How To Do Preventive Maintenance On A Server
Servers, unlike terminal equipment, work all the time and have practically no rest. It is for this reason that from time to time it is necessary to carry out preventive maintenance to keep the servers functioning as optimally as possible and to avoid errors or situations that could impair the functioning of the network. Today, we will see some tips to effectively maintain servers in small LAN networks.
Preparing equipment for maintenance
The first step to perform preventive maintenance on our network or server equipment is to prepare it for the maintenance process. To do this, we must turn off the equipment and disconnect it from the hubs or connection systems to the rest of the equipment on the network.
Once the server is free of connections, it is time to remove it from the rack where it is housed. We place it on a flat and safe and completely insulating surface.
Then we touch a metal surface to discharge static electricity and begin the hardware maintenance process.
Start with the hardware maintenance part
This step is simple, but undoubtedly it is very important since while the equipment is clean inside the temperature will rise less and the cooling systems will work with less effort.
To begin maintenance, first, we clean the surface of the server with a dry cloth or special towel and remove all dust, we can use special cleaning liquid. Once the outside is clean, it is time to open the server and remove all the dust from the inside with a compressed air unit and some brushes and fine brushes.
It is convenient to use a protection liquid (spray) for equipment or electrical circuit boards, and if necessary, we can add or change RAM memory boards or any other device, such as adding a new hard disk or cooling system. Then, at the end of the hardware upgrade process, it is time to shut down the server, and connect it to a voltage regulator and monitor to perform the next step in the maintenance process.
And many times it happens that we might need to change certain servers and networking hardware parts. So, to avoid problems in the future, it advisable to replace existing hardware parts with new ones that you think might cause some problems.
To buy server and networking parts nearby New York, California, Florida, Texas, United States, you can visit ALLHDD.com. They are trusted authorized reseller stores based in New York selling all server and networking components including SSD for server, cisco switches, hp switches, networking cables, multimedia parts, and so on. Whether you look for cheap cisco switches or refurbished hard drives, you could get from them.
Starting software maintenance
Once we connect the server to a power source and to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, it is time to carry out a complete software update, that is, update the system with the latest version of Windows Server or Linux Server that we have or whatever another system that uses our server. In this way, we ensure that vulnerabilities will be reduced to the maximum.
After updating the server software, we can run antivirus in a Live way, completely disconnected from the Internet. It is recommended that it be a recent version so that you can detect any anomalies. Once the threats have been executed and eliminated, if any, we proceed to clean the temporary files. It is time to turn off the equipment and remove the source, the monitor, and other implements that we used for the previous step and prepare the equipment to connect it to the network again.
Installing the server back on the network.
Before installing the server back on the network, it is a good idea to connect it to an uninterruptible power supply or UPS, to avoid failures due to a power failure. Next, we put the server in the rack where it was originally. Now, we connect the server to the network with all its cables and hubs, we turn it on to verify the operation of all the applications and services of the network and we will have already completed the maintenance process.
Verifying the operation of the UPS
To ensure proper operation of the network when electrical failures occur, it is convenient to remove all electrical connections from the UPS and check if the equipment remains on. This is the first sign that the UPS is working well, otherwise, it is damaged and it is time to replace it.
A second test consists of timing the time that the equipment remains on with the UPS without power supply to verify that the electricity backup time coincides with that supplied by the manufacturer. If not, we should consider changing the device. Also, we must verify that the UPS sends alarms by e-mail and audible notifications warning that the power is depleted.
In this way, we will have a good electrical protection system that will keep our equipment working long enough to turn it off and avoid breakdowns during a failure.
With these tips, we can keep a Lan network server working in acceptable conditions for a long time. We must remember that the server equipment must be in a well-cooled place to avoid overheating.
