{"id":3229,"date":"2015-12-01T23:26:03","date_gmt":"2015-12-01T23:26:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/server-maintenance-checklist\/"},"modified":"2024-04-25T11:08:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T11:08:20","slug":"server-maintenance-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/server-maintenance-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Server Maintenance Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section id=\"introduction\">\n <h2>Introduction:<\/h2>\n <div class=\"image-content\">\n  <figure>\n   <a href=\"https:\/\/ps-attachments.s3.amazonaws.com\/d4b5ba26-6fc3-451d-b9e7-01b8f6bce7ad\/hDFEcmfJaEm2rCAeFBJOwA.png\" alt=\"Introduction:\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ps-attachments.s3.amazonaws.com\/d4b5ba26-6fc3-451d-b9e7-01b8f6bce7ad\/hDFEcmfJaEm2rCAeFBJOwA.png\"> <\/a><!-- No caption -->\n  <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>As a systems administrator or IT technician, one of your roles is the maintenance of server computers. When your service offering is dependant on your machines running like clockwork, you can't afford not to have a tight process for regular maintenance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n  <p>That's exactly why we've made this checklist - <strong>to make your life easier and cover the ground for a solid best practice checklist for server maintenance.<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Whether you're responsible for an array of remote virtual private servers,&nbsp;managing a cloud server farm or the servers for a localized intranet, this checklist will help you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/workflow-automation\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">save time and effort<\/a> in ensuring you're getting the most out of your machines.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"preparation\">\n <h2>Preparation:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"record-basic-details\">\n <h2>Record basic details<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>To kick off our server maintenance checklist, you must first <strong>ensure that all details of the maintenance procedure<\/strong> <strong>(and the server itself) are recorded. <\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Do this by <strong>completing the following form fields<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Static IP address of server computer <\/label> <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> MAC address of server computer <\/label> <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> FIrst name of maintenance technician <\/label> <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Last name of maintenance technician <\/label> <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"date-field-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Date of server maintenance <\/label>\n   <div class=\"date-container\">\n    <button type=\"button\" disabled class=\"btn btn-default\"> <i class=\"fa fa-calendar btn-icon\"><\/i> Date will be set here <\/button>\n   <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"select-field-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Are you using remote management tools? <\/label> <select disabled class=\"form-control\"> <option value=\"An option will be selected here\">An option will be selected here<\/option> <\/select>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Yes\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     No\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>If you wish to record any extra information, feel free to do so below.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Additional comments <\/label> <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"software-and-system-checks\">\n <h2>Software and system checks:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"check-and-update-software\">\n <h2>Check and update software<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>Linux operating systems are very frequently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linux.com\/learn\/tutorials\/234011-linux-101-updating-your-system\" rel=\"nofollow\">updated<\/a>, and more often than not these updates come with important security and vulnerability patches.<\/p>\n  <p>Even if you're using Update Manager to automatically configure your updates, or you've recently&nbsp;updated your system, <strong>be sure to check just in case.<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Updating in Linux is very straightforward - it can be done with a simple line in the terminal:<\/p>\n  <pre><span>sudo apt-get update &amp;&amp; sudo apt-get upgrade<\/span><\/pre>\n  <p>As well as the operating system, other software components will need to be updated as well. <strong>Use the sub-checklist below to make sure everything is running the latest version.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> (Subtasks) <\/label>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Operating system updates have been installed\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Other application updates have been installed\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      3\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Server rebooted (if kernel update was installed)\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>After this has done installing, you should be good to go.<\/p>\n  <p>If you have a kernel update, <strong>you will need to reboot your server<\/strong> unless you use a tool&nbsp;like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rackaid.com\/resources\/ksplice-save-time\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ksplice<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"update-your-control-panel\">\n <h2>Update your control panel<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>Make sure to <strong>update your server<\/strong> (or hosting)<strong> control panel<\/strong> as well - this one's a double-whammy, as <strong>it also updates the software it controls<\/strong>.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>With <a href=\"http:\/\/cpanel.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">WHM\/cPanel<\/a>, you must manually update PHP versions to fix known issues. Simply updating the control panel does not also update the underlying Apache and PHP versions used by your OS.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"check-remote-management-tools\">\n <h2>Check remote management tools<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>Next up in the server maintenance checklist, you need to <strong>check in on your remote management tools<\/strong>.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Use the sub-checklist below to tick off the tools<\/strong> as you check that there are no bugs or quirks in the system.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> (Subtasks) <\/label>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Remote console\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Remote reboot\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      3\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Rescue mode\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>If your server is co-located or with a dedicated server provider, <strong>check that your<a href=\"https:\/\/technet.microsoft.com\/en-us\/library\/cc731209.aspx\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> remote management tools<\/a> work.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"check-the-server-resource-usage\">\n <h2>Check the server resource usage<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p><span>The most important thing is to keep your server monitored so that you know what's going on the server at every moment. It's important to keep track of details like CPU load, disk space and RAM utilization.<\/span><\/p>\n  <p><span>This will also help you understand whether or not you need to upgrade certain components, add more servers or migrate to a different hosting plan.<\/span><\/p>\n  <p>Performance monitoring tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/systatsoftware.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">systat<\/a> will provide baseline performance data for each of your server modules. <strong>Fill out the sub-checklist&nbsp;below after checking each component.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> (Subtasks) <\/label>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Disk\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     CPU\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      3\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     RAM\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      4\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Network\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>Should you find that the server is pushing a component particularly hard, it's best that you <strong>perform a spot of quick troubleshooting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n  <p>High server load could just be the result of temporary high traffic or application utilization but it could also be the symptom of a much deeper malady and may require components be upgraded or certain processes be deactivated.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Declare which of the checked components were under particularly high strain in the multiple choice field below.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"multi-choice-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Which resources were under high strain? <\/label> <select disabled class=\"form-control\"> <option value=\"\">Multiple options can be selected from this list<\/option> <\/select>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Disk\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     CPU\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      3\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     RAM\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      4\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Network\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"troubleshoot-cpu-utilization\">\n <h2>Troubleshoot CPU utilization<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>So you've determined that the server's CPU utilization is high - but you want to know&nbsp;<em>why&nbsp;<\/em>it's high.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>So, input the following into the terminal:<\/strong><\/p>\n  <pre>top<\/pre>\n  <p>to get a quick sample of recent server load statistics.<\/p>\n  <p>The result will look something like this:<\/p>\n  <pre>top - 14:08:25 up 38 days, 8:02, 1 user, load average: 1.70, 1.77, 1.68\nTasks: 107 total,   3 running, 104 sleeping,   0 stopped,   0 zombie\nCpu(s): 11.4%us, 29.6%sy, 0.0%ni, 58.3%id, .7%wa, 0.0%hi, 0.0%si, 0.0%st\nMem:   1024176k total,   997408k used,    26768k free,    85520k buffers\nSwap:  1004052k total,     4360k used,   999692k free,   286040k cached\n\n  PID USER    PR  NI  VIRT  RES  SHR S %CPU %MEM    TIME+  COMMAND\n 9463 mysql   16   0  686m 111m 3328 S   53  5.5 569:17.64 mysqld\n18749 nagios  16   0  140m 134m 1868 S   12  6.6   1345:01 nagios2db_status\n24636 nagios  17   0 34660  10m  712 S    8  0.5   1195:15 nagios\n22442 nagios  24   0  6048 2024 1452 S    8  0.1   0:00.04 check_time.pl<\/pre>\n  <p>From this, you can determine where exactly those load strains are coming from. In the Process ID (PID) column, you will be able to see what application (if any) is hogging&nbsp;the CPU power.<\/p>\n  <p>In the table above, MySQL is&nbsp;taking up&nbsp;53% of&nbsp;the&nbsp;total CPU power.&nbsp;<\/p>\n  <p>If user or server loads are particularly high, <strong>you may want to consider expanding server resources so that there is more CPU power to better handle the strain.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"troubleshoot-ram-utilization\">\n <h2>Troubleshoot RAM utilization<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>If you are trying to diagnose memory issues, your first port of call should be the \"htop\" command.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Enter it into the terminal:<\/strong><\/p>\n  <pre>htop<\/pre>\n  <p><strong>and sort by \"MEM%\".<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>The \"MEM%\" row clearly shows how much RAM is being utilized. If this value is small, then you may want to <strong>consider expanding your server resources by upgrading the RAM.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"troubleshoot-network-utilization\">\n <h2>Troubleshoot network utilization<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>If your network is under high strain,&nbsp;you can <strong>use the open source command line program NetHogs to monitor <\/strong>real-time<strong>&nbsp;network traffic bandwidth<\/strong> used by processes and applications running on the server.<\/p>\n  <p>To execute it, you will need to have root permissions, so run the following command as shown in the terminal.<\/p>\n  <pre>sudo nethogs<\/pre>\n  <p><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>This simple output shows the amount of traffic per each application currently accessing the network. You will be able to <strong>isolate troublesome<\/strong> <strong>bandwidth-hogging applications and deal with them accordingly.<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p><strong>If you need to delve dee<\/strong>per into Nethogs troubleshooting, <strong>run the following command to open the help documents:<\/strong><\/p>\n  <pre>sudo man nethogs<\/pre>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"free-up-server-storage-space\">\n <h2>Free up server storage space<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>By making sure that you're <strong>keeping your server's partition clean and trim of unnecessary data, old unused program versions, and archival logs<\/strong>, you can minimize the strain on your system and make sure no problems arise from not having enough free space!<\/p>\n  <p><a href=\"https:\/\/superuser.com\/questions\/1256074\/how-much-space-to-leave-free-on-hdd-or-ssd\" rel=\"nofollow\">Conventional IT wisdom<\/a>&nbsp;advises that&nbsp;<strong>at least 20 to 30% of disk space should be left free at all times.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>If you're running low on storage space, you should definitely <strong>prioritize expanding server resources and invest in additional disk drives.<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p class=\"style-info\">Above 80% capacity, data is at risk of corruption, and performance is significantly affected - especially on mechanical hard disk drives.<\/p>\n  <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"data-checks\">\n <h2>Data checks:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"verify-your-backups-are-working\">\n <h2>Verify your backups are working<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>First up, <strong>make sure that your backups are actually working. <\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Whilst you should already have automatic system backups scheduled regularly, these efforts are in vain if you haven't even tested if the backups are doing what they're supposed to be doing.<\/p>\n  <p>You'll want to<strong> run some test recoveries<\/strong> if you are going to delete critical data. Remember to <strong>double check that you are saving to the correct&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rackaid.com\/blog\/selecting-a-backup-location\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">backup location.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"review-user-accounts\">\n <h2>Review user accounts<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>Now you need to <strong>review the user accounts<\/strong> on your server.<\/p>\n  <p><span>Especially if you're managing server hosting for your clients, you will most likely have had client cancellations or other user changes that you will need to stay on top of.<\/span><\/p>\n  <p><span>Even old employee logs and data <a href=\"http:\/\/process.st\/record-disposal-checklist\" rel=\"nofollow\">should be removed<\/a>. Keeping old website and user&nbsp;data is not just a security risk, but a legal risk as well - what's more, many of this forgotten data will just be sitting in the dark recesses of your servers soaking up precious resources.<\/span><\/p>\n  <p>Primarily, <strong>you should be looking for any old or outdated sites and users&nbsp;<\/strong>so you can promptly erase this data.&nbsp;<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Check against your archives with the sub-checklist below.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> (Subtasks) <\/label>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Old employee data\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Obsolete \/ inactive website files\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      3\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Additional outdated user data\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"security-checks\">\n <h2>Security checks:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"perform-server-malware-scan\">\n <h2>Perform server malware scan<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>It should be part of your routine process to run a malware check on your server machines. ClamAV is a useful tool for scanning against known databases of viruses and malware for Linux machines.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Input the following into the terminal to update virus definitions:<\/strong><\/p>\n  <pre><span>sudo&nbsp;freshclam<\/span><\/pre>\n  <p><span><strong>Then input the following to scan all files on the computer<\/strong> whilst only displaying infected files after they're&nbsp;found whilst the process runs in the background:<\/span><\/p>\n  <pre>sudo <code>clamscan -r -i \/ &amp;<\/code><span><\/span><\/pre>\n  <p><span>After the scan is complete, ClamAV will give you the option to either delete or quarantine the threats it has found.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"change-server-passwords\">\n <h2>Change server passwords<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>You're almost there! Password <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/it-security-processes\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">security<\/a> is essential to proper server maintenance, so it follows that the next task in this checklist is to <strong>change the passwords associated with your server.<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p class=\"style-warning\">Consider using an automatic random password generator together with a password organizer to maximize security and durability of your passwords.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"hardware-checks\">\n <h2>Hardware checks:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"check-redundant-array-of-independent-disks-raid-fault-tolerance\">\n <h2>Check Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) fault tolerance<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>Now you need to <strong>perform some basic checks to ensure your&nbsp;RAID system is, and will continue to, work properly.<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>First,&nbsp;<strong>check that the error notification system is set up and working<\/strong> - this is especially important as most&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Standard_RAID_levels\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RAID levels<\/a> tolerate only a single disk failure. If you miss a RAID notification, a simple disk replacement could turn into a complete system failure, so make sure that you thoroughly check each of the disk drives.<\/p>\n  <p>There are a number of additional steps&nbsp;you can take to ensure that you are in line with contemporary RAID best practices, outlined in the sub-checklist below. <strong>Tick each one off as you go.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> (Subtasks) <\/label>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Check for disk read errors\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Install Adaptec Storage Manager\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      3\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Perform all recommended driver, controller firmware, and storage management application updates\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      4\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Run system consistency check\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      5\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Replace drives that have either failed completely or are starting to show signs of failing (medium errors, S.M.A.R.T. errors, etc.) immediately\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"check-cable-integrity\">\n <h2>Check cable integrity<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <p>Cable wear and tear is a big factor that is overlooked when determining points of system failures. It's a simple task that should be incorporated into the routine maintenance process for all wire-dependant hardware.<\/p>\n  <p>Check all connection points carefully to ensure the following is true:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n  <div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> (Subtasks) <\/label>\n  <\/div>\n  <ul class=\"items\">\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      1\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Cables are securely fixed at each connection point\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      2\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Cables are not twisted or under unnecessary strain\n    <\/div><\/li>\n   <li class=\"item\">\n    <div class=\"step-number-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-number\">\n      3\n     <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n     <div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"item-name-static\">\n     Cables are all in good condition (no exposed wiring)\n    <\/div><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"sources\">\n <h2>Sources:<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <ul>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/slfisher\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sharon Fisher<\/a> -&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com\/storage-disaster-recovery\/on-the-quest-for-the-mysterious-source-of-the-data-loss-causes-company-failure-statistic\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">On the Quest for the Mysterious Source of the \u2018Data Loss Causes Company Failure\u2019 Statistic<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jeffatrackaid\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jeff Huckaby<\/a> -&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rackaid.com\/blog\/selecting-a-backup-location\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Selecting a Backup Location<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linux.com\/users\/jlwallen\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jack Wallen<\/a> -&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linux.com\/learn\/tutorials\/234011-linux-101-updating-your-system\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Linux 101: Updating Your System<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/technet.microsoft.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Microsoft TechNet<\/a> -&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/technet.microsoft.com\/en-us\/library\/cc731209.aspx\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Remote Server Administration Tools Overview<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tenable.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tenable Network Security<\/a> -&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tenable.com\/products\/nessus-vulnerability-scanner\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nessus Vulnerability Scanner<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jeffatrackaid\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jeff Huckaby<\/a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rackaid.com\/blog\/10-immutable-laws-of-security-administration-revisited\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">10 Immutable Laws of Security Administration Revisited<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linuxjournal.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Journal<\/a> - <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linuxjournal.com\/article\/10688\" rel=\"nofollow\">Utilization Troubleshooting<\/a><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"related-checklists\">\n <h2>Related checklists:<\/h2>\n <div class=\"text-content\">\n  <ul>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/inventory-management-process\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Inventory Management Process<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/network-security-management\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Network Security Management<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/client-data-backup-best-practices\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Client Data Backup Best Practices<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/computer-maintenance-guide\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Computer Maintenance Guide<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/ubuntu-server-setup-process\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Server Setup Process<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/virtual-private-server-setup\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Virtual Private Server Setup<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/it-support-process\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">IT Support Process<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/helpdesk-management\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Helpdesk Management<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/server-security-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Server Security Checklist<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/information-security-incident-response\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Information Security Incident Response<\/a><\/li>\n   <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/checklist\/sql-server-audit-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SQL Server Audit Checklist<\/a><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction: As a systems administrator or IT technician, one of your roles is the maintenance of server computers. When your service offering is dependant on your machines running like clockwork, you can't afford not to have a tight process for regular maintenance.&nbsp; That's exactly why we've made this checklist - to make your life easier [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3230,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"cover_icon_emoji":"\ud83d\udda5\ufe0f","cover_icon_url":"","tasks_count":"23","template_description":"Monthly process to ensure that your servers are safeguarded against system failures.","template_id":"hv9vraHc9LxuMm_Q-x1PGg","task_0":"Introduction:","task_slug_0":"introduction","task_1":"Preparation:","task_slug_1":"preparation","task_2":"Record basic details","task_slug_2":"record-basic-details","task_3":"Software and system checks:","task_slug_3":"software-and-system-checks","task_4":"Check and update 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