Environment Monitoring: Is Your Equipment Protected From These 4 Threats?

Do you have server rooms, data centers, or remote sites full of expensive equipment? Are you protecting this equipment from potential threats? Without the right protection, your equipment sits vulnerable to environmental threats that can cause some serious headaches - lost revenue, expensive repair bills, and a ton of angry customers ready to take their business elsewhere.

Don't be one of the unfortunate ones. There are steps you can take to protect your equipment. Using a quality environment monitoring system can give you the preventative power you need to protect your valuable equipment.

Diagram showing an environment monitoring system to protect your valuable equipment.

Most server rooms or data centers will face some sort of environmental emergency. Only a lucky few get by each year without one. With the right environment monitoring system in place, you'll be prepared the next time you're experiencing a threat to your equipment.

The 4 most common environmental threats

1. Temperature - Temperature is the most common threat. IT equipment is designed to operate in a controlled range of temperatures. When it gets too hot, the IT equipment becomes at risk of a thermal shutdown (at best) or damage (at worst). With the right monitoring technology you'll receive alerts when the temperature begins to rise - so you can quickly respond. Having a quick response is the difference between network downtime and smooth operation.
2. Humidity - Excess humidity can cause the internal components of your equipment to rust and degrade - with the potential for short-circuiting. Too low of humidity can cause serious damage as well. When humidity is too low your IT equipment is susceptible to static electricity - which can short your equipment. That's why it's critical to keep the humidity at a moderate level. You should have an environmental monitoring system that can notify you when the humidity is too high or too low, so you don't leave your equipment vulnerable to serious damage.
3. Water damage - Leaking water, much like high humidity, can cause serious damage to your server room or data center. If water is present around your valuable IT equipment, you need to know. Allowing water to flood your equipment is easily prevented - as long as you're warned about its presence in time. Having the right monitoring technology will alert you of the presence of water so you can prevent serious damage.
4. Air flow - Walking into your server room or data center can be like walking into a furnace. With more powerful processors being packed into smaller units, your equipment generates more heat than ever before. One of the toughest challenges facing operators is cooling all of this equipment. One of the most efficient ways to cool your equipment is to design a system that optimally circulates the air flow around your equipment. Small disruptions to the flow of air could have severe consequences on the temperature of your equipment. That's why it's crucial to have air flow sensors in place - so you'll be the first to know if something is disrupting air flow to your equipment.

How do I get started protecting my equipment?
Protecting your network doesn't have to be a hassle - and it doesn't have to break your budget. The first and most important step is making sure you have the right information to make the right choice.

Download the FREE Network Alarm Monitoring White Paper

DPS Telecom offers this free guide to help get you started picking the right environment monitoring system. This free White Paper will give you the solid introduction to alarm monitoring essentials:

• What equipment you need to monitor
• How to design an alarm system to meet your current and future needs
• How to minimize transition costs

This guide will put you on the right path to making the right choice. Setting up your own environment monitoring system isn't complete without expert consultation. Call (1-800-693-0351) or email (sales@dpstele.com) the monitoring experts at DPS Telecom to get your questions answered or to receive a free Return-on-Investment (ROI) analysis - so you can see exactly how much you can save with the right environment monitoring system.

Don't leave your network and valuable equipment at risk any longer - contact the DPS experts today.