According to industry surveys conducted by Gartner, data center downtime can cost you as much as $5,600 per minute, or nearly $350K per hour. Are these losses something you can afford? Are they something you want to deal with?
As an important resource we depend upon, protecting the optimal functionality of your data center is of critical importance. Accordingly, data center maintenance is one of the most valuable service your data center can utilize. A skilled maintenance team that truly understands the lifecycle strategies and needs of your core systems can help ensure ongoing performance and service delivery for years to come.
Unfortunately, many often neglect proper maintenance strategies and implementations. Below, we will explore why data center maintenance is so important, as well as effective maintenance strategies you can begin to implement immediately.
Why Is Data Center Maintenance So Important?
Beyond the dollars it will cost you, data center downtime can also do irreparable damage to your company’s reputation, productivity, and data. In fact, poor maintenance is the second only to human error as the most likely cause of unplanned downtime.
However, when effective maintenance strategies are properly integrated, you can not only reduce your potential risk of unplanned downtime, but you will also be able to minimize the amount of downtime that occurs. That reduction in downtime is facilitated by the better understanding you will have of the way your data center operates, and what its greatest needs are. When emergencies happen, you will also have an emergency response repair plan in place, that will help you navigate the process.
Additionally, properly implemented data center maintenance can also help notify you of when it is time for equipment upgrades and replacements to ensure optimal operational efficiency at all times. When taken together, predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance are the best way to ensure your data center is operating at its best and continues to do so.
What is the Difference between Predictive, Preventive, and Corrective Maintenance?
There are actually several types of data center maintenance you can leverage to your greatest benefit. They are predictive maintenance, preventive maintenance, and corrective maintenance.
Predictive maintenance uses careful measurements and data analysis to recognize changes or irregularities that could lead to a potential failure in the future. This type of maintenance can handle issues before they even arise, giving you the ultimate peace of mind.
Preventive maintenance, similarly, is the practice of keeping your equipment running at optimal levels. One way to think of preventive maintenance is to compare it to oil changes and filter replacements in your car; they are absolutely critical to extending the life of your machine for as long as possible and fix any defects before they become a more serious issue.
Corrective maintenance can be thought of as the last step in the maintenance process. When it comes time to replace a component, or perhaps an entire system, you will be using corrective maintenance to restore the part before it leads to the failure of other machines or your entire network.
Effective Maintenance Strategies
Now that we understand what data center maintenance is and why it is of the utmost importance for your facility, we can take a closer look at a few of the most effective maintenance strategies and how you can begin implementing them at your own facility.
Regular & Thorough Visual Inspections
The most basic part of effective data center maintenance is regularly scheduled visual inspections. Often, an experienced professional will be able to review operating parameters, generator performance, humidity, and temperature with a simple inspection. If any irregularities or discrepancies are noticeable, further action can be taken.
Cleaning
Clean equipment is usually the equipment that is working best. Dust and other debris, when allowed to accumulate, are capable of increasing your cooling costs dramatically. In addition, that buildup of dust can also lead to complete failure of your machinery. Save yourself the time, hassle, and headache of uncleaned equipment by keeping your data center well maintained and cleanly.
Ongoing Testing & Measuring of Performance
One example of an effective testing procedure is to assess your UPS batteries and systems. Doing so regularly can ensure they are ready to operate efficiently at all times.
Reporting & Monitoring – standardized checklists
These strategies fall under the category of predictive maintenance and can be used to pinpoint issues before they arise. Use specialized measurements, reporting, and effective analysis to identify any trends or concerning changes. Be sure to keep these reporting and monitoring practices standardized across your facility and throughout time for the most effective results.
Repairs
Any repairs you make will be an example of corrective maintenance. This includes dramatic repairs such as the replacement of motors, to more simple repairs such as the tightening of nuts and bolts.
FGC Construction: Your Data Center & Data Center Maintenance Expert
As professional data center designers and builders, FGC Construction has a unique understanding of what it takes to keep a data center in tip-top shape. Our professional team of Construction Managers are focused on your project requirements, budget, and desired outcomes.
Whether you want to learn more about data center maintenance services, upgrade your current data center, or even break ground on a brand-new location, we are here for you. Contact us today and let us know what part of your data center project we can assist you with.
