The Internet is growing rapidly and reaching every corner of the world. More and more devices are being added to the network to form the Internet of Things (IoT). Companies are evolving their technology to meet the growing demand of their users. Servers, routers, and data centers are processing more data than ever. But, just like humans, technology is not eternal. It is volatile and can fail at any instance of time. A server is a combination of hardware and software resources that serve the request of users 24/7. Companies depend on their server for most of the business operations. A corrupt or failed server can cost thousands of dollars to a company each day. Hence, its maintenance is the backbone for the overall workings of the operations of the organizations.
We have compiled a list of common reasons for the breakdown of a server. Using this information, you can develop best practices for maintaining your server. It will also help you to mitigate the majority of the risks associated with server failure in advance.
Common reasons for server failure:
Each server has a random-access memory which is used to store and process data. But internal and external factors can corrupt the memory of the server. Dust particles inside the cabinet can cause electric and magnetic interferences. This can cause serious damage to the memory, rendering it unusable. You also need to ensure that the memory is seated correctly in its slot. Sometimes, a software can also disrupt the memory. At times, it can produce enormous data which is difficult for the server to store. Also, a virtual machine running on the server can starve due to insufficient memory. This will ultimately result in out of memory error on the server.
A typical server has more than one processor chip. It needs to handle a large number of requests and respond to each one simultaneously. With an increased number of users on the network, a CPU can face errors due to following reasons-:
- Unnecessary applications running on the server that takes most of the memory and its processing capability.
- Surge demand from users at peak times causing the server to crash.
- 100% CPU usage due to heavy load on the server can overheat the server. This can result in the failed internal circuitry of the processor.
- Unresponsive system applications can increase the response time. People currently requesting data from the server will experience lags.
Power and Temperature surge:
A server’s onboard power system can cause a server to shut down without warning. A common reason for power disruption is failed power supply unit. It can cause power line burn and damage the sophisticated pieces of equipment. Moreover, a failed cooling system can overheat the server resulting in failure. Server cooling systems may fail due to-
- Improper ventilation in the server room
- Slow on-board cooling fans
- Failed temperature sensors
Every production server uses RAID technology to combine multiple disk drives into a single unit. Majority of the internet servers crash due to undetected RAID failures. If a single drive malfunctions, the entire RAID system goes down. Therefore, you must monitor RAID status very often. Here are the reasons that can cause RAID errors on a server:
- Malfunctioned RAID controller causing disk failure
- Missing RAID partition
- Power Surge
- Data Deletion or reformat demanding disk defragmentation
- Virus and malware infecting the entire system
- Inattentive reconfiguration of the RAID volume
- Raid rebuild error or volume reconstruction problem
- Multiple disk failure in the off-line state resulting in loss of RAID volume
- Loss of RAID disk access after system or application upgrade
Virus and malware:
Cybersecurity is the matter of utmost importance for any organization. People with a good knowledge of IT can breach the security of a server. Many do it just for the sake of entertainment while others do it for money. A malware can cause serious downtime and system lock problems. Thus, an outdated antivirus software installed on the server is the primary reason for malware to make its way into the server. A malicious program will ultimately lead to the issues listed in this article.
A failed Ethernet or FCoE adapter can cause a server to fail to connect to the network. Users will experience 404 servers not found errors when they make requests. Also, you will need to update the virtual input/output (VIO) interface drivers. VIOs ensure that the virtual machines installed on the server can communicate without a physical network interface card. A constant monitoring of incoming and outgoing traffic is required to identify any such network failures.
A server is the most precious and crucial component of any business. It is not surprising that while serving the clients 24/7, a server will occasionally malfunction. It has become the backbone of organizations and failure can break the entire business operation. Therefore, servers need regular monitoring and maintenance. A company should have plans in advance for its fast repair and recovery in case of any disaster.