Benefits of Having a Tidy Server Rack
Most companies that exist in the digital age regard the server room as the heart of their business. This is because the server room is where all the data that is highly crucial to the running of their business is stored. While most businesses are focused on network security and controlled access, there is one aspect that they generally seem to overlook and that is a tidy and clean server room.
The reality is that most server rooms are often in danger of compromise, just from poor management of the physical servers. In order to prevent the significant financial losses that could accrue from a physical issue, it would be best to maintain a clean and functioning server room.
Here are some tips on having a tidy server room.
1.Cable Management
One of the most important aspects of keeping a tidy server room, cable management can prevent a whole host of problems down the line, if implemented correctly. This becomes more important when you understand that power lines can tend to cause interference with network lines, which can become a service nightmare in the event of a breakdown. To avoid this, ensure proper cable management is implemented with labeled cables, colour coded chords, and proper length determination of the cables.
2. Temperatures
As is the case with any physical server, a high level of temperature will degrade the components of the server and cause a significant amount of damage that can be irreversible in nature. This is why it is paramount to avoid any kind of overheating in your server room. While most server rooms are equipped with cooling systems, they rarely account for the additional heat that is generated by the servers. A simple way to bypass this is to ensure that every single one of your physical servers have a decent amount of space between them, allowing the hot air to circulate and the cooler to reach in.
3. Protection From Dust
Even if you keep a closed air conditioned server room, every single time an individual walks into the room, they carry up to 80% of dirt that will be accrued on the system. When this dust settles, it fits into specific corners and niches of the servers that can block airflow and significantly increase the server temperature by as much as 30 degrees Fahrenheit. As mentioned earlier, overheating can significantly degrade the level of your servers, which means that the servers need to be consistently cleaned out of debris, to prevent this disaster from occurring.
4. Humidity
Non- relative humidity can cause problems for any electronic device, more so for physical servers.
If the humidity is too low, then your servers could suffer an electrostatic discharge. However, if the humidity is high, then your servers are in risk of a short circuit, or worse, buildup of rust and corrosion.
It is ideal to keep the relative humidity of a server room between 40 to 55 degrees, allowing the servers to function without causing any significant irreversible damages.