Server Room Maintenance Checklist – How to Maintain a Functional Equipment Room

Server Room Maintenance Checklist

Proper server room maintenance is crucial to protect equipment and sensitive data stored and transmitted through different systems. It’s not just the room that requires maintenance, servers also have particular needs that must be assessed on a regular basis.

The specific needs of a data room may vary based upon the size and location of the room, how many hours each day it is in operation, as well as how much heat is generated by equipment. Heat levels vary based on several factors, including how much and what types of equipment operate in a space. Keep equipment well spread apart to provide proper ventilation and help reduce the risk of equipment overheating.

Key items included on any server room maintenance checklist should include:

  • Cooling systems
  • Electrical maintenance
  • Cleaning the room, floors, etc. Something as simple as leaving paper in a trashcan can increase the risk of a server room fire.
  • Non-interruptible power supply, including backing up batteries
  • Detection of water or moisture
  • Inspection of all cables (power and data)
  • Ensuring fire suppression systems work, including sprinkler systems in case of fire
  • Rack-based equipment used for air handling
  • Free standing equipment
  • Humidifier system
  • Chillers
  • Scanning of infrared power connectivity

Additional Server Maintenance Checklist Considerations

Some server room maintenance only needs to be conducted once a month, while other tasks should be completed on a daily or weekly basis. At the time servers are set up it’s important to identify and correct any issues related to corrupted databases. Proper setup can prevent a lot of common issues while protecting the longevity of equipment.

The following server maintenance tasks are broken up by daily, weekly, and monthly chores. Keep in mind, the exact frequency of certain tasks may vary based upon the specifications of your server room.

Daily Server Maintenance Tasks

  • Back up servers — some people only back up servers on a weekly or monthly basis. The frequency in which you back up your servers may vary. You never know when an emergency will pop up, and it’s possible to lose all data generated since your last back up. Therefore, the more frequently you back up servers, the better. Hence, why this task is listed under daily maintenance chores to prevent lost data from causing serious issues.
  • Mail routing — it is recommended to monitor mail routing on a daily basis.
  • Monitor replication
  • Take note of modem communications
  • Observe the amount of disk space available and being used

Weekly Server Maintenance Tasks

  • Take a careful look at the Admin Requests database
  • Spend time monitoring databases that are currently in need of maintenance – identify the type of maintenance they require
  • Assess available disc space

Monthly Server Maintenance Tasks

  • Make note of available memory space, as well as how much memory is currently in use
  • Scan and assess the overall performance of servers – keep track of changes
  • Inspect server load in comparison to overall capabilities
  • Take a look at server requests

Cooling Systems for Server Rooms

The cooling system you select for a server room is important. After all, server rooms produce a great deal of heat and this makes them highly susceptible to several issues including equipment failure and fire.

Installing the appropriate cooling system can make all the difference. The right cooling system for your server room will vary based on several factors. At Cooling Power, we have many different portable spot coolers for rent and sale. Unsure exactly what you need? We are more than happy to provide guidance to help you identify the most cost effective and efficient cooling system for your server room.  Contact us today to learn more.