Does your data center need a spring cleaning?

Did you know that low humidity levels in a data center room can lead to electrostatic discharge? High humidity on the other hand leads to rust, corrosion, and short-circuits? Did you also know that most of the dust and dirt that enters the server room is tracked on the soles of shoes and this can raise the average temperature inside a data server room, and power consumption? One of the ways to keep humidity at optimum levels or keep dust out is to ensure your data center is cleaned regularly.

The problem is that while most businesses spend a lot of time and money protecting access to data they forget how simple things like keeping a dust-free dirt-free data center can also contribute to reducing downtime, power consumption, and the resultant costs.

To be considered potentially harmful to IT equipment, a contaminant such as air-borne dust, for instance, must be mobile enough to reach the equipment and have physical properties that make them harmful to servers.

Dust is your data’s worst enemy

Some of the dust comes from human sources like skin particles or clothing fibers. But more often than not dust enters the data room though the soles of the feet.

Here are three ways to keep your data center clean.

As the cooling system circulates air throughout the server room, it also ends up circulating contaminants. If you don’t clean your filters frequently that can lead to your cooling system being affected, which can increase your power consumption.

Focus on your cooling system

Regular maintenance prevents this debris from accumulating. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and clean the unit with antistatic cleaning chemicals. HEPA or high-efficiency particulate air filters are supposed to be capable of removing at least 98% of dust, pollen, and any airborne particles.

A surefire way to ensure less dust accumulation is to choose the right hardware accessories. The 1U & 2 U black rack mount panels from Hardy Racks for instance come with built-in brush strips to protect cables from dust and other contaminants.

Choose the right hardware

The high-density cable manager from Hardy Racks is bolted to an open rack instead of the floor. This simple feature helps maintain a clutter-free aesthetic.

When servers go down due to hardware or software inadequacies, companies can lose tens of thousands of rupees on repair or replacement. Regular maintenance will extend a server’s life span and prevent damage from cutting into an organization’s profits.

Ensure maintenance of hardware

Here’s a cleaning timeline to consider:

• Every week: Clean with a dry mop

• Every quarter: Time for a deep clean

• Every six months: Deep-clean the ceiling plenum and raised floor and tiles

At Hardy Racks, our accessories are designed to minimize dust accumulation and ensure easy cleaning and maintenance. Contact us to find out what works best for you.