Data centers are the heart and soul of many companies today. While their construction and infrastructure can cost millions of dollars, one area in which data center professionals continue to scratch their heads are in the rising costs from server downtimes.

In conjunction with these growing costs, data center professionals are also challenged in implementing appropriate methods to prevent future downtimes. One particular method, which is often overlooked, is the proper care and maintenance of Access Floor Systems through a periodic Raised Floor Cleaning regimen.

How much does a server downtime cost me?

A recent Ponemon Institute survey of 450 data center professionals indicates the average server downtime was a little less than two hours costing over “$900,000 or more than $7,900 per minute.” What’s worse is that these numbers continue to skyrocket as the data shows a 41% increase in downtime costs across industry sectors since 2010!

What are the leading server downtime culprits?

Aside from cybercrime and human error, environmental and equipment inefficiencies are some of the largest culprits that lead to server downtime. Such factors as highlighted in the Ponemon Institute survey include:

• UPS battery failure and capacity exceeded
• IT equipment failure
• Heat related
• Etc…

How can I prevent future downtimes and lower costs?

The Ponemon Institute survey provides several practical tips to minimize costs and prevent future downtimes. However, one area data center professionals often overlook is in the proper care and maintenance of their Access Floor System.

Today, the vast majority of data centers have a raised floor surface to protect sensitive wiring in their Access Floor System. Unfortunately, many of these areas collect a large amount of dirt and debris overtime.  Such dirt and debris are harmful on indoor air quality, and their buildup can cause equipment inefficiencies that lead to system downtime.

From a cost perspective, the circulation of dirt and debris results in higher energy costs as cooling systems must work harder to be more efficient.

To combat these issues, many data center professionals implement a periodic cleaning of their raised floor surfaces, also known as Raised Floor Cleaning.

Of course, cleaning a raised floor requires extensive work with proper equipment and techniques to remove dust and debris. When cleaning raised flooring several factors need to be taken into account, which include:

• Proper care with the removal and reinstallation of panels
• Subfloor conditions
• Structural and environmental conditions of panel surfaces

With the right process, however, facility managers are able to reap the benefits from a periodic raised floor cleaning regimen that will help to prevent server downtime, and lower energy expenses with more efficient running use of cooling systems.

Ultimately, as data centers continue to evolve, more and more companies are making it a priority to prevent server downtime. One way in which companies are able to minimize their risk is with the proper care and maintenance of their Access Floor System through a periodic raised floor cleaning regimen.

 Mister Kleen is a leading provider of contract cleaning services to Commercial and High Security facilities since 1976. Our primary service area is the DC Metro region. We also provide a variety of interior and exterior specialty services.