Most data center move planning often overlooks the topic of acclimation. Your equipment has likely been powered on for years with spinning disks and CPU’s operating at high temperatures inside a closed environment. When this equipment is powered off, it typically is rushed out the door and “shrink-wrapped” on the way to the moving truck. During transit, the equipment then undergoes both temperature and humidity changes. Upon arrival, the natural tendency is to power everything up as soon as possible to avoid downtime. This rush can have undesired consequences with both obvious and unexplained equipment failures.
Acclimating the equipment to the new environment before powering it on is a step often overlooked. Out of ignorance or because it costs downtime to let equipment sit, many organizations unwisely skip this step. Condensation often forms as a result of temperature and humidity changes and that condensation can take 48 hours or more to dissipate.
Many equipment manufacturers do not properly address acclimation either giving no guidance on time-frames or giving ridiculously long acclimation times. Use common sense. Use climate-controlled trucks where you need to minimize the acclimation time during transit. Use extra care where you have older, spinning disks that have not been powered off for a long time. Require your vendors of special equipment to document in writing their recommended acclimation times.
Above all, program adequate time in your relocation project plan to acclimate your equipment after transit. Data Center Relocation Best Practices always include acclimation in the data center move procedures as a way to control unexpected equipment mortalities during the data center move.