Are you making these “Summertime Mistakes” with your companies server?

How To Ensure The Heat doesn’t Fry Your Server (And Your Data!)

     With the “dog days” of summer upon us, many business owners are looking for ways to keep thier companies sales and profits HOT, while keeping thier IT expenses COOL. But if proper attention is not given to your server and network equipment during the summer, all that heat can actually cause serious damage to your server, causing your system to crash and burn – literally!

     Excess heat IS a big problem for all computer equipment including laptops and PCs. But since your server is carrying the load, overheating will cost you more in electric bills and problems. Once a server gets too hot and blows out, it weakens the compnents so that they are more susceptible to failure forever afterward, not just during the particular moment they overheated.

Here are a few simple things you can do to prevent your server and network equipment from overheating and crashing this summer:

• Tidy up the server room; a neater room will increase air flow.
• If you have more than 1 server, arrange them in a row so that the cold air comes from the front and is expelled out the back.
• Keep the doors to the server room closed and seal off the space to prevent dust buildup which can contribute to electronic equipment overheating.
• Make sure cold air reaches all of the equipment.
• Have a redundant A/C that is specifically designed for computers.
• Buy a rack exclosure where the cooling is built into the bottom of the rack.
• Keep the temperature no more than 77 degrees.
• Use blanking panels over any empty on your server rack.
• Consider virtualization so you are generating a lower amount of heat in the first place.