Data centers and server rooms are vital to the digital economy and maintaining them in the best of form and performance is key to business success in the current world.

Here are a few useful tips to keep in mind:

Record-keeping is extremely important in any data center. It ensures that there is sufficient information during troubleshooting, downtime, and other emergencies.

Maintain thorough records

• Checklists: Checklists are a data center manager’s best friend. It makes sure that no steps, procedures, or processes are skipped or missed out and also that they are carried out in a regular manner.

• Reports: Maintain detailed reports when there is regular maintenance, an unexpected failure, or any minor/major issue is reported and/resolved. They are also important for auditing needs.

Click here to know how else you can prevent unwarranted downtime.

It goes without saying that every data center needs regular maintenance. Use predictive technology alongside periodic preventive maintenance schedules to minimize the need for reactive maintenance and subsequent downtime. During each maintenance routine, remember to check:

Follow regular maintenance routines

• Equipment: For performance, optimization, dirt, heat and so on

• Cables: To prevent trip hazards and static build-up

• Floors/walls/ceilings: For leaks, holes, air/cooling loss

• Cooling systems and accessories: Clean air conditioning and check blanking panels, cooling trays, and so on

• Power-related systems: From main and backup power to power distribution units, and more

• Compliance regulations: To ensure that all areas, equipment, and functions are in line with regulatory guidelines for industry-related compliance

• Fire and other hazards: To make sure all sprinkler and other systems are working seamlessly and can be activated during an emergency

As in every work environment, the safety of workers should be considered paramount. In data centres, where the risks and safety hazards are higher due to the nature of its equipment and other components:

Prioritize safety & well-being

• Security training: It must be a necessary first step while hiring technicians and other workers

• Safety precautions: Take all safety precautions and add warning signs, wherever applicable within the data center

• Safety gear: Provide workers with safety gear; from gloves to safety boots and ear muffs/plugs to protect from noise

Treat your data center/server room like a sanctuary, knowing that one wrong move can bring operations to a halt in one or more offices and lead to loss in business time and revenue. Be very particular about what/who you let in, and ensure that there is a way to monitor the inside of a data center at all times.

Restrict entry

• Unwanted materials: Food, water, and other beverages can cause spills or create a mess within the data center premises. What’s more, their smell can attract pests and rodents that may cause harm to the cables and equipment within the center as well.

• Unauthorized entry: Provide access only to select members of the organization into the data center. Restricting access will ensure that unqualified persons don’t accidentally turn off switches or pull out plugs, jeopardizing the seamless functioning of the data center. Use biometric or keycard type access to create a sense of ownership amongst authorized personnel and also hold them accountable for actions.

Ensure a stringent hiring process; from casual labor to data center manager, assess individual candidates for knowledge, skill, and expertise before you hire. It’s easier if you maintain checklists for what you expect of staff/workers in each role and use them as yardsticks to measure candidates by.

Hire qualified personnel & train them periodically

• Junior staff: While it is alright to hire some less experienced persons, make sure they are working directly under the supervision of seniors who can monitor and mentor them.

• Training: Even the most qualified staff need continuous training to keep up with new, emerging challenges in the data center industry.

Need help with data center optimization and regular maintenance? Get in touch with Hardy Racks for an expert consultation today!