Fire Protection in Computer (IT) Server Closets

These people know.

http://www.firetrace.com/index.php?lang=en

milo

Ask yourself this question: What is the effect on my business if fire would happen in the server room?

At which speed can you replace all equipment and what amount of data is lost?

At the end of this evaluation you will have to decide: is the money invested in fire suppression worth the risks we take.

Just one advice for the future: Inergen

Inergen is a really excellent solution.

But think further and the words "switch from Inergen to ProInert, the superior technology" will be the new message.

:)

NFPA 75 tells you all about it. Look at 4.1 and 4.2. It all depends on the risk factor. Here I sprinkle all new comm closets where a sprinkler system exists in the building.

Yes, but the sprinkler should carry dry and non conductive material, refer to Ansul site.

Thanks MN Hague. Water + Servers doesn't give me a good feeling.

GA

milo

May I propose Novec 1230 Fire protection fluid. This is dry and works on heat absorbtion.

This has been discussed many times with computer folks and others. The consenious is that water damage can be taken care of and will cause less of a problem on cards than some other solutions. Thus I have gone with their recommendations.

All the best.

We use halon in our control, server and computer rooms. There is a warning that goes off for 15 seconds in rooms that are occupied telling people to get out. Warning lights and chimes alert people that there was a discharge in the room and entry can only be done with air packs until room is cleared and refreshed. Scott air packs are stored right outside these rooms in case emergency entry is needed to retrieve any personnel that may not have gotten out. We run fire drills to make sure everyone knows the procedures and have them posted in all locations to remind them.

Halon should not be used anymore.

The Halon group of chemicals are known to be heavy contributors to the ozone depletion.

Use CO₂, Inergen or whatever inert system you can get.

We got rid of Halon years ago.

If you are just using the closet as a rrouter layer thenyou aren't required to have any fire protection. I would suggest a high temp smoke at the minimum, the high temp is for the rising heat from the router. If over 185 typically certain smokes will go into alarm.

If however the room will house a server and UPS system, then depending on the authority having jurisdiction you might be required to have a smoke and sprinkler head in the "closet"

Depending on how valuable your equipment is I might suggest a pre-action system, contact your local sprinkler shop for details for just google pre-action systems.

Friends,

Here in Asia we would use FM200 total flooding fire suppression system from (kidde ECS Series fire suppression system by kidde-Fenwall Inc)

The extinguishing agent shall be FM200 (Heptafluoropropane)

hope that helps