Saw a stat about server room temps that made me change how I bill clients

I was reading a Gartner report last week and it said that 80% of server downtime is caused by heat-related failures. I always told clients to keep their server rooms cool but I never pushed it hard because it seemed like their problem, not mine. Now I include a clause in my contracts that says if they want me to maintain their network, they have to keep the AC below 75 degrees. Lost one client over it but saved two others from what would have been a meltdown in July. Anyone else put environmental requirements in their service agreements?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_laura1d ago

Did you ever have a client who swore their "energy efficient" temp was fine until the RAID array gave out mid-August?

fionanguyen1d ago

Green motherboards and proper airflow work together, not as replacements for each other.

ray61311h ago

Pretty sure I've seen people run a full rack of those "eco friendly" boards with zero airflow and act surprised when the drives turn into oversized paperweights. Heat is heat no matter how much green paint you put on the PCB.

fionamurphy11h ago

Has anyone else ever walked into a server room and instantly regretted wearing shorts? I learned that one the hard way after a client swore their AC was "fine" and then I spent an hour sweating next to a rack that felt like a space heater. Now I just bring a jacket everywhere in case I need to prove a point about ambient temps.