Planning a Small Server Room

An anonymous reader writes: "Our company is planning to build a small server room. Initial requirements are for two or three enclosed server cabinets in which various servers and network gear will be installed. The cabinets are planned to hold between 15 to 20 servers of various types and sizes, switches, routers, four dial-in modems for after hours use by staff who do not have ISPs and a KVM switch. We would expect for a small desk as a work area, a book case, storage for some spare parts as well as server documentation and records. We know that we need some power protection in the way of a UPS and a generator. We also expect that this room will get quite warm in the summer months so it will need more air conditioning than the rest of the office. What should we expect for power and cooling needs? Are there any 'rules of thumb' when it comes to building a server room. Good suggestions and help would be appreciated."

Comments

Already on Track

[antis0c]

You've already listed some good rules of thumb, the Air Conditioning, shelving space, etc. I can't express how important it is to have good organization. Organize your unused cables too, otherwise one day you'll end up with a 200 pound rat's nest of cables you're trying to pick through to find a spare UPS Serial cable, and it'll take you half the day to un-knot it. Keep your servers and network equipment well labeled too, this way you don't have to describe to a new employee which server to power cycle on the phone.

Locks, you'll want to have good locks on this room. Maybe a camera in it too, Security is always important. Not only security, but preventing some uneducated employee from accidently wondering into the room and pressing buttons. It happens I've seen it. I've also seen employees wonder in and realize their monitor isn't as good as the one you have in the server room, and switch them.

Keep it clean - I can't stress this enough either. Server rooms are a breeding ground for dust. Keep it well filtered with air filters, de-humidifiers to keep the moister down, and try to limit what kind of cardboard products are in the room.

I'm not a good expert on Power and Cooling, but I think one rule of thumb is as much as you can get it. And Redundancy, cooling included. Multiple Air Conditioners, and Multiple power backups. I've been in many places where Air Conditioners go out in server rooms and those things jump to 100 degees in just a few hours.

That's about all the advice I can offer, good luck.