www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I March 2024 13
Business from European consultants often appear over-complicated for the local market , raising concerns about who is going to maintain and operate it . “ A cause for concern is the lack of support infrastructure for specialised equipment , like chillers , CRAC ( computer room air conditioning ) units and plant control systems which are only as good as the maintenance and support they receive . There can be frustration stemming from the need to rely on distant support when critical issues arise , and which data centres need to be immediately resolved .”
A concerning trend is the lack of maintenance staff , and Bester says this has been the case for decades and is not a new trend and is not only applicable to the data centre industry . He attributes it to the unwillingness of asset owners to commit to maintenance – expecting their assets to “ last forever ”. “ Because asset owners will not and cannot spend on maintenance , service companies in the field also don ’ t see the point in training maintenance staff who are going to be under-employed and cannot develop proper career paths in maintenance ( unlike Europe where such careers are commonplace among engineers ). Budget constraints often lead to neglecting training initiatives and , consequently , a lack of skilled individuals in the field . This , in turn , contributes to a cycle where inadequate support infrastructure hampers the maintenance of critical data centre components ,” says Bester .
“ While preventive maintenance is crucial for data centre equipment , the prevailing trend of undercutting in maintenance contracts poses a significant challenge . Bester highlights the dilemma faced by those committed to delivering thorough properly-scheduled preventive maintenance – pricing it appropriately often results in losing contracts to less thorough providers who may compromise on the quality of service .
The loadshedding in South Africa just contributed to less budget being available for maintenance due to the increased operating expense to run diesel generators and the more frequent servicing of the generators due to the more run hours on these units .
The many power interruptions brought about with loadshedding , also have a negative impact on the operating life of HVAC equipment and failures are more frequent as a result thereof .
“ Many clients opt for the easiest route – sending out an email inquiry for maintenance quotes . This , however , results in an apples-to-pears comparison , where service providers with varying levels of expertise and commitment are pitted against each other , and invariably the lowest quote simply wins .”
Bester says while this is less common among data centre managers than elsewhere , it is nonetheless common enough . An aggravating circumstance is the high turnover in the industry . Bester recounts instances where he has personally conducted detailed training sessions with client staff , only to find a year later that the data centre operator changed service providers via a competitive tender process , thereby losing every one of those trained individuals . “ This is why it is important for a senior technical person from the asset owner to be involved and to understand the level of skill required among maintenance staff . In my 25 years in this business , I can probably count on one hand the number of times this has actually occurred ,” he says .
Bester acknowledges the potential benefits of complex control systems . However , given the reality of what happens on the ground in terms of skills and maintenance , he believes a pragmatic approach is to keep systems simple enough for operators to comprehend . “ Striking a balance between complexity and operational viability is crucial to ensure that even the less technically inclined maintenance staff can effectively manage the equipment .” RACA
“ There can be frustration stemming from the need to rely on distant support when critical issues arise , and which data centres need to be immediately resolved .”
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I March 2024 13