Читать книгу Maintaining Mission Critical Systems in a 24/7 Environment - Peter M. Curtis - Страница 25

What can facility managers do to ensure that their critical system is as reliable as possible? The seven steps to improved reliability and maintainability are:

 Planning and impact assessment

 Engineering and design

 Project management

 Testing and commissioning

 Documentation

 Continuing education and training programs

 Operations and maintenance

Hire competent professionals to advise each step of the way. When building a data processing center in an existing building, you do not have the luxury of designing the electrical/mechanical systems from scratch. A competent engineer will design a system that makes the most of the existing building design. However, before investing precious capital, be sure you understand your business requirements for the next 3‐5 years, as well as the reliability levels you must sustain. Use contractors who are experienced in data processing installations. Have an experienced firm inspect all systems, such as performing tests on circuit breakers, and using thermal‐scan equipment to find “hot spots” due to high resistance connections, or faulty equipment. Finally, you should plan for routine shutdowns of your facility so that you can perform preventive maintenance on critical equipment. Facility managers, as well as senior management, must not underestimate the cost‐effectiveness of a thorough preventive maintenance program. Maintenance is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Do you want electrical outages to be scheduled or unscheduled? Or better yet, can you afford to deal with the consequences of an unscheduled outage?

Integrating the ideal infrastructure is just about impossible. Therefore, seek out the best possible industry authorities to solve your problems. Competent consultants will have the knowledge, tools, testing equipment, training, and experience necessary to understand the risk tolerance of your company, as well as recommend and implement the proper and most‐advanced proven designs. Whichever firms you choose, always ask for sample reports, testing procedures, and references. Your decisions will determine the system’s ultimate reliability, as well as the ease of system maintenance. Seek experienced professionals from within your own company as well as outside professionals: information systems, property and operations managers, space planners, and the best consultants in the industry for all engineering disciplines. The bottom line is to have proven organizations working on your project.