Although there is a growing trend for businesses to use the cloud to store their data, many businesses still rely on traditional servers. If your business falls into this category, you most likely will need to create a dedicated room where the servers can be stored. Your server room can range from extremely basic to elaborate, depending on the needs of your business.
If you work with an outside technology advisor, they can provide you with input on how best to set up the room including what equipment to invest in and how to organize the servers within the room. On the other hand, if you are working on your own, you will need to educate yourself about how best to go about designing the space. The following tips should give you a good jumping off point that you can use to get started.
Find The Best Server Rack For Your Business
Server racks come in many different styles and sizes. Finding one that is well-suited to your needs depends on how you plan to use it. For instance, do you plan on using it primarily to store data or for handling backups? After you decide which racks are the best choice for the types of activities that your business deals with on a regular basis, you can then start building the ideal server rack. Depending on your needs, you may have to add additional electrical outlets. You will also need to figure out how to deal with any cables or patch panels.
Making sure that your server doesn’t move once it is in place is essential. That means that you need to properly stabilize your rack. Research the best way to accomplish this for the type of rack that you have. For instance, freestanding racks are stabilized in a far different way than wall-mounted racks. As you begin adding equipment to each rack, you should start from the bottom and work your way up. This will prevent the rack from becoming too heavy at the top so that it topples over.
Minimize Noise By Storing Your Servers In Their Own Space
Ideally, you should store your servers in their own room. This can help cut down on the amount of noise that employees have to deal with on a daily basis. It can also make your equipment much more secure against outside threats. If your location does not have a room that can be dedicated to the server, you should at least invest in a sound-dampening rack or one like this. These racks are designed to minimize server noise as much as possible for situations where the server has to be placed in a common area. Remember, however, that these types of racks are only partially effective at getting rid of sound since they have to have ventilation holes for the server to get air.
Focus on Climate Control
One of the primary challenges of designing a server room is making sure that the equipment does not overheat. Servers are notorious for generating extremely high temperatures. To counteract this effect, you need to make sure that you have adequate air-conditioning within the space. Additionally, you need to make sure that the air-conditioning runs 24 hours a day. You also need to pay attention to proper ventilation to ensure that your servers are getting enough air.
Deal With Cables Effectively
Anytime you work with servers or other electronic equipment, there are always cables that need to be dealt with. Fortunately, there are many products on the market that are designed to make managing these cables much easier. Whether you opt for cable binders, tracks, zip ties, or one of the many other solutions that are on the market, you should make keeping your cables tidy one of your priorities. Keeping cables out of the way and organized can make it easier to gain access to the equipment. It can also ensure that the servers are getting proper ventilation.
In fact, organizing the cables in a server room can even extend the life of your equipment by allowing it to run the way that it was designed to. As an added bonus, when cables are stored properly, there is very little likelihood of one of your machines coming unplugged accidentally.
