Computer room air conditioning (CRAC) systems are critical to maintaining computing equipment efficiency and longevity, and therefore maintaining your data center’s CRAC system is critical as well. A recent focus group led by Schneider Electric showed that data center customers consider a CRAC system maintenance plan to be even more critical than an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) maintenance plan, as cooling systems have more moving parts that can wear out over time and are therefore more likely to have mechanical failures that need immediate expert attention.
There are strict industry standards governing the temperature and humidity to be maintained inside data center computer rooms to conserve power and prevent electrostatic discharge that can damage critical components and start fires. According to data center standards, the temperature in the computer room should be between 64 – 81° Fahrenheit and maximum dew point no higher than 59° Fto prevent electrostatic discharge
Regular Service Minimizes Down Time and Maintains EquipmentWarrantees
Performing routine maintenance tasks on schedule extends the life of your AC equipment by removing dust build up on components and in air filters, regularly spot checking and adjusting temperature and humidity levels throughout the space, and proactively identifying and replacing parts that are nearend of life before they break down unexpectedly and cause outages. This can prevent breaks in service and loss of productivity,and follow the maintenance schedule may be required for keeping your equipment warrantee valid.
Service Contract Means You Have an Emergency Plan in Place
In the event of a component failure, if you have a service contract in place you will have an immediate response to the problem from a trained professional who will diagnose the problem and immediately implement a solution, getting your data center back online in short order. This is critical for getting your customers’ applications up and running again as soon as possible and maintaining a good reputation as a reliable data center resource.
CRAC Professionals Can Help Optimize Your Cooling Equipment
Your power bill is an unglamorous but very real cost of doing business for an enterprise-class data center, and better managing that cost can improve your business’ bottom line. Professional CRAC service people can help you optimize the location of your cooling units and air humidifiers to provide complete and even climate control throughout the room. They can also help you set up a state-of-the-art electronic monitoring system to help you manage conditions in the room.
Simply put, having a service plan in place for your data center’s cooling equipment is the best insurance you can have against extended outages and costly down time.
