[TriLUG] OT: Servers in the...

[Kevin Flanagan]

Servers, heck most computers, don't like too much humidity, or too 
little either.  I think that un-airconditioned space in NC would suffer 
from the former, and the same space in Phoenix would suffer from the latter.

Brian Henning wrote:
> I have no personal experience in this matter, but I can offer some rules 
> of thumb about what typical computer equipment doesn't like in its 
> environment:
> 
> - Heat.  Enough of it makes components fail, either intermittently or, 
> in worst cases, permanently.  Don't throw your server in the attic on a 
> summer day and expect it to work for long.
> 
> - Extreme cold.  Of itself, not a problem generally, but around here it 
> combines with humidity to create condensation.  Might as well hose the 
> bugger down.
> 
> - Large temperature shifts.  Not necessarily a problem, but can lead to 
> thermodynamic issues involving connectors, particularly card-edge, 
> coming un-seated.
> 
> - Dust.  Dust contributes a lot to the heat problem by creating an 
> insulative layer over everything, preventing effective cooling.  Also, 
> depending on the environment, dust can contain conductive particles that 
> could conceivable wreak electrical havoc in some of the circuitry.
> 
> 
> A basement might not be a bad location; mine is rather cave-like, 
> maintaining a nice 65 degrees pretty much year-round without any help 
> from air conditioning equipment.  Put in a dehumidifier and a good 
> filter to keep down moisture and dust, and things could be peachy.
> 
> An attic would certainly mean curtains for all but the hardiest of gear, 
> and insure flaky, erratic performance.
> 
> 
> 
> HTH,
> ~B
> 
> Tommy Williams wrote:
> 
>> I was wondering if anyone has successfully moved server machines to an
>> un-conditioned portion of their dwelling. Also what (if any) problems
>> have arisen from this, or what type of preparatory work I should
>> expect to perform.