As a data center technician, you know you’re doing a good job when you aren’t hearing any complaints about slow network speeds, lag time, downtime or any other connectivity issue. When a data center is operating at a high level, a business should be able to run smoothly and with very few issues. However, there are some mistakes people with data center operations jobs make that can be easily avoided. Everything from crowded cables to safety hazards and even unauthorized access points can be devastating to a data center. Here’s what you need to know about these common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Crowded Cables
Having a jumbled mess of cables may seem harmless since you don’t have to access them much anyway. As a data center engineer, you know a company could experience growth at any time and it’s critical for structured cabling to be orderly to make it a smooth upgrade. Crowded cables could result in the wrong cable being unplugged, patched or replaced and the entire network could come crashing down as a result. So do yourself a favor and prioritize structured cabling to avoid this potential issue and many other issues created by unorganized cables.
Allowing Too Much Access
Most facilities have dedicated server rooms to keep the expensive equipment away from the heavy foot traffic areas. There are very few scenarios where people other than the data center technician needs to access a server room, so incorporating access controls is valuable. It’s too big of a risk to allow anyone to enter a server room since all it takes is an accidentally unplugged cable to cause turmoil. This issue is solved simply by only allowing access for authorized personnel.
Not Eliminating Potential Safety Hazards
People with data center operations jobs always identify the common safety hazards, but it’s easy to overlook hazards that seem harmless. For example, sometimes server rooms end up being mini storage rooms as well, since facilities may not have a dedicated storage room. The problem is the more clutter that’s in a storage room, the more dust and debris can collect in it. This may lead to blocked airflow for equipment that needs to stay cool and the result could be devastating. Fire hazards could arise from situations like this and the risk of network failure is also much greater.
Anistar Technologies can tell a good data center technician from a bad one and we have access to some of the best ones across the country. If your company’s data center needs an overhaul or an upgrade, we can connect you with a data center engineer to solve all of your needs. Investing in your data center is often overlooked, but it’s critical to do. Don’t hesitate to contact us at any time if you have any questions or concerns about how to avoid common data center mistakes.
