An IoT-Based Approach to Real-Time Conditioning and Control in a Server Room

Server room provides the needed lodging for computer network infrastructures which support data transfer and storage. Beyond network attacks and failure in connectivity, the safety of the data depends mainly on the protection of such infrastructures from breakdown as a result of environmental effects. This paper presents an implementation of an Internet-of-Thing (IoT) based system for conditioning and controlling the environmental factors in real time. A model is proposed which relates the heat index which is the major factor of negative influence in the server room, to the air temperature and humidity within the area. The hardware and software units of the system were designed and implemented to condition the server room by monitoring power outage, heat, water leakage, smoke, flame and light-out; and initiate a real-time corrective measure to keep them within the respective set thresholds. The implemented real-time control measures include: setting-off air-conditioning system whenever the heat threshold is exceeded, turning off the perimeter water supply whenever there is water-leak within the room, tripping off the system and triggering the alarm system for smoke or fire detection. Data and notifications are sent to the internet cloud, administrator's personal computer and mobile phone. The data are relayed through developed user interface platforms.