Policy Summary #

• Servers must be located in a server room, not in open offices, storage rooms, or shared utility spaces.
• Server rooms must be locked, with controlled access.
• Access must be logged, either paper or digital.
• Environmental control is required, including temperature and humidity management.
• Power protection is required, using a correctly sized UPS with remote management.
• Servers must be real servers, with redundant hardware designed for business operations.
• Server warranty standard: Production servers should use on-site 4-hour (same day) response warranties for best uptime. Depot-only warranties are for non-critical systems or budget-limited scenarios.
• Support boundary: Servers without an active warranty or vendor support may be limited to 15 minutes of best-effort assistance. IT and cybersecurity teams are not replacements for manufacturer warranty services or vendor support.

Related standard: For detailed temperature and humidity targets, humidification options, monitoring placement, and contingency guidance, see Server Room Environmental Control Standards. For air quality and cleaning standards, Server Room Air Quality and Cleaning Standards.

Visual Quick Guide #

A server room is a managed space with environmental control, physical security, and predictable layout. These diagrams show the difference at a glance.

Not a Server Room: Server in an office, closet, or open area. No locked access, No dedicated cooling, No monitoring, No structured cabling
Is a Server Room: Dedicated locked room controlled access. Has dedicated cooling with temperature and humidity monitoring/alerts. Has structured cabling and labeling. Has a rack or cabinet layout with firewall, switching, servers, and storage. Has a network connected UPS and PDU for clean power and runtime.

Server Room Requirements #

Goal: Maintain a stable environment that protects equipment, reduces risk, and extends hardware life.

1) Environmental Control #

Temperature #

• Temperature must be controlled and continuously monitored.
• Provide dedicated cooling for the server room, sized to the heat load (IT equipment plus UPS and power losses).
• Configure alarms if temperature moves out of range or if cooling fails.
  • Target operating range (recommended): 68°F to 70°F.
  • Acceptable inlet air range (ASHRAE guidance): 64°F to 81°F
  • Expected Exhaust Temperature (Rear of Server/Rack): With a stable server air intake of 68°F to 70°F, the warm-air exhaust is typically 10°F to 25°F higher, so you will commonly see 78°F to 95°F at the rear of equipment. Higher exhaust temperatures can occur under heavy load, but the primary requirement is maintaining stable intake temperature and preventing hot-air recirculation.
• Learn More: Server Room Environmental Control Standards

Humidity #

• Relative humidity (RH) must be controlled and continuously monitored at the equipment air intake.
• Configure alarms if humidity moves out of range or if humidification/dehumidification fails.
  • Target operating range (recommended): 40% to 60% RH.
  • Acceptable range (ASHRAE guidance): 20% to 80% RH (avoid extremes and large swings)
  • Expected Exhaust Humidity (Rear of Server/Rack): With stable intake humidity (target 40% to 60% RH), exhaust RH is typically lower because the air is warmer. A common expectation is 5% to 20% lower RH at the rear under steady conditions. This is normal. The primary requirement is maintaining stable intake RH and avoiding large fluctuations.
• Learn More: Server Room Environmental Control Standards

Why it matters

• Below 40% RH: Increased risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD).
• Above 60% RH: Higher risk of condensation, corrosion, and hardware failure, especially during temperature changes.

Air Quality and Contamination Control

• Intake air must be kept clean and appropriate for IT equipment.
• The room must be kept free of excessive dust, lint, smoke, oil mist, cardboard debris, and other airborne contaminants.
• Prevention is the standard. Do not wait until equipment is visibly dirty or airflow is restricted.
• Environments with high particulate matter, corrosive air, washdown exposure, moisture, VOCs, or heavy dust require added protections such as improved filtration, sealed or filtered cabinets, or a more isolated room design.
• Learn More: Server Room Air Quality and Cleaning Standards

Controls and Management #

• Monitoring: Use sensors placed at server intake height, not only on a wall near the door.
• Dehumidification: Required if RH trends high (commonly >60%).
• Humidification: Required if RH trends low (commonly <40%).
• Alarms: Required for out-of-range temperature or humidity, and for cooling or control system failure.

Implementation guide: See Server Room Environmental Control Standards for targets, monitoring placement, humidification options, and temporary risk-managed approaches.

2) Controlled Access and Security #

• The room must remain locked at all times.
• Only authorized staff may enter.
• All access must be logged, paper or digital.
• Recommended. Door access control (badge or code) to enforce authorization.
• Recommended. Security camera coverage of the room entry and rack area.

3) Space, Layout, and Clean Installation #

• A rack or cabinet is required for servers, networking, UPS, and cable management
• Structured cabling is required
• Maintain clear airflow at the front and rear of equipment. Do not block intake or exhaust paths.
• Keep the room clean. Do not store cardboard, paper stock, janitorial supplies, chemicals, or unrelated inventory in the server room.
• Label everything. Label patch panels, switch ports, power feeds, and equipment names.
• No food or drink near the rack
• The room should remain clean, tidy, and free of excessive dust.

Cleaning and Preventive Maintenance

• Clean the room on a defined schedule
• Inspect dust buildup on rack intakes, filters, blanking panels, UPS vents, and server bezels
• Plan server cleaning as a controlled maintenance task, since internal cleaning often requires downtime unless workloads are failed over or high availability is in place.
• Prevention is preferred over waiting until a server is visibly clogged.
• Learn More: Server Room Air Quality and Cleaning Standards

4) Monitoring and Alerting #

The server room should be monitored so problems are detected early.

• Temperature monitoring
• Humidity monitoring
• Power and UPS status monitoring
• Cooling unit status monitoring
• Air filter / contamination inspection reminders
• Maintenance reminders for server cleaning based on environment
• Alerts routed to the right team for fast response

Environmental monitoring details: Sensor placement, alert thresholds, and response guidance are covered in Server Room Environmental Control Standards.

Power and UPS Standards #

Servers require power protection. A correctly sized UPS prevents abrupt shutdowns during outages and protects equipment from power events.

UPS Requirements #

• UPS must be sized for the power load and the uptime goal.
• UPS must be network connected and manageable remotely.
• UPS should support automated safe shutdown when runtime is low.
• UPS should include environmental sensors for temperature and humidity if the room does not have dedicated sensors.
• UPS should be documented with battery age, replacement schedule, and load level.

Recommended Additions #

• Rack mounted UPS for clean installation
• Managed PDU for controlled power distribution and labeling
• Separate power circuits where available and appropriate

Server Standards #

Servers must be built for business operations. Consumer desktops and improvised hardware do not meet this standard. Servers should be sized for planned growth over a 3 to 5 year lifecycle. True servers include redundant power, redundant enhanced data storage (RAID), remote management, and 4-hour on-site warranty when critical.

Minimum Server Requirements #

• Redundant power supplies
• Redundant high performance memory (ECC)
• RAID capable storage design that matches performance and redundancy needs
• Hot swap drives where appropriate
• Redundant cooling and proper airflow design
• Remote management for out of band access (example: iDRAC, iLO, or equivalent)
• Vendor support and warranty coverage aligned to the lifecycle plan

Sizing and Lifecycle Planning #

• Plan for growth in users, storage, and workload over 3 to 5 years.
• Avoid minimum sizing. Minimum builds often fail early as needs increase.
• Standardize where possible to simplify support and replacement planning.
• Document the plan. Record intended service life, refresh year, and expansion capacity.

Design Levels #

Not every organization needs the same level of resilience. These levels keep expectations clear.

One Glance Checklist #

Server Purchasing and Sizing Guide #

For detailed guidance on selecting and sizing the right server, use this guide: A Complete Guide to Buying a New Server for Your Business