Why should I use a Data Centre deep-cleaning company?Particle and contamination build up will cause failures in electronic circuits within servers and hardware. Contamination will slow down servers if not fail them completely, and Data Centres simply cannot have any down time. You should only allow a specialist Data Centre cleaning company that uses trained technicians and specialist materials and equipment into your environment and that can also provide full Risk Assessments, Method Statements and COSHH sheets.
Close What environments need these services? - Large or Small-scale Data Centres
- ISPs (due to their large Data Centre estate)
- Network Control Centres
- UPS Rooms
- Computer Rooms
- Raised Floor Areas (Subfloors)
- Any critical technology facility
Close How does Data Centre deep cleaning prevent downtime?
Internal components of electronic computer equipment can fail due to various factors. Heat and contamination are two that are caused from a dirty environment. Equipment is cooled in a raised floor environment from under the raised floor or air handling units and the particulate build-up can be carried into the internal circuits and cause failures.
The cost of prevention when using a qualified computer room cleaning company to perform data centre cleaning is much lower than the cost of downtime caused by dust contamination. Computer Room cleaning is insurance against possible problems due to not keeping your Data Centre clean. Research by IBM has found that downtime for a large organisation can cost between £50k and £500k an hour. Compared to this, the investment in a structured environment cleaning programme is negligible.
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- 65% of Data Centre and Computer Room problems are caused by environmental contamination but less than 5% of a typical data centre’s expenditure is allocated to hygiene and contamination prevention.
- Many IT and Facilities Managers are unaware that equipment manufacturers’ warranties could be deemed void as a result of poor environmental conditions.
- “Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt can clog the internal mechanisms and cause the server to overheat. Damage caused by extreme temperatures is not covered by your warranty.”- Gateway Server Guide
“The quarterly statement of work involves a much more detailed and comprehensive decontamination schedule and should only be conducted by experienced computer room contamination-control professionals.” - Sun Microsystems - Environmental Planning book
“Periodic Data Centre Maintenance is a vital, ongoing process for any Data Centre. Whether your facility has 500 square feet or 50,000, professional cleaning of your data centre can have a dramatic effect on the longevity of your infrastructure, your system’s reliability, and your power consumption. It is more than just cleaning surface debris from your raised floor; it’s a systematic approach to keeping your Data Centre clean and operating properly” Prosource Vol.27 Issue 28
- Data Centre cleaning is increasingly becoming a priority for companies, as the value they assign to a warranty for a large investment in equipment may be at risk. If for example an Equipment Manufacturer saw the image below of a heat sink totally clogged with dirt, their warranty could be deemed void due to poor environmental conditions.
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How often should I perform Data Centre cleaning?Most hardware and industry experts recommend a complete Data Centre/Computer Room deep clean at least once per year, and a surface cleaning at least quarterly to maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness in your mission critical facility. If your facility does not have a raised floor, then you need to be concerned about ensuring that the flooring is static dissipative. Deep cleans are also required following any construction work.
Close How do I choose a qualified Data Centre cleaning company?A qualified company will specialise in only Data Centre cleaning due to the sensitive and critical nature of the work. They will have the specialised equipment, trained technicians, and a great deal of experience in Data Centre cleaning and maintenance. They will have regional personnel in order to support the on-going needs of your facility. Your CIO, IT Director and Data Centre Manager and their associated IT investment will only want to use a qualified, experienced specialist company.
Close Do you subcontract or use company employees to perform Data Centre cleaning?8 Solutions only allow fully trained, non-subcontracted technicians into your Data Centre. They are all police vetted, Basic Cleared (BC) and Security Cleared (SC), before commencing employment with 8 Solutions. We would never allow unknown individuals enter such a highly sensitive and business critical environment. No other company can say this.
Close Is a particle count reading by itself enough to determine if Data Centre cleaning is needed?A particle count reading measures the airborne particulate within the entire Data Centre/Computer Room at the time of sampling. It does not measure all particulate contamination that is settled under and above the raised access floor. Settled particulate should also be addressed when considering your Data Centre cleaning preventive maintenance programs. Contact us in order to schedule an environmental audit for your Data Centre.
Close Do I have to shut down my operations to have my facility cleaned?No. Shutdowns and downtime are a concept of the past. Our technicians work around your operations and your staff. Of course certain activities will require undisrupted access to your work area, such as applying an anti-static finish to the floor for instance.
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