When a data center is not performing as well as it should, it does not just have an effect on the data center staff. Poor performance affects all data center customers and their operations. While it may be alright for someone’s personal computer to have a brief outage, it is less okay for a boss or a self-driving car to be without the data they need. To keep things up and running, data center managers should guarantee regular maintenance is done. First-party maintenance ensures your mission-critical capital equipment performs to specifications for the lifetime of the equipment.

Properly Manage Cooling

With the amount of equipment in a data center, rooms are bound to heat up. If the equipment overheats, data and information could be damaged or lost. This is why it is integral for data center managers to find an effective method of cooling their facility and properly maintaining the data center cooling system. Monitor temperatures frequently. Test to make sure your cooling system is using the proper amount of energy. If it is not, expect to see your utility bills skyrocket. The amount of electricity used by data centers is already through the roof. According to the NRDC, 3% of all global electricity production is used by data centers.

Test Systems Regularly

There are no cons to testing systems and critical components on a regular basis. Doing so ensures that you are acting proactively as opposed to reactively, which is always preferred when it comes to data centers. Testing your equipment and understanding their baseline performance gives you insight into functionality trends. It also means you will be able to better identify when something is amiss. With this knowledge, you can carry out repairs and replacements early to keep small problems from turning into bigger ones.

Keep Things Tidy

Data center managers should keep the space clean and orderly to prevent environmental mishaps. A lot of dust around your center can decrease cooling system performance, leading to increased bills and equipment malfunctions. Simple steps can be taken to keep your data center clean, such as changing air filters, dusting and wiping down cabinets and racks, and sweeping underneath raised systems. Be careful not to disturb the equipment while cleaning.

Feel like you could be doing more? To learn more data center maintenance tips, or for data center installation services, reach out to the professionals at LDP Associates. We have the experience and technology to ensure your data center performance exceeds expectations.