Server cleaning in the event of a burst water pipe

 

Server cleaning in the event of a burst water pipe: One of our customers had a stroke of luck when he told us “water ingress” was the cause of a necessary server room cleaning. It's the worst-case scenario for your IT: power and technology are under water after a burst pipe, for example. However, this customer was lucky in that the affected sensor system quickly reported the damage via an alarm and the building technician was on site immediately to prevent the worst from happening.

 

Water and mud in the raised floor

 

Nevertheless, water and mud were already several centimeters high in the raised floor. Quick action is required in such a case to minimize damage to the IT and computer technology.

 

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Replace base plates and check patch cables

 

At our customer's premises, we first vacuumed up as much of the dirt as possible using the building services. In the course of cleaning the server, the entire floor was removed and a large number of the floor panels had to be replaced. But that's not all, because various pipes run through the raised floor. Not just the cooling pipes and hoses, but also “patch cables”: a patch cable, also known as a patch cord or patch lead, is an electrical or optical cable used to connect electronic or optical devices to each other.

 

In practice, patch cables are used in information technology to:

 

• Connect computers to switches or routers and link them to the network.
• Connect switches to other switches or hubs to extend networks or link network segments.
• Connect patch panels to network equipment, ensuring a clean and organized cabling structure in network cabinets or rooms.

 

All wiring harnesses were disconnected after the water damage

 

The connections of the individual IT components run along the raised floor in the form of patch cables. These are not individual cables, but entire strands, usually held together by cable ties. To clean the server after the water pipe burst, all the cable harnesses had to be disconnected in order to remove the water and mud and ultimately get the IT up and running again.

 

Server room cleaning after water damage: What else needs to be considered?

 

To guarantee error-free operation, all hardware, i.e. every electronic device, is carefully inspected for water damage and corrosion. Of course, data recovery must also be taken into account: In the best case, up-to-date backups exist, otherwise data recovery experts must attempt to restore the data from damaged hard disks. Once all cleaning and repair work has been completed, the systems can be gradually put back into operation. This should be done carefully and monitored to ensure that no further problems arise.

 

Why should IT damage be documented after a pipe burst?

 

In many cases, documentation is important, for example for submission to the insurance company. Preventive measures can be taken to avoid future water damage, for example through improved seals, regular inspections or the installation of water detectors. For server cleaning after a burst water pipe, it is worth working with professional service providers like us: we specialize in the restoration of water damage in server rooms and have the necessary equipment and expertise to minimize potential long-term damage.

 

 

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