A few weeks ago, a failure in the data center of a financial services firm in Mexico caused chaos in the card payment system. In a society in which people currently no longer pay in cash, this failure generated serious complications for businesses who could not charge for their products or services and major inconvenience for cardholders.
Unexpected failures in the data center pose serious risks to your critical infrastructure and jeopardize business continuity. These disruptions can be caused, either by a large-scale outage or a localized technical glitch.
The malfunction of a computer in the infrastructure, the lack of communication between the data center and external sites, and errors in the processing of data are among the results of a data center failure. In other cases, there may be good communication or proper equipment operation in support of the data center, but when data processing capacity is not optimal, there is still likely to be a loss of information.
A study sponsored by Vertiv on the costs of downtime, reveals that every minute of inactivity in the servers can cost up to $9,000, and the biggest problems are related to the cost of lost opportunity. Business interruption, combined with lost revenue, represents more than 60 percent of the total cost of a blackout of this magnitude.
The rapid response during emergencies that Vertiv offers ensures that your data center operations are restored safely and reliably. But here are four best practices that will help you avoid downtime in the first place:
Ensure proper and scheduled maintenance.
As important as the design of the data center itself, is the equipment being used, which should receive ongoing, scheduled maintenance, whether air conditioners, UPS units, or generators. With regular service, you can know what is happening inside the data center and prevent a possible failure. The importance of maintenance is that it is preventive and not reactive.
Train your staff.
Human error is also a leading cause of data center downtime. Training your staff should be a priority for ensuring your data center operates without any problems.
Have a unified infrastructure.
By having a smaller number of equipment manufacturers represented in the data center, the failure of a device will be easier to resolve as you can standardize your spare parts and streamline the process for getting the appropriate part to your site. The idea is to simplify the infrastructure for a more effective response and solution.
Optimize the data center.
When designing, building, or updating your data center, install equipment with the best technology and the highest reliability. By using intelligent infrastructure as part of your AC power and cooling systems, you can gain the visibility and control needed to ensure digital and business continuity.
Having highly available infrastructure, highly reliable equipment, and a staff that knows, in detail, how to operate the data center with a proactive, preventive maintenance plan, makes it possible for your data center to work properly. And Vertiv can support you in this endeavor with an end-to-end solution.
At Vertiv, we have the people, knowledge, and experience to always keep your data center working. For more information see our 5 Steps to a Highly Efficient Data Center infographic, and find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
