Too many times, it takes an abject disaster for companies to prioritize data management changes within their organization. Wouldn’t it be nice if companies were a little bit more on the ball BEFORE these issues became catastrophes?
Today, we’re going to be addressing that issue head-on – discussing some of the common server room issues we encounter that frequently lead to major problems down the road. As they say, prevention is the best problem solver of them all.
Here are some common issues we encounter with on-site server rooms and what you can do to avoid them. Let’s jump right in!
Poor temperature control
One of the most overlooked aspects of a server room is the physical condition in which they’ll exist. The air surrounding your hardware needs to be such that it keeps heat from damaging your servers. Ideally, you want the heat to be around 68-72 degrees.
That being said – getting this right does require a little bit more effort than simply adjusting a thermostat. You’ll need to account for the impact on temperature from the outside; the temperature the server hardware generates itself and any other factors that might influence things.
It’s safe to say that too many servers have been lost due to poor temperature control – so be careful!
Poor ventilation
One of the biggest issues we encounter is servers that are stuffed together – in an effort to cram as much into a confined space as possible. This isn’t a good thing. Make sure that regardless of how you set up your server room that it there’s enough space between components so that they can breathe and air can circulate freely. Not doing this limits cooling and can cause your equipment to overheat.
If you find yourself in a situation where you do need to stack equipment, make sure you use dedicated server racks instead of stacking servers on top of each other.
Power volatility
Power outages are a major source of issues when it comes to your server rooms’ overall health. To an extent – you’ll always have to consider the threat of a power outage blackout, spike or brownout. Make sure that your system is covered by using the right power backups.
That can include standalone generators or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) device. Often in the event of an emergency, these components will not only protect your server room – but they’ll also keep them up and running.
While having your own server room can be a real benefit to your business, you also inherit the responsibility of protecting the room from any forces that might cause your server room damage.
Regardless of your situation – it’s always good to consult with a professional to make sure your needs are being met and that you alleviate any and all risk associated with server failure. Good luck!