INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE POWERED BY THE DCA
Zinc whiskers and noticing
if your server room or data
centre is at risk
Zinc whiskers are microscopic, crystalline
slivers of zinc that form through corrosion.
Whiskering can originate from any
number of sources; flooring panels,
duct work, ceiling hangers, server racks,
electrical components and virtually any
source galvanised with this brittle metal –
even bolts, nuts and washers may exhibit
signs of whiskering.
hardware and cause extensive downtime.
PCB boards and other pieces of
electronic equipment (servers, SSDs,
PCB boards, etc.) are all at risk of being
affected by zinc whiskers.
To neutralise the risks associated with
zinc whiskers, Critical Facilities Solutions
offers a complete solution that includes:
• Sample collection and analysis
• Laboratory testing
• Remediation
• Specialist cleaning
• Testing and consultancy
Getting started with professional cleaning
doesn’t have to be difficult. If you’re new
to the concept of hiring specialists to clean
your critical facility, a professional data
centre cleaner can walk you through the
entire process, explaining each step and
making recommendations along the way.
Since no two facilities are the same, it
is highly recommended that a thorough
While it is now fairly well understood how
whiskering occurs, tracing the source isn’t
always so easy. For one, these ‘whiskers’
are incredibly light which means they can
easily travel through HVAC systems and
subfloor voids.
These metallic, fibre-like ‘whiskers’ are
highly conductive and can cross circuit
board traces, corrupt data, compromise
Since no two facilities are the same, it is highly recommended
that a thorough inspection and survey be commissioned before
you set out to create a service profile and schedule.
inspection and survey be commissioned
before you set out to create a service
profile and schedule.
Following a consultation, it is highly
likely that a full deep clean will be
recommend as the starting point for
any ongoing maintenance cleaning
(especially if your facility has never
received a professional service, or if
there has been a lapse in cleaning).
A deep clean may include cleaning
every square inch of the data hall,
equipment surfaces, as well as flooring,
stringers, pedestals and the sub-floor
voids. These aren’t ‘precautionary
steps’, but essential parts of preventing
recontamination and ensuring your
facility is as dust- and contaminationfree
as possible.
Selecting the best ‘starting point’ for
your data centre’s maintenance regime
can prove challenging. The Data Centre
Alliance (DCA) has, in consultation with
the leading UK Data Centre cleaning
authorities and companies, produced
and distributed an Anti-Contamination
Guide which focuses on best practice and
should be considered a great resource
in determining your starting point for any
maintenance schedule. ◊
www.intelligentdatacentres.com Issue 17
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