Your server room is a place where the internal equipment and connectivity meets. It is also where all the cables that connect to the PCs, printers, servers, conference, telephones, safety equipment, and security all work together. You could call this area the data room, telecommunications room, server room, equipment room, network room, or if you follow the BICSI guidelines, it is known as a telecommunications space. Regardless of what name it goes by, this space deserves a great level of attention and planning.
The telecommunication spaces that are well-planned need to offer these benefits:
1. Dedicated space or spaces for data and voice equipment;
2. Ample and efficient work space for the completion of changes, add-ons, moves, and troubleshooting;
3. The right temperature and enough space to support this type of equipment for its lifetime;
4. Server room air conditioning;
5. An easy way to adapt to growth requirements in the future; and
6. An added security layer for the mission-critical equipment.
The location and the quantity of server or telecommunication spaces that a company requires will be associated with the overall size of a building, the floor numbers, along with the quantity and the type of equipment that is installed as well as supported. The areas size will be based on floor space and function.
Cable Management and Termination
The equipment rooms need to be planned and laid out in the way that all the current requirements are matched and any future requirements can become realistic extensions of the previous room plan. The bigger the installation becomes, the more essential it becomes to manage these cables in a clean and efficient manner. To achieve efficiency with additions, changes, and moves, the ethernet horizontal cables need to be terminated using patch panels.
Enclosures, Cabinets and Racks
Most business owners agree that they would like their server rooms to be organised and neat rather than messy and disorganised. To achieve a professional and organised space, this requires a plan that has been well-though-out in order to house the cables and equipment.
In the stages of planning for mounting solutions for the required equipment, it is important to think about the quantity and size of the patch panels, servers, air flow, switches, and any other equipment used for supporting such items. This might include UPS (uninterruptable power supply), monitors, power strips, and keyboards.
Lighting And Power Considerations
There are a number of standards involved when it comes to plans for power for a new server room. Here are some of the most important items that should be remembered:
• Data and telecommunication spaces should feature their own dedicated power-panel.
• At least two dedicated AC duplex outlets, with each of these on their own branch-circuit. Amperage and Voltage of the outlets will be according to the manufacturing requirements of the equipment.
• When installing separate quadruplex or duplex outlets, the space between each should not exceed 6”.
• The power outlets in a data room should not be controlled through a switch on the wall. You may already know what the issue could be here. For example, if someone had to see this switch and not be aware of what the switch is actually for, and they decide to flip the switch, your entire network would shut down.
Due to the critical and vital nature of a telecommunication space, it is highly recommended to have available backup power to safeguard against power failures. This is why UPS , is an absolute must. To establish the size required for a UPS or more than one, it becomes necessary to find out the power that is currently used for all the equipment that is supported.
Temperature Control
It is extremely important to control the humidity and temperature in a server room. If the network equipment does overheat then it might only require a reset process. On the other hand, it could also stop working altogether, or even cause a fire.
The manufacturer guide for the equipment will usually give information about the requirements for humidity and temperature. Most of the planning involved will be governed by the actual size of this room along with the heat output associated with the equipment.
Access
Many people when thinking about how to protect digital assets will mainly consider outside threats like viruses and malware. However, any person that walks into the building may be a potential threat to the network. This is why this room at the bare minimum should always be locked, and only authorised personnel should be allowed to access this room.