If you’re like many small business owners, searching for advice on how to improve elements of your business or planning a move to a new facility can be overwhelming. This is especially true when it comes to your IT and infrastructure needs.
It’s no secret that the modern workplace relies heavily on technology, regardless of business size or industry. For many companies, the “nerve center” of their business is the server room. Correctly planning this essential element of infrastructure is critical.
If you were to conduct an Internet search for “how to plan a server room,” you’d get a return of 12.3 million results (give or take a few). Sifting through that information would take you quite a while, clearly. You would need to sort through facts, figures, sales materials, blog articles, and lots and lots of opinions. With so much information so quickly available, how can you navigate that ocean of content to land upon the shore of reason?
Server Room Considerations
While it might be tempting to deep dive into 12.3 million pieces of content to find the right answer, it would be infinitely easier to start by identifying some of the core considerations for your server room project. Data and information are vital for small business, and you don’t need to worry about the complexities of an Enterprise Data Center. Regardless of the size of your business, your server room is a vital component.
Core Considerations
- Planning – The key to a successful server room project – no matter if you’re relocating or starting from scratch – is a thorough plan that prepares you for most possibilities. When you begin with a plan that considers challenges, you are better prepared to address them if they arise.
- Monitoring – The design and implementation of your server room is only the beginning. Once everything is in place, you must continually monitor elements, including power, temperature, humidity, security, fire, and equipment performance.
- Climate Control – Server rooms generate a significant amount of heat due to the equipment in use. Pay attention to aspects such as humidity, ventilation, and temperature.
- Cabling & Equipment Management – Chances are, the amount of equipment in your server room will fluctuate as your business grows and technology changes. A neat and orderly configuration of equipment and cabling can reduce downtime when changes need to be made.
- Server Room Space – Consider current needs as well as future growth when planning the size of your server room. Ceiling height, square footage, weight distribution, and air circulation are all essential considerations when designing your server room footprint. The size of your space will also have some bearing on what equipment you use.
- Power Considerations – A properly configured server room can use a significant amount of power. Redundancy in your power supply configuration can save you from headaches caused by overheated equipment, a single point of failure, and/or power fluctuations.
- Internet & Voice Services – How your business connects with the outside world is critical to your success. Reliable telecom services are a key component of your server room.
Assistance in Planning Your Server Room
An efficiently planned server room can benefit your business in terms of expense as well as in performance. Lieberman Technologies works with small and midsize businesses to develop server room configurations that consider these factors. We help you determine your tolerance for downtime, assess your equipment needs, configure your network, and more. For more information, or to begin a conversation, contact us!