Temperature and Humidity
IT equipment generates heat that must be managed. ASHRAE recommendations for data centers: Temperature: 64.4°F–80.6°F (18°C–27°C) for IT equipment intake. Humidity: 20%–80% relative humidity (with 5.5°C dew point minimum). Too hot: components overheat, fail prematurely, thermal throttle. Too cold: condensation can form when temperature rises (dangerous for electronics). Too dry: static electricity buildup increases — ESD risk. Too humid: condensation on circuit boards, corrosion, short circuits. HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning): ensures stable temperature and humidity. Data center CRAC (Computer Room Air Conditioning) units: precision cooling for server rooms. Hot aisle / cold aisle containment: servers draw cool air from cold aisle (in front), exhaust hot air into hot aisle (behind). Prevents hot and cold air mixing — increases cooling efficiency. Raised floors: allow cool air distribution under the floor (perforated tiles above cooling units).
Power Quality and Protection
Power issues affect hardware reliability and uptime. Types of power problems: Surge: brief spike in voltage above normal (caused by lightning, equipment switching). Can damage unprotected equipment instantly. Sag/brownout: brief voltage reduction — can cause resets and data corruption. Blackout: complete power loss. Noise: electromagnetic interference on power lines — causes subtle data errors. Surge protector (strip): absorbs voltage spikes using MOVs (Metal Oxide Varistors). Joule rating: how much energy the protector can absorb before failing. Higher joules = better protection. Surge protectors wear out (MOVs degrade after absorbing surges) — replace periodically. UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply): provides battery backup during power loss. Allows graceful shutdown of systems. Protects against surges, sags, and brief blackouts. Line-interactive UPS: handles sags and surges without switching to battery. Online UPS: equipment always runs from battery (inverter) — cleanest power, most expensive. APC (American Power Conversion): dominant UPS manufacturer.
Proper Hardware Disposal
Electronic waste (e-waste) contains toxic materials: lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, beryllium. Improper disposal harms the environment. Regulatory requirements: Many jurisdictions prohibit throwing electronics in regular trash. E-Waste laws vary by country/state — fines for improper disposal. Disposal options: Manufacturer take-back programs: many manufacturers accept old equipment. Certified e-waste recyclers: ITAD (IT Asset Disposition) companies that properly recycle and certify destruction. Best Buy, Staples, Best Buy have in-store collection points. Data destruction before disposal: wipe drives (DBAN, ATA Secure Erase), physically destroy, or use certified ITAD with certificate of data destruction. MSDS / SDS (Material Safety Data Sheet / Safety Data Sheet): required documentation for hazardous materials (including some IT equipment chemicals — toner, batteries). Toner disposal: never vacuum toner with a standard vacuum (fine particles can damage motor). Use manufacturer-specified disposal methods. Battery disposal: lithium, NiMH, lead-acid batteries require proper disposal (not regular trash).
ESD (Electrostatic Discharge)
ESD can permanently damage electronic components — static discharges as small as 10 volts can damage semiconductors (humans don't feel static until ~3,000 volts). Prevention: ESD wrist strap: worn by technician, grounded to the chassis or ESD mat. Always use when handling motherboards, RAM, CPUs, expansion cards. ESD mat: anti-static work surface with ground connection. Anti-static bags: store and transport components in pink anti-static bags. Touch the case (metal part) before handling components. Work on non-carpeted surfaces if possible. Don't work in extremely dry environments (low humidity = high static). Component handling: hold cards by edges. Never touch PCB traces or chips directly. Handle RAM by the edges. ESD-sensitive equipment should be labeled (ESD susceptible symbol — hand over triangle).