EFFICIENCY With the increasing drivers to increase data centre efficiency – to compensate for servers running hotter due to higher rack density and requiring more cooling – rises in energy costs due to poor cleaning practices are very hard to justify. If vents, drives and filters in cooling systems are allowed to become contaminated, those systems’ performance is hampered and servers may run hotter than desired, meaning increased energy costs as well as reduced server life. And when half of a data centre’s energy consumption already comes from cooling, this will be hard to swallow for many organisations, especially when they have set themselves tough energy reduction targets. New, more efficient designs of cooling systems are a double-edged sword as they pose further maintenance challenges to maintain optimum efficiency. Nonrefrigerated 16 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY free cooling systems which push a larger amount of air through smaller ducts require an even more rigorous anticontamination approach. However such an approach can increase and maintain a system’s availability and greatly reduce the likelihood of failure of fans and other elements. SERVERS When it comes to servers themselves, contamination means at best that their performance will be adversely affected, due to corrosion or corruption of hard disks or the aforementioned overheating. The worst case scenario is that they will fail completely. Many server manufacturers’ warranties are only valid if the equipment is cleaned to the ISO 14664-1 cleanroom standard, and if your cleaning provider isn’t aware of how to do this, then you may be placed at risk if equipment fails and you need to use a warranty. By the same token, using suppliers’ advice can be a benefit, particularly when it comes to inspection or maintenance regimes for cooling systems. Specialist cleaning providers understand both the business-critical nature of data centres to their clients, and and the techniques and approaches which will enable facilities to be maintained at the optimum level. They also understand the physical attributes of a data centre, which are not common to all office environments. Often data centres will have ceiling voids, subfloor voids or cabling which can be located in hard to access areas, but all of which are dust traps which require a specialist cleaning regime to address. Not all data centres are designed for optimum access and perfect cable management, but this doesn’t mean these areas can be ignored, especially with fire risk being another concern. Specialist firms with deep knowledge of data centre cleaning have the training to apply a high degree of attention to detail in order to ensure that environments’ efficiency is maximised. They will also use the right equipment such as high-filtration vacuums, microfibre cloths and anti-static products to avoid electrostatic damage to equipment from cleaning. Finally they will build cleaning into the lifecycle maintenance routine, and produce an appropriate schedule which avoids the need to do complex one-off cleans. Such firms can also add value for customers beyond cleaning itself, to offer services including particulate testing, zinc whisker remediation and firewalling. In addition, their implicit understanding of data centres means they are able to work in a safe manner at all times, minimising risk to the customer’s asset from the cleaning itself. It is also very important not to do inappropriate things when it comes to cleaning what is a highly sensitive environment. Incorrect polishing of floors can throw up extra particles, incorrect vacuum cleaning can suck particles into the environment from air ducts, and the use of the wrong chemicals can cause damage to equipment. EQUIPMENT The improvements in performance possible by using specialist cleaning firms who understand data centres can represent significant savings for customers. With the need to ensure that efficiency is maximised being at the top of the agenda, with facilities performing consistently with minimum downtime, correct cleaning practices are key. Awareness of the importance of getting cleaning right is becoming more widespread, and savvy customers are seeing the benefits from employing specialists, and putting cleaning at the heart of the maintenance regime. DATACENTRE CLEANING, TIPS ON WHAT NOT TO DO ÍÍ Using chemicals which cause corrosion of equipment and infrastructure ÍÍ Using chemicals and operating procedures which increase the risk of electrostatic discharge ÍÍ Unplugging servers in order to operate vacuums ÍÍ Taking mops and buckets into the data hall ÍÍ Low quality filtration on vacuums meaning they move dust around rather than removing it FEATURE SPECIALIST OCTOBER 2015
Cleaning Hygiene Today October 2015
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