries: Taking in hardware shipments
- Emergency after-hours: If it's 3am and the DC is an hour away
- Cross-connects: Physical patching in the meet-me room
When to Use Third-Party Smart Hands
- Complex deployments: Rack and stack, cabling, configuration
- Troubleshooting: "It's not working and we don't know why"
- Project work: DC migrations, cage buildouts, upgrades
- Regular maintenance: Monthly hardware checks, patching
- When expertise matters: Network config, storage array work, hybrid cloud connectivity
- When continuity matters: You want the same person who knows your setup
Hybrid Approach
Most of our clients use both:
- DC staff for simple, urgent tasks
- Us for planned work, complex tasks, and ongoing support
We also coordinate with DC staff when needed. If your job needs both cabling in the meet-me room (DC staff) and server configuration (us), we'll handle the scheduling.
Cost Comparison
Typical DC remote hands: £50-80/hour for basic tasks, often with minimum charges and booking requirements.
Third-party smart hands: £100-150/hour, but you're getting a specialist who can troubleshoot and solve problems.
For simple tasks, DC staff can be cheaper. For anything complex, specialist support saves time and gets better results.
Our Approach
We're based in Slough because that's where the data centres are. Response times:
- Slough corridor: Under 30 minutes
- M4 corridor (Reading, West London): ~1 hour
- Other locations: By arrangement
We have access to all the major Slough facilities - Equinix, VIRTUS, Digital Realty, Iron Mountain, NTT. Same engineer every time where possible, so they learn your environment.
Need smart hands support in the Slough data centre corridor? Get in touch for a quote or to discuss your requirements.