According to a report by IT World, Uptime Institute has created a COVID-19 response guide based on recommendations for data center operators from its network of data center operators and partners.
Data-center operators are specifically trained to anticipate upheaval due to power outages, floods, fires and other catastrophic events.
Senior Vice President for management services at Uptime Institute, Fred Dickerman stated that data center and IT teams plan for abnormal events as well as the future but reiterated that very few people had planned for the COVID-19 pandemic. Dickerman said “Data centers and IT teams are typically very good at planning. We plan for normal operations, we plan for the future, we plan for abnormal events … [but] very few people have planned for the type of pandemic that we’re facing now”.
The senior VP continued by indicating that the dependency on tech has skyrocketed following the outbreak of the virus, saying “All of that is going to drive more network use and more use of the essential infrastructures that we’re responsible for maintaining. In the midst of all that, those of us in the data-center industry are facing the same health challenges that the general population is facing”.
Uptime Institute released the recommendations with the aim of helping operators of critical infrastructure facilities respond to the impact of the virus as well as prepare for future epidemics.
Below are some of the recommendations;
- Enlist management to ensure plans are carried out
Plans for both internal and external communication needs to be laid out by companies. The plan should cover modes of communication and frequency.
- Restrict travel – create reserve data-center teams
Ensure that staff do travel from one data center sites to another so as to avoid transmitting infection from one site to the other.
- Safeguard supply chains; stress test VPNs
Safeguarding supply chain so as to avoid disruptions is also advised while stress-testing VPNs.
- Establish workplace health protocols
Establishing of various workplace health protocols is also advised. For instance handing tissues to people as they enter the data center site, creation of a clean checklist for incoming staff, use of non-contact thermometers as part of access procedures as well as having a shift-change process that enables staff turnover at a distance.
- Clean data centers more often, more deeply
Cleaning of data center sites more often and deeply is also advised so as to eliminate any traces of the virus should an infected personnel/staff visit the site.
- Adapt existing response plans to COVID-19
There are already existing response plans for the virus; so adapting to these plans is also advised.
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