You might think that you already perfected your data center’s design, but one area typically requires updating. A data center’s cooling system can work perfectly for its load one day but become overwhelmed with the addition of just one or two more machines. As much as 40% of the total operational costs for a data center come from the energy needed to power and cool the massive amounts of equipment data centers require. You might not want to upgrade it due to the costs. Ignoring your need for data center cooling results in larger costs later.

You need to know the signs to look for, so you know when to update your cooling system. Noticing any of these five signs signals a need to upgrade your cooling, but if you notice more than one, consider it an emergency call.

  1. Your server racks overheat. Spending time resetting servers or updating their software feels like you stepped into the sauna at the gym. When you step into a different area of the room, it feels normal but behind a bank of servers, the temperature spikes. You have an internal micro-climate, and it can hurt your server equipment. Those hot spots need cooling. You might need additional vents that spew cool air on the hot spots.
  2. You don’t have redundancy equipment. From hurricanes to brownouts to a server fan breakdown, your lack of redundancy equipment brings down your data center every time. You need to install N+1 redundancy. That provides a backup for each power and cooling component. That usually translates to having a battery backup and a generator.
  3. There’s a smell. You smell something musty in the server room or main data center room, or you notice a gray or green spotty growth on the wall. You have mildew or mold in your data center. That means that your humidity levels need reduction. You also need to implement a temperature measurement that automatically tracks readings over time. This should send an alert when humidity levels spike.
  4. Your data center has already hit its maximum capability. You need room to scale operations, but you can’t because you already met your capacity. You need more room and you need additional cooling.
  5. You ignore the other warning signs. You already noticed one of the four above problems, but you have ignored it. Maybe you hope the problem will just go away, but it isn’t happening. You have to take charge of the situation and upgrade your data center. If you feel overwhelmed by your day-to-day duties and your need to handle the data center problems, you can turn to a managed services provider for help.

You cannot afford to have your data center go down. If you notice any of these five signs, call the professionals right away. You need to upgrade your system and they can analyze what you have, then provide suggestions for updates. Contact LDP Associates, the provider of mission critical support solutions, for more information today.