5 Server Room Maintenance Tips

 For modern retailers, manufacturers and even office-based entrepreneurs, Information Technology infrastructure today is considered is considered the backbone of success. IT helps make it easier to communicate with potential customers and clients, safeguard transactions, and to keep equipment running smoothly. Information Technology is mission-critical for most modern businesses. 

While a majority of businesses go to extra lengths to protect their data through software updates and cloud-based backups, many of them pay very little attention to protecting their physical infrastructure. It’s this infrastructure that keeps your equipment running optimally and reduces data loss and downtimes when things go wrong. As such, it’s important that you consider protecting your physical infrastructure if you want it to be effective. Here are five tips on how to set up and maintain your business’ server room: 

Ensure That You Have an Uninterrupted Power Supply System 
Many businesses tend to say that they don’t need a UPS because all their data is safely backed up on the cloud. This is a common misconception amongst many small business owners. A UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply sits between your sensitive IT equipment and mains electricity. The UPS protects your IT equipment from the different power issues that you may experience from the electricity supplied to your building from the main grid. Not having a UPS could lead to data loss and your hard-drive getting damaged. Why risk? 

Maintain Your UPS 
Once you have a UPS installed, maintaining is crucial. It’s a bit like owning a vehicle – they both require routine checks. Just like any piece of equipment with moving parts in it, a UPS also needs to be maintained every once in a while. This, therefore, means having a professional UPS technician visit you a couple of times each year to examine, maintain and repair your UPS’ fans, filters, capacitors as needed.  

If the system you have in place protects crucial IT infrastructure, consider coming up with a proactive maintenance plan apart from the routine checks. For more on how to create a suitable UPS service support plan, contact us today.  

Check Temperature Regularly  
Assess the air circulation and temperature of the room where the UPS is housed. Is the temperature constant or does it fluctuate from time to time? Large fluctuations could wreak havoc on your IT equipment and could considerably affect your UPS’ batteries lifespan. Also, do your best to ensure that the room is clean. Dust, dirt and other debris could also lead to your IT equipment developing problems, and may considerably shorten the lifespan of different moving parts. 
 
Make Sure Your Server Room is Ergonomically-Friendly  
Is your server room’s physical layout as efficient as it could be? It’s advisable to ensure that you have unobstructed access to your UPS and other equipment in the room so that you can get to the root of a problem as fast as possible. Consider lifting your equipment off the floor using specialised cable and racking management systems for improved control. This can also work with LCD screens like these.  

Team Work 
Make sure that those responsible for IT and facility management are well trained and work together to safely and effectively respond to different events that threaten the safety, security, and availability of infrastructure resources. Come up with a plan that will make it easier for you to handle any problem as soon as it arises. Always have a list of emergency numbers close and remember, if lights ever go out, we are there for you and are always ready to help.