A Proactive Approach to Data Center Protection May 7, 2008 My dog Rex always barks when he hears a UPS or FedEx truck in the neighborhood. In fact, he barks when he hears any diesel-powered truck going by. My wife and I don't know why he does this, since he is six years old and we just adopted him a few months ago. I have a theory that his previous family used to get deliveries on a regular basis and he would bark when the courier came to the door with a package. After a while Rex started associating the sound of a diesel motor with someone coming to his family's door, and he got in the habit of barking as an early-warning measure. This can be an annoying habit but I do feel better when I'm out of town, because I know anyone approaching our home will be greeted (or repelled) by his deep, big dog bark that says: "Get out of my yard!" What does this have to do with protecting mission critical data center infrastructure and the data that resides there? It's the attitude that all threats must be addressed, not just the ones you think are likely to affect your facility. Almost all server rooms are equipped with an internal fire suppression system to prevent a fire from destroying the valuable equipment and data. However, these fire suppression systems are only effective if the fire starts inside the protected area. Recent statistics from the United States Fire Administration show that there were over 111,500 non-residential fires in the US last year, causing over $2.6 Billion in damages. A fire that starts somewhere else and burns its way into the server room can't be stopped by an internal fire suppression system. That's where our fireproof modular vaults come in. Firelock's Server Vaults keep the temperature below 125°F for at least two hours (up to four hours for larger vaults) even if temperatures outside the vault exceed 2,000°F. Getting back to the watchdog analogy, any dog that's too difficult to live with isn't a viable solution for safeguarding your home and family. Fortunately, Rex has a nice disposition with people once he knows we want someone in our home. This applies to fire protection solutions as well. Once our Server Vaults have been installed and finished out, they become an integral part of the data center. The modular panel system that comprises the walls and roof of the vault utilize high temperature ceramic fiber as the insulating element. The modular design allows us to build the vault to the exact size and configuration our clients specify. They can be expanded or relocated if necessary, and the lightweight panels even allow upper floor installations. We install insulated penetrations for power and data cables; special insulated coolant line penetrations for split HVAC systems; insulated dampers for air ducting; and we can even install Unistrut to create a Unimount ceiling grid that makes mounting overhead cable management systems neat and efficient. These components make it possible to have all the services your server room requires while maintaining a Class 125 fire protection rating. Physical security is also enhanced by our Server Vaults. The double door assembly can be set up with magnetic locks on the inner door to work with your swipe card or biometric access controls. The automatic door closers (which are activated by heat, smoke, flammable gas, or a power failure) can be integrated with your existing alarm systems to close the doors for the scenarios you specify. In conclusion, the preservation of mission critical data and IT equipment has never been more important to an organization's survival and profitability. Like a good watchdog, taking a proactive approach to protecting the data center is the best way to avoid catastrophic events. Firelock's Server Vaults are a cost effective and unobtrusive way to proactively address the threat of a catastrophic fire.