How to Prevent Your Server from Overheating
Even though the Summer is making its way out and we can smell the pumpkin spice, it is important to remember that your server can overheat during any season. We understand how tedious and counter-productive it can be to operate a server which is overheating. Mike is here to help you identify server overheating symptoms, what may be causing your server to overheat, and to help provide some recommendations to prevent this from happening.
SYMPTOMS
The main symptoms of an overheating server are:
- Freezing, crashing or blue screen
- Unusual sounds
- Turning off on its own or frequent restarting
CAUSES
Several factors could cause a server to overheat. Some of the most common ones are:
- Inadequate Temperature Control
It is important to understand that servers already generate heat. Poor temperature control is one of the main reasons for overheating. Some of the things you need to consider are: Outside temperature, direct sunlight, existing cooling system (if applicable) and moisture levels.
- Too Much Jostling
To operate at full potential, servers must remain stationary, something you need to consider when choosing the location of your server room. Depending on the nature of your business, a server that is stationed too close to an outside wall or to hallways may be subject to jostling by big trucks driving by, or by the use of machinery. This could lead to scratching or dislodging of parts.
- Ventilation
Since servers generate heat, proper ventilation is of the utmost importance. This includes the airflow between individual servers. If the vents of the servers are covered, or if they accumulate enough dust, the airflow is stopped and warm air will build up inside the server causing it to overheat.
PREVENTION
The best way to prevent your servers and server rooms from overheating is to take care of the problem before it even becomes one. When deciding where to store your servers, make sure you are considering all the factors mentioned above that can affect proper functionality. Consider the aspects that will be outside of your control as well: Temperature, sunlight, cooling, movement around the room and infrastructure aspects such as water pipe locations. When placing your servers, make sure they all get proper ventilation to prevent the build-up of warm air.
If you already have a server room, you can ensure they’ll continue to run smoothly by double-checking all of the things mentioned before. You also want to make sure you are dusting the servers to prevent dust build-up and are just checking in on them every few weeks in case anything has changed.
Looking to purchase a server?
You may find it here: https://techmikeny.com/collections/servers
