Environmental Server Monitoring - Be Prepared

Hardware:

Many companies invest hundreds of thousands of pounds in their computer hardware. Being aware of the environmental conditions that may lead to equipment failure is crucial. If you want to protect your equipment from the damaging effects of the environment an environmental monitoring system will be able to help you.

What can be measured?
Environmental monitoring measures a whole range of the external conditions in which we interact. There are systems that are capable of monitoring all facets of your environment. These systems are designed to warn you about the damaging effects of heat, humidity, power differentials, smoke and water leaks.

There are also monitoring systems available to help you increase security against theft. These monitoring systems will typically have a sensor that will take a reading and report that reading to you.

Heat - In computing heat-related issues cause 60 percent of hardware downtime. Measuring and monitoring the temperature of your computing system is therefore vital.

Moisture - Humidity can affect the productivity and well-being of people, the operation of computers and the operation of medical and scientific instrumentation. Computer systems are complex and highly sensitive pieces of equipment

As well as being expensive they often store a great deal of information and perform a large number of tasks that would, if they were corrupted by humidity, cause a loss of money for a business. Sensors are available that would warn you about potential dangerous levels of moisture.

Power differentials - reduced power quality can be extremely damaging to electrical components. Sensors are available that measure and report on the quality of your power source.

Smoke - smoke sensors are available too

Water leaks - leak detection will help you respond to a water leak quickly and reduce the damaging effects of a water leak.

Security - there are devices available that work with docked camera pods and sensor pods to allow administrators to continually visually monitor Server Racks and rooms. There are also systems that allow you to record audio clips. Door sensors can be attached to your data centre that are able to read whether the door is open or closed and whether this is normal or not. This information will then be delivered to you.

Vibration - can be very dangerous to your computing system. Sensors are available that monitor vibration levels and inform you whether they are within safe levels.

Carbon Monoxide - Carbon Monoxide detectors are particularly important in the home or for protecting your workforce.

Shaun Parker has industry experience in Environmental Server Monitoring for all kinds of server solutions. For more information visit Comms Express.