Keeping the server room clean

Regular cleaning of your computer room is an incredibly important part of maintaining your data center environment. You should schedule site cleanings regularly to keep your environment free of dust, dirt, and other harmful particles that can damage your operating systems and create health hazards for personnel. Dust and other particles circulating within your server room can accumulate and greatly interfere with your equipment by causing a variety of difficult-to-treat or even tragic problems. Such problems could include media errors and data loss.

A good rule of thumb to always follow is to schedule a certified data center clean on a quarterly basis. You may need to schedule a cleaning more frequently if your particle count exceeds the standards set by ISO 14644-8 or ISO 14644-9. By following this quarterly (or more often) cleaning schedule, you can optimize the performance of your server room equipment while reducing the cost of repairs or data recovery. If you think about it and compare the cost of a regular cleaning to the overall financial investment that went into your data center, it’s definitely a smart purchase.

How to choose a cleaning service?

Don’t get up just yet to get a broom and dustpan. While this is what you would do at home, data centers are very different from your home environment. Yes, you should clean both your house and the server room on a regular basis, but that’s the only thing they have in common. Cleaning an entire data center is a very delicate process that requires the services and expertise of highly trained professionals who know how to safely clean your critical equipment.

Here are some tips to help you choose the right cleaning service:

* Be sure to check the company’s references and ask specifically about the quality of their service. Specifically, you need to find a reference or two that have facilities like yours. Make sure the company you choose knows how to handle the type of equipment in your computer room.

* The company must be insured for any damages that may be caused during the cleaning process. If there is an accident during cleaning, you need to make sure you are protected.

* Evaluate the experience and training of the cleaning crew and ask to see their credentials. There are certain standards in which they must be trained and certified.

* Review your cleaning methods. You must ensure that they use HEPA filtration vacuums and that all their chemicals must be safe for use with electronic systems and other hardware.

* Tell them in advance what your expectations are and set cleaning parameters. Who will move the team? Does the service include cleaning in the basement or on top of the server racks? There may be certain data-sensitive areas in your server room. Will those areas be off limits? What else is included or not included in your cleaning service?

* You will want to find a company that is available to clean according to your needs. Perhaps, in addition to your regular cleanings, will they be available in the event of a last minute emergency?

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