The way to increase DC fault tolerance lies through minimizing the human factor

It is human nature to make mistakes, but this does not in any way facilitate the task of returning the data center to operability after an innocent mistake interrupted the work of vital services. According to a study by the Uptime Institute, approximately 70% of data center problems, from system downtime to costly security breaches, are caused by human error. While IT teams are vital to the smooth running of a data center, people can make mistakes.

Reducing errors

Best practices for virtualized access to data center systems involve scrutinizing a claim or incident request to ensure that the technician is working with the system. It is best to have another person supervise the execution of basic actions such as reboots and restarts. He must check and approve the steps taken.

The easiest way to deal with errors is to implement a strong discipline of change management, coupled with a clear understanding of the various interdependencies in the data center environment. These tasks, along with smart automation and orchestration, can help avoid serious cascading effects and ultimately negative impacts.

The easiest way to deal with errors is to implement a strong discipline of change management, coupled with a clear understanding of the various interdependencies in the data center environment. These tasks, along with smart automation and orchestration, can help avoid serious cascading effects and ultimately negative impacts.

Automation instills confidence

An effective way to reduce the risk of data center downtime and shutdown is to automate the tasks most prone to human error. Improving staff training efficiency helps increase productivity and accelerate the correct deployment of new technologies in data centers.

In data centers, there is a growing interest in AI-based software products for monitoring and managing IT infrastructure (AIOps). AI is a powerful technology that helps people make better business and technical decisions.

Coping with the inherent complexities of managing a data center full of IT equipment racks requires careful cabling planning, documentation, and validation when deploying systems. To successfully complete data center operations, it is important to have clear and tested procedures.

Sum-up

Despite our best efforts and meticulous attention to detail, it is impossible to completely eliminate human error in any complex socio-technical project. This is well known in areas where there is a danger to life, such as aviation or the operation of a nuclear power plant. In data centers, where the pace of technological change is only accelerating, we certainly strive for excellence, although we understand that it is unattainable.