2.2.4. The Equipment Room
Environmental conditions can wreak havoc on systems, and yet it is
quite common to see critical systems deployed with little or no
attention given to these matters. When the system is installed,
everything works well, but after as little as six months, components
begin to fail. Talk to anyone with experience in maintaining servers and
systems, and it becomes obvious that attention to environmental factors
can play a significant role in the stability and reliability of
systems.
Simply put, humidity is water in the air. Water is a disaster
for electronics, for two main reasons: 1) water is a catalyst for
corrosion, and 2) water is conductive enough that it can cause short
circuits. Do not install any electronic equipment in areas of high
humidity without providing a means to remove the moisture.
