A recap of data center safety practices in the backdrop of a recent major data center fire

Earlier this month, a fire broke out at the OVH data center in France. The destruction took down 3.6 million websites and has certainly left cloud providers with a lot to think about.

Investigation into the root cause of the fire is still ongoing, but OVH founder Octave Klaba has announced that OVH will start providing backups for customers in all its data centers, with no extra cost. He also said workers at OVH’s European server manufacturing plant have been working tirelessly to produce 15,000 additional servers.

According to Gartner, data-driven downtime costs the average company $300,000 per hour.

While we are certain that all necessary measures were put in place by OVH, since this unfortunate incident has put the spotlight on data center safety and security, we felt it would be useful to share a quick recap of some of the basic ways to keep your data center safe and secure.

Computerized equipment facilities need proactive fire prevention strategies. Check on the fire safety practices in place at the data center. Research the various types of fire extinguishers in the market for data centers. For instance, halocarbon fire extinguishers are a good bet for your computer server room as they leave no residue.

Plan for fire safety

Apart from natural and unforeseen disasters, something as simple as a power outage or power surge can cause a lot of damage. A power surge can cause damage to your computer’s hardware by overloading it with electrical energy. Choosing the right power distribution units are important. These power strips distribute and control power in a data center as well as provide data about power consumption and usage and can help you efficiently monitor your power distribution and prevent data loss.

Plan for reliable and safe power distribution

Too much hot air circulating in a data center can result in equipment malfunction on account of overheating. Every facility needs to think of cost-effective consistent monitoring of their cooling efficiency. One of the methods would be to arrange racks and cabinets so as to not draw hot air from surrounding servers. Another would be to use blanking panels to fill empty vertical spaces in the rack and thereby ensure proper airflow.

Plan for effective cooling systems & practices

Dust can be disastrous for data. Dust can cause overheating and damage the hardware. It is, therefore, best to keep your computer in a dry, dust-free area. This can be done in several ways from using air filters and purifiers to the strategic placement of cooling trays and fans to regulate airflow and keep the equipment cool. If not tackled properly, excessive build-up of heat can hamper performance, lead to increased downtime and even damage servers.

Plan to keep dust out

Hardy Racks is a leading data center consultant and server rack manufacturer, and can assist you to plan and set up your data center, with all safety and security measures in place. Reach out to us at Hardy Racks today!