Sensaphone Sentinel Case Study
Industry: Medical Facilities
Application: Data Center
In the heart of New York City, a leading health support organisation is a pivotal support system for nearly 160 hospitals and health systems. This organisation is a trade association comprising nearly 280 member hospitals, health systems, and continuing care facilities in the metropolitan New York area, throughout New York state, and in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. With over 70 staff, they work to bring together clinical and administrative personnel from member hospitals to share information on critical health care issues in a collaborative setting.
Critical to their mission is the reliability of their data infrastructure, housed within a vital yet vulnerable server room. To ensure uninterrupted service and protection of their data, the organisation has turned to the Sentinel Monitoring System by Sensaphone for an advanced solution in environmental monitoring.
Challenges in Server Room Management & Monitoring
Prior to the adoption of the Sentinel Monitoring System, the organisation faced challenges in real-time monitoring and the ability to respond promptly to environmental threats, which could jeopardize their critical support services. Excessive heat is a primary concern, as it can lead to equipment failure, data loss, and significant operational disruptions.
“Before the automatic fan activation was available, personnel would have to travel back to the office during their off time to manually turn on the fans,” explained by the IT representative of the organisation. “Having this feature in addition to the temperature monitoring is a great convenience.”
The Sentinel Solution, Implementation and Results
The Sentinel Monitoring System represents a leap forward in environmental oversight for the organisation's server room. This comprehensive system offers around-the-clock monitoring of temperature and other environmental conditions, ensuring that they remain within predefined safe ranges. What sets the Sentinel apart is its robust alerting capability, capable of notifying facilities personnel via email, text, or voice call the moment an issue is detected. This immediacy allows for rapid response, often before any real damage can occur.
The adoption of the Sentinel Monitoring System has transformed how the organisation manages its server room environment.
Installed in their server room is a Temp Alert temperature switch, which monitors air temperature from 20 °F to 110 °F (6.7 °C to 43.3 °C), provides a local display reading, requires no power to operate and can connect multiple units in a series to a single Sensaphone input.
In addition, water detection sensors are placed outside of the server room under an HVAC unit and pump to alert personnel of leaks that could lead to air conditioning malfunction. Leak detection rope sensors can also be placed around the perimeter of a raised floor and under any water pipes running through a server room.
The IT team from the organisation also uses the data logging function of the Sentinel system to track temperature trends over time. Reviewing the data helps to identify patterns that could indicate potential issues and prevent problems before they arise, such as power fluctuations or the beginning of an equipment malfunction.
Since implementation, the system has proven its worth, detecting several incidents that could have led to serious complications. Each time, staff were alerted promptly and were able to address the issue effectively, minimizing downtime and protecting vital data assets.
A Testament to Reliability and Support
This success story is a testament to the reliability and support provided by Sensaphone's Sentinel Monitoring System. It underscores the importance of advanced environmental monitoring in safeguarding critical infrastructure. The system is not just a tool but a crucial ally in the mission to support New York's health systems.
As organisations across various sectors recognize the importance of data integrity and system reliability, infrastructure solutions like the Sentinel Monitoring System stand out for their capability to provide peace of mind and operational continuity. This experience is a powerful example of how proactive environmental monitoring can protect against unforeseen challenges, ensuring that support systems remain uninterrupted in their vital roles.
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