Australian data centers prepare for dust storms

Everyone knows how dust storms are making everyday life difficult for many Australians, but few realize that this natural disaster is also impacting data centers.

According to itNews, the dust storms are clogging ventilation filters in data centers across Syndey and Brisbane. At some, the wind has been so powerful that fire alarms were set off.

The dust is also affecting server cooling. When particles get into air conditioning filters, it causes them to operate less efficiently and thus remove less hot air from the servers. To help combat this problem, many facilities have turned external ventilation off.

Some facilities have seen increased loads, too. Cellular provider Telstra has reported a 41% increase in picture messages. This is all the result of people sharing storm photos.

Photo | Flickr