Regular computer room cleaning is an incredibly important part of maintaining your data center environment. You should schedule regular site cleanings to keep your environment free of dust, dirt, and other harmful particles that can damage your operating systems and create health risks for staff. Dust and other particles circulating within your server room can accumulate and greatly interfere with equipment, causing a variety of difficult to treat or even tragic problems. Such problems could include media errors and data loss.

A good rule of thumb to always follow is to schedule a certified data center clean on a quarterly basis. You may need to schedule cleaning even more often, if your particle count exceeds the standards set by ISO 14644-8 or ISO 14644-9. By following this quarterly (or more frequent) cleaning schedule, you can optimize the performance of your server room equipment while reducing the cost of repairs or data recovery. When you think about it and compare the cost of a regular cleanup to the overall financial investment that went into your data center, it’s definitely a smart buy.

How to choose a cleaning service?

Don’t get up to grab a broom and dustpan just yet. While this is what you would do at home, data centers are very different from your home environment. Yes, you have to clean your house and your server room on a regular basis, but that’s about the only thing they have in common. Cleaning an entire data center is a very delicate process that requires the services and experience of professionals who are highly trained in what they do and who know how to safely clean your critical equipment.

Here are some tips to help you choose the right cleaning service:

* Be sure to check the company’s references and ask specifically about the quality of their service. You should specifically find one or two references that have facilities like yours. Make sure the company you choose knows how to handle the type of equipment in your computer room.

* The company must be insured for damages that may be caused during the cleaning process. If there is an accident during cleanup, you’ll want to make sure you’re protected.

* Assess the experience and training of the cleaning crew and ask to see their credentials. There are certain standards in which they must be trained and certified.

* Review your cleaning methods. You need to make sure they use HEPA filtration vacuums and that all their chemicals are safe for use with electronics and other hardware.

* Tell them up front what your expectations are and set parameters for cleaning. Who will move the team? Does the service include cleaning in the basement or on top of the server racks? Perhaps there are certain data sensitive areas in your server room. Will those areas be off limits? What else is included or not included in your cleaning service?

* You will want to look for a company that is available to clean according to your needs. Perhaps in addition to your regular cleanings, will you be available in case of a last minute emergency?