Keeping it cool and secure

One of the most common mistakes for small companies is overlooking the need for sound environmental controls on their server room.

For small companies, the server room is more like a closet. There are one or two servers, some networking equipment, and a few cables here and there.

Small spaces like this can be a dangerous heat zone for critical network equipment.

One thing that many people don’t realize is that the server equipment generates a lot of heat. This is especially true when there is a lot of processing taking place.

Excessive heat can wear on the critical components of your servers, switches, and routers. The possibility of downtime is greatly increased when heat levels reach dangerous heights.

So what can you do to ensure maximum uptime?

The answer here isn’t always simple. If you can, build in an air conditioning vent and air return into the closet/room area. This will facilitate the cold air coming in and the hot air going out.

There are also several options to look at to help with the high heat levels. One simple solution is a portable AC unit.

Portable AC units can be placed in critical areas to supplement the building AC and control the environmental temperature when heat is at its' highest.

For under a $1,000, you can increase the amount of cooling in your room and supply after-hours cooling if your main AC is off.

I will continue this subject next time and talk about ways you can monitor the environment and also add a layer of security to your server room.