Protection of Office and Server Cabinet

In many companies, the server and all its accessories, such as network switches and hard drive storage, are located directly in the office. Over the years, the server hardware installed in the office has often grown steadily, resulting in a tangle of hardware and power strips. For optimal office monitoring and server cabinet monitoring, the use of modern monitoring technology is recommended.

For organizational reasons alone, servers, backup hard drives, and network components should always be installed in a 19-inch server cabinet. A professional 19-inch server cabinet is affordable for any company and is available in various models. To reduce potential noise pollution for office staff, specially soundproofed server cabinets are available. These noise-reduced cabinets are often lined with acoustic mats and reduce the noise from CPU, case, and power supply fans.

Tips for Choosing a Server Cabinet

Since a 19-inch server cabinet will be used for many years, a height of 42 rack units (U) is ideal for future expansions. Such a cabinet offers enough space for future servers, VDSL modems, network switches, and storage systems. Integrated cable management allows for orderly routing of power plugs and network cables within the cabinet. Telephone and UPS systems can also be installed there.

If the existing server hardware is not in 19-inch format, it can be placed on a shelf inside the cabinet. Well-known manufacturers offer suitable 19-inch conversion kits for their server systems. With just a few steps, a standalone device becomes a professional 19-inch rack server.

Always Lock the Office Server Cabinet

The server cabinet in the office should always be locked. To allow heat dissipation, the top, side panels, and rear panel should be made of perforated steel. Server cabinet doors, also called IT racks, are often available in steel or glass. A glass door made of safety glass provides a direct view of the server and network equipment installed inside.

The server cabinet lock should meet professional standards to prevent unauthorized access or potential data theft. Access control is important: Conventional keys should be avoided, as they can be lost or stolen. A server cabinet with an electronic lock offers clear advantages.

Monitoring the Server Cabinet Installed in the Office

The 19-inch server cabinet in the office should be monitored around the clock. If the server systems in the cabinet fail, employees can no longer work. If critical business applications are unavailable, no quotes can be created, invoices or delivery notes printed.

A server failure can also damage the company’s hard-earned reputation. Therefore, a suitable monitoring system with essential sensors should be installed in every server cabinet! The use of temperature sensors, humidity sensors, alarm systems, video surveillance, SNMP monitoring, smoke detectors, and environmental monitoring is recommended here.

A monitoring system for the server cabinet, also known as a Rack Monitoring System (RMS), fulfills crucial tasks. Investing in such a server cabinet monitoring system should not be avoided.

Risk Factor: Temperature in the Server Cabinet

The servers and network components installed in the cabinet naturally generate heat. In autumn and winter, the office temperature may still be pleasant. In spring and summer, however, offices can quickly heat up, leading to a dangerous rise in the internal temperature of the server cabinet.

If the heat is not sufficiently dissipated, sensitive servers and hard drives can quickly overheat and, in the worst case, be irreparably damaged. Therefore, a suitable temperature sensor should be installed in the server cabinet for temperature monitoring.

Risk: Humidity

The relative humidity in the office server cabinet should also be measured and monitored. If the humidity is too low, static discharge threatens. In the worst case, this can lead to total failure of sensitive server and network components.

Too high humidity in the server cabinet can promote the formation of condensation and rust. If microscopic water droplets land on the IT equipment’s circuit boards, expensive hardware damage may occur. Therefore, a suitable humidity sensor should not be missing in any server cabinet.

Risk: Fire in the Office

A fire can destroy the entire company in a very short time. Electrical devices are often the cause of fires. Common culprits include the office coffee machine or a computer that was not turned off. A defective server power supply can also cause a smoldering fire.

If smoke and fire are not detected and reported in time, the fire can quickly spread to other rooms. Therefore, suitable smoke detectors should be installed in the office and the server cabinet.

Risk: Water Damage in the Office

A leaking heating valve, a defective dishwasher hose, or a burst pipe can cause water damage in the office. A faulty air conditioning unit can also release significant amounts of water. Storm damage, such as the Friederike storm in January 2018, can also flood the entire company.

It can take valuable days, weeks, or months for insurance to settle the damage. To detect water leaks, suitable environmental monitoring and water sensors should be installed in critical company areas such as offices, production, storage, or logistics. Pipes can be monitored using water sensors with leak detection cables. These are inexpensive and protect against the unpleasant surprise of water damage!

Risk: Data Theft, Burglary, and Vandalism

Theft of sensitive company data does not always come from external hackers. The risk of on-site data theft by employees, external service providers, or visitors should never be underestimated! Therefore, the office server cabinet must be adequately secured. In addition to a mandatory, always-locked server cabinet door, additional magnetic and door contacts should be installed.

The top, rear, and side panels must also be secured with magnetic contacts if they are not welded firmly to the server cabinet frame. Additionally, a vibration sensor should be installed to detect any forced opening of the server cabinet at an early stage.