Servers are a critical part of any business or organization’s IT infrastructure, as they are the backbone of data storage and distribution. This could include access to applications such as your productivity suite, or even the storage of vital data that’s necessary for day-to-day operations. Unfortunately, this critical hardware must be continuously maintained. The question becomes: Is your business responsible for keeping your server infrastructure in proper working order?
If not—lucky you. If it is, here are some of the variables you will have to manage to keep your servers in good working order.
Temperature
Server units can generate a considerable amount of heat, which becomes a problem when in excessive amounts. If your servers overheat, they could be at risk of hardware failure, data loss, and more. Since both results can put unnecessary strain on your budget, you’ll want to keep your servers cool. Air conditioning or specialized cabinets are a solution, as they will let you keep your servers in an environment conducive to longevity. The recommended environment for a server is typically somewhere between 64.4ºF and 80.6ºF with proper airflow.
Energy
Anything that generates a ton of heat is bound to also consume a lot of electricity. Therefore, you need to ensure that they are protected from spikes in power. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are a great way to keep this from happening. You use these devices to keep your servers from being overloaded with power. In the event of an unexpected power failure, the device will control the flow of power so that the device can power down naturally without the risk of losing data or damage being done to the device itself.
Routine Maintenance
With a little bit of careful maintenance, your server units will last longer and be less of a strain on your budget. After all, it makes sense to keep expensive pieces of hardware in good shape so that you won’t have to replace them as frequently. If you replace hardware before its time has come, you might accidentally lose out on mileage that you could have gotten out of your older hardware. A good rule to consider is to keep the server unit free of dust and to listen for anything out of the ordinary—metal scraping, strange noises, anything that seems out of place. You should also have a contingency plan in the event that issues have been detected with your hardware.
Solution: Outsourced Server Hosting
A great way to solve all of these issues is by outsourcing your server hosting to a managed service provider. Since you’re not the ones taking care of your server units, you’ll be relieved of the duty, as well as all of the costs of doing so. This includes any costs associated with managing and maintaining a physical server unit, like air conditioning or electricity. Furthermore, since your infrastructure is virtualized on our hardware, we work to minimize downtime so that you’ll experience minimal issues. We can monitor your organization’s infrastructure in real-time and address issues promptly.
Exact IT Consulting’s comprehensive suite of proactive and innovative technology solutions can help you make strategic, long-term IT decisions.
