Most offices have server units, but they aren’t all used for doing the same things. Knowing what your server does, and keeping it working optimally, is essential to keeping your data available and secure. Here are some tips to make sure that your servers are working as well as they should.
Problems in the Server Room
One reason that servers are usually housed in a dedicated room is that they’re noisy. Another is that the server room needs to be kept really clean. Dust and other small contaminants can badly affect server units (including their inner workings), but controlling it can be difficult. If a lot of dust accumulates it can act as an insulator, causing temperature rises of up to 30°F. As with the human body, temperature increases like this can be dangerous.
Dust includes contaminants from human sources, including dander and skin particles. The machines themselves can create contaminants, as wear and tear generates belt debris and tiny metal shavings. But the worst culprit of all is the dust and dirt that people bring in on the soles of their shoes. This probably accounts for about 80% of the damaging debris entering a server room.
Preventive Measures and Maintenance are Essential
Most businesses depend heavily on their servers and IT systems. Imagine the damage and delays if you suffer server failure. You might have done everything you can to keep your data safe and secure from threats inside and outside, only to be brought down by a pile of dust. It’s extremely important to be proactive about this, with no shortcuts when it comes to maintenance and prevention. Measures to keep contaminants to a minimum and a strict cleaning regime are the answer.
Regular Cleaning
It’s much easier to keep your servers in peak operating condition if you make sure your server room is free of dust and dirt on an ongoing basis. Comprehensive cleaning should be done by professionals, but there’s plenty you can do to stop contamination of your servers. Since dirt on shoes is the biggest problem, regular vacuuming will go a long way to ensuring that the room is clean. The servers themselves, and their individual elements, can be wiped clean with an anti-static cloth, or by blowing dust away using a can of compressed air.
Additional Anti-contamination Measures
There are further steps that you can take to keep your server room clean and as free from contamination as possible. Air filters can play a role in getting rid of dust. You can also buy mats, to place at the entrance, that are specially designed to minimize the amount of dirt that gets tracked into the room. If dust and dirt is a really big problem, hats and booties can be worn. Finally, since people are the biggest cause of contamination, bear in mind that the fewer visitors to the server room, the less dirt can get in!
If you’d like to learn more about how Quikteks can help your business take care of your servers and other important technology maintenance, reach out to us at (973) 882-4644.