With the continuous development of information technology, computer networks have not only greatly broadened people’s information vision, but also improved the efficiency of information processing and dissemination. At the same time, people are increasingly dependent on the network in their work and life, and the maintenance and management burden of the network is becoming heavier and heavier. As an important place for data processing and loading, the security and stability of the server room attach great importance. In this article, we will introduce a server room monitoring solution leveraging LoRa technology.
What is server room environmental monitoring
Server room monitoring generally refers to the centralized monitoring and management of the overall environment of the integrated computer room, which is an automatic, intelligent, and efficient technical solution. It allows you to monitor the server room facilities and their operating environments such as temperature, humidity, access control, power spikes and surges, water leakage, smoke detection, etc. The server room is the core of network operation.
A proper data center environmental solution is critical to ensure efficient operations of the equipment in the server room. To be more specific, server room monitoring plays an important role in equipment maintenance. If the environment cannot meet the requirements of equipment operation, chances are that the network system cannot run smoothly, which will also accelerate the aging of components and materials and shorten the service life of the equipment.
Why use LoRa-based server room monitoring solution
In general, the server room of enterprises are rarely connected to the internet, and even if they are connected to the internet, it will cost a lot of money to install the equipment and lines. WiFi is a feasible method, but the signal sometimes cannot be connected due to its poor penetration. If you want to enjoy better WiFi connectivity, more money should be invested to enhance devices. Zigbee and Bluetooth belong to short-distance wireless communication technology, and their scalability is poor.
LoRa has the advantage of long distance, low power consumption and low cost. Its transmission distance can reach up to 5 kilometers in urban areas and its low-power consumption extends the service life of the battery. The unlicensed frequency band, infrastructure and the low cost of the node/terminal all make the cost of LoRa greatly reduced.
Therefore, as far as the server room or the whole building is concerned, it is the most resource-saving way to realize the connection and control of the environmental parameters of the server room by leveraging LoRa technology. Its penetrating power fits into the layout of the entire office building, which makes it feasible to shape a smart building.
Different types of server room environmental monitoring
The ambient conditions monitoring is essential for maintaining a stable and efficient server room. Environmental parameters we should pay attention to usually involves temperature, humidity, water leakage, and so on. The following will show some different types of environmental monitoring in server room.
Rack level monitoring
According to a study by Gartner, the average cost of a server rack is about $70,000 per year, which does not include business and operating costs. There is an obvious correlation between the rack temperature and the server room temperature. The goal of most server rooms is to reduce the ambient temperature, which usually follows the 64.4°- 80.4°F recommended by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and may be affected by temperature and humidity factors. ASHRAE recommends that at least 6 temperature sensors should be installed in each rack to monitor the inlet and outlet temperatures.
Ambient temperature monitoring
Temperature is a significant parameter to be considered when improving the performance of a server room or data center. The server room is usually a confined space, in which the temperature of the room is easily increased due to long-term closure. High-temperature conditions can degrade the insulation performance of all kinds of equipment in the server room, while the low temperature can deteriorate the insulation materials and causes them to crack easily.
Ambient humidity monitoring
Monitoring humidity conditions is as important as temperature. In a way, they are complementary. The equipment in the server room is adversely affected whether the humidity is too high or too low. High humidity conditions will cause water condensation on the circuit board, resulting in short circuits of electronic components. While low humidity conditions can greatly increase static electricity. The greater the static electricity, the more likely it is that various abnormalities and even damage will occur to the equipment in the room.
Water and flood monitoring
Water leakage will pose a serious threat to the server room. By installing water sensors and monitoring modules in the server room where water leakages are possible to occur, such as the air conditioner, windows, and water pipes, you can monitor water leakages in real-time. When there is water leakage in the server room, an alarm will be given immediately, so that maintenance personnel can be informed in time, thus avoiding huge economic loss caused by a major water leakage issue.
Smoke detection
Smoke detectors play an important part in the server room monitoring system. The fire status of the server room can be monitored in real-time by collecting the alarm signals of smoke detectors or temperature sensors. Once the fire alarm is detected, it will trigger the alarm and display the alarm information and notification on the intuitive screen. Measures such as opening the door, turning on the ventilation equipment and turning off some related equipment can be taken immediately.
Motion detection
Motion detection is needed to pay close attention to the entrance/exit of the server room. As many server rooms are left unattended after work or even during the day, it’s possible for other employees to open the door unintentionally and make some damage of the server equipment. By installing motion sensors at the door and window, the IT administrator will be notified when the door and window are opened illegally.
Benefits of LoRa-based server room environmental monitoring
There are many benefits to deploying a LoRa-based server room monitoring solution. Far beyond traditional capabilities, LoRa enables you to remotely monitor and manage the server room using a terminal device such as a computer or a smartphone.
Increasing uptime and reliability
As the core business support platform of an enterprise, the security of the server room is of great importance. A dynamic environmental monitoring system enables IT administrators to monitor the working status and operating parameters of the server room in real-time, which provides an effective guarantee for the server room monitoring management and safe operation, thus enhancing the security and reliability of the server room.
Minimizing response time
Through the real-time detection of temperature, humidity, smoke and water leakage in the server room, IT administrators can not only remotely monitor the environmental parameters of the server room, but also can find the causes of the server room failure in a short period of time when abnormal situations occur, thus shortening the response and maintenance time.
Extending equipment lifespan
In the server room, these devices and equipment run all day for almost 365 days, consuming huge energy and processing performance, which will continue to affect the life expectancy of the equipment. The monitoring of temperature and humidity helps to maintain the service life of the equipment and, in some cases, even extend its service life. Temperature and humidity sensors help to prevent temperature deviation and reduce the possibility of the equipment being exposed to unnecessary heat.
Reducing costs
Server room equipment can be costly. The LoRa-enabled server room monitoring solution reduces the management cost of the computer room, and creates a desired operating condition for the equipment, thus saving the operation and maintenance cost of the equipment and creating direct and indirect economic benefits.
Strengthening compliance to industry standards
Compared to traditional manual periodic inspections, server room monitoring makes it easier for IT management teams to adopt industry standards and regulations, and simplifies compliance audits for server room facility management. For example, temperature and humidity monitoring help the machine room maintain the appropriate temperature in accordance with the ASHRAE standard range.
Future trend of server room environmental monitoring
With the rapid development of information construction, enterprises are investing more and more in information equipment, and environmental monitoring has gradually become the focus of server room monitoring construction. Meanwhile, some old server rooms are looking for opportunities to improve management. Traditional monitoring methods can no longer meet the need for information security, while the introduction of smart server room just promotes the construction of server room to a new level, that is, all assets are connected with each other through the Internet of Things.
Despite the fact that the environment monitoring solution of the server room is not mature enough currently, with the explosion of modern information technologies like big data, cloud computing and the Internet of Things, it will greatly improve the flexibility, reliability, and stability of the server room monitoring system. Therefore, it is an inevitable trend to realize unattended, centralized, automated and computer room maintenance and management.
Choose MOKOLoRa for your server room temperature monitoring
LoRa technology has promoted the development of environmental monitoring in server rooms, enabling network server rooms to conduct remote, real-time and all-around monitoring, and ensuring the stable and reliable operation of network server room monitoring equipment. If you want to know more about server room temperature monitoring solutions, you can contact our LoRa experts. MOKOLoRa is a global leading supplier of LoRa hardware, and we can provide you with more solutions.