Making the decision to bring your IT in-house can have a number of benefits for your business. From increased security to lower costs to an overall increase in control over your technology, it’s no wonder why so many businesses still go the route of building an onsite server room.
That said, there are a lot of challenges to setting up an in-house server solution. From choosing the right racks and enclosures to picking the right processors and hard drives to handle your workload, picking hardware is one of the biggest challenges businesses face. One of the most popular options for onsite hardware is the portable server rack.
The Benefits of Using Portable Server Racks
As PC Advisor writes, portable servers give you more business mobility. Whether you need to move your server room or your company is moving to an entirely new building, portable servers mean being able to easily bring your IT setup with you. That said, there are some things you need to keep in mind when using portable racks to ensure you only gain the benefits of using this mobile hardware.
Three Tips for Using Portable Server Racks
- Be Careful of Where You Park Your Server Rack Cases
- Only Move Your Server Enclosures to Air Conditioned Rooms
- Space Should Still Be a Consideration
For the popular IT news and research site Spice Works, where you place your portable server racks is one of the most important things to consider. Why? If you park your racks in a room with windows or next to an exterior facing wall, wirelessly hacking your servers or simply breaking in is made a lot easier. It may sound paranoid, but that’s what Sony and others thought until they lost millions to hacker attacks.
Just because your servers might be mobile, that doesn’t mean they don’t have the same temperature requirements as others. As the University of California Davis details, your servers should be kept between 66 and 74-degrees Fahrenheit at all times to run at peak efficiency. Anything above or below can cause your server hardware to short circuit. In extreme cases, hotter clean rooms can actually lead to an electrical fire. Being sure to position your portable rack in an air conditioned room can help you avoid these issues.
Similarly, portable server racks need just as much room to breathe, so to speak, as their permanent counterparts. Adequate space between racks gives you the ability to easily access all of your server hardware, ensuring you can upgrade or repair any components without hassle. Additionally, the more open space you keep in your clean room, the more air circulation, and that means systems that can better take advantage of air conditioning.
Do you use portable server racks? Is there anything we failed to mention that’s important to keeping them up and running? Let us know in a comment down below. To learn more, read this.
