Data centers are essential for running an organization’s IT infrastructure. When something needs urgent, on-site attention, businesses often turn to a service called “Remote Hands.” This service provides the help needed at the data center without requiring clients to be there in person. Let’s dive into what Remote Hands is, why it’s so valuable, and how it keeps data center operations running smoothly.

What Is Remote Hands?

Remote Hands is a service that allows data center customers to request specific on-site technical tasks or assistance, from trained trained technicians employed by the data center. These technicians become the “remote hands” for clients, taking on various tasks to ensure that hardware, cables, and configurations are maintained correctly without the need for clients to visit the site. This service is especially valuable for businesses with limited IT staff or those located far from their data center facilities.

What Does Remote Hands Include?

The tasks performed under Remote Hands will vary depending on the provider and the service level agreement (SLA). Some of the most common services include:

• Hardware Reboots: Restarting servers or devices that might have crashed or becomes unmanageable, resetting a tripped PDU or breaker
• Visual Inspections: Auditing what equipment is in the rack, verifying equipment is switched on and the status indicators of ports and displays and tasks such as photographing the rack
• Equipment Installation (Racking) and Removal: Unboxing and installing new equipment, removing and packaging equipment for shipping out of the data centre
• Equipment Maintenance & Part Replacement: Replacing faulty equipment, such as hard drives, network cards, memory modules and swapping tapes
• Troubleshooting and Diagnostics: Running tests, checking hardware conditions, and identifying common issues. Often performed with the technician on the phone and in some cases screen sharing.
• Cabling and Rack Management: Patching, tidying, auditing & labeling of networking and power cables.
• Escorting Visitors: Supervising visitors to the data centre such as as 3rd party technicians who may not be inducted to perform work on the customers equipment.

These tasks can be scheduled or performed on demand, providing flexibility for clients who need quick responses to emergencies or for planned maintenance.

Why Is Remote Hands Valuable?

For many companies, especially those with limited staff or do not live next to the data centre, Remote Hands provides essential support, efficiency, and peace of mind. Here are a few of the main benefits:

• Reduced Downtime: With remote technicians available 24/7, data centre customers and their stakeholders can avoid lengthy downtimes as the company’s staff make their way to the data centre.
• Cost Efficiency: Rather than flying in staff or employing local 3rd party technicians to be on standby, clients only pay for Remote Hands when they need it, saving significantly on travel and labor costs.
• Security and Compliance: Since data center technicians are already familiar with on-site procedures, security checked and meets minimum training standards, there is assurances the technician will be qualified and do the job correctly.

How Does Remote Hands Work?

Typically, a Remote Hands service is initiated through a request to the data center’s support team, often via a portal or ticketing system. Once a request is received, data center technicians begin the necessary work on-site, and clients are updated on the task’s progress both before the work is conducted and followed up with a detailed report. Some tasks are straightforward and can be completed immediately, while others, like hardware installations, may be scheduled for a specific time.

Summary & Conclusion

Remote Hands is a powerful and cost-effective service offered by data centers to provide clients with professional, on-the-ground support whenever it’s needed. By outsourcing physical tasks to trained data center technicians, businesses can ensure that their critical infrastructure stays operational without the need for costly and time consuming on-site visits.