PROTECTING YOUR IT ASSETS By Robert Bell One of a company’s greatest assets is the information stored on its IT systems. One of a company’s greatest difficulties is to protect those assets in the event of a fire. With the value of both equipment and data, it is important to know that options exist to keep these items safe. One of the most common fire protection options is a water sprinkler system. The design and intent of the sprinkler system is not to save electronic equipment or the data, but rather to protect the building and structure the system is housed in. The equipment and data, in all reality, will be lost due to high temperatures and water damage. The building or room may be saved, but the ability for the company to get up and running quickly will be lost. Water is also not three-dimensional. It will not get into every crack and crevice to extinguish potential hot spots. Additionally, there is always the potential of water damage from a broken sprinkler head or pipe. An option to the standard water sprinkler system is a double interlock pre-action dry sprinkler system. Although water cannot accidentally leak into the data room, it will not combat the effects of smoke and heat damage to the equipment. It also does not help if a fire begins in the sub-flooring. Another option is a monitored smoke detection system. This is a system that is monitored by a U.L. Listed Central Station, for a monthly monitoring fee. The Central Station monitors the system 24/7, and if smoke is detected, the Central Station calls the local fire department to the scene. Although the fire department is summoned, precious time is lost from the time the alarm is sent, to when the fire department arrives. The site may be fully engulfed by the time the fire department arrives; the fire suppression of choice by the department is water, which, again, will destroy the equipment and data. One of the best solutions is an engineered fire detection and suppression system. This type of system can operate automatically, and is designed specially for each individual room and hazard. The agent for these systems is stored as a liquid under pressure in its own cylinder. Once released into the discharge pipe network, it becomes a gas, and is released into the room. The gas is nonconductive, noncorrosive, leaves no residue, and most important, is humanly safe. It is UL listed for normally occupied spaces, and is completely discharged into the room in less than 10 seconds. The fire is quickly and efficiently extinguished, which minimizes equipment damage and data loss. Personal injury is minimized, as is any down time the company will sustain. This system will cost more than other solutions; however, compared to the cost of data lost, and business interruptions, it is priceless. No business wants to think that fire emergencies will happen to them. Certainly, every business has budgets to adhere to, and the cost of engineered fire detection and suppression system means money up front. In the event of a true disaster, however, the cost of that system will be priceless in the rewards that are returned.

“MEET THE BELPRO TEAM” Meet Mark Strojny! Mark has been with BelPro Fire Specialists, Inc. for five (5) plus years. Mark graduated from Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in the “Fire Protection Engineering Technology” program. Although Mark is knowledgeable in all Fire and Life Safety applications, he specializes in our Engineered Fire Detection and Suppression Systems. Mark is the person who will do your installations and inspections on the engineered systems. In Mark’s free time, he enjoys hunting and fishing.

Does My Subfloor REALLY Need Cleaning?

Does it really matter what goes on under the subfloor in the server room? Yes! Regular cleaning of the entire computer room, including the subfloor, is essential in maintaining the integrity of the data environment. Dust and other particles circulating can accumulate and greatly interfere with the equipment, causing a variety of problems, including media errors and data loss. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) attributes 80% of computer room fires as a result from the buildup of conductive particles. According to The Halon Research Center, one-third of the clean agent gas halon dumps occur erroneously.

A good rule to be followed is to schedule a certified data center cleaning on an annual basis. If the environment is particularly dusty or dirty, the cleaning may need to be scheduled more often. By following a scheduled cleaning, the performance of the equipment will be optimized, while cutting down on the cost of repairs or data recovery. When comparing the cost of cleaning to the overall financial investment that was put into the data center, this is definitely a smart buy.
 

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