7 Dumb Blunders You’ve Probably Made in the Data Center
The data center is a centralized facility where an organization’s IT operations and equipment stores, manages and disseminates its data. Vital to daily operations, the data center needs backup systems like uninterruptible power systems, cooling systems, etc. to run and protect core applications. Whether you set up, manage or oversee the data center you know you can never be too cautious. Accidents in the data center can be bad, thousands of dollars bad! Don’t let carelessness cost you, check out these 7 dumb data center blunders:
Cable Mess
Not only is it a safety hazard, but it’s a big disaster waiting to happen. If you have cables on the floor, looping from the ceilings or on top of desks than you’ve got a cable mess and problems. Cable layout is important and should be addressed so that you can keep your data, employees and visitors safe.
Desktop Fun
Unless the desktop in your data center is a Linux or a Mac, all it takes is one time to send a virus rampant. Do not let employees use the computer in the data center as a desktop!
Drink Disasters
Sure, it is common sense to not bring liquid near critical infrastructure, but it happens more often than we’d like to know. Display a highly visible “No food or drink” sign in your data center, unless you want to risk spilling onto critical infrastructure.
Electrical Failures
Electricity in the data center is your means of life. If you do not design your electrical needs to prevent failures, you’re at a huge disadvantage. Your staff and/or visitors should not touch equipment unless they are approved, your equipment should have battery backups, you can even back up your business with a generator to ensure that you are protected.
No Map, No Documents
If you are not mapping/documenting your data center, you are not keeping it healthy. A healthy data center has documents with domain credentials, battery life, dates on UPS service contract renewals, etc.
Not-So-Secure
Keep track of who has access to the data center. If you choose not to, you are at a huge risk of losing data and/or products. A not-so-secure data center is a not-so-smart place.
Visit Commitments
The data center needs regular visits. You can’t just check in “remotely” either; you should physically check in and take a look at the temperature, cabling, batteries, etc.We’ve all made mistakes, don’t feel ashamed if you’ve been a culprit of these data center blunders. Mistakes happen, but now that you’ve read this blog post, you have no excuse! Keep your data center safe, secure and in tip-top shape, but still share your dumb data center blunders and experiences with us by commenting below!
