Cats in the Data Center. Who's in?
Do you think there are any pillows in a modern data center? The answer is yes, and many! And they are not just there for tired engineers and technicians to take a nap on or even for a cat (though, where would a cat come from in a data center, right?). These pillows are vital for fire safety in the building. Cloud4Y explains what's what.
Every data center is built with the goal of ensuring maximum safety for the equipment and stored data. Information must be accessible to clients no matter what happens inside the data center. Therefore, a lot of time is spent during the design phase on creating reliable security and firefighting systems. Ideally, everything in a data center should be fireproof. So, doors, walls, floors, and ceilings are made from fire-resistant materials. Theoretically, they should prevent the spread of fire from the room where it starts.
In practice – no. This is due to the networking equipment and cables. Dozens of kilometers of cable carrying current connect all sorts of equipment. And how is the cable run? Through cable ducts that pass through large openings in the floors and walls. If there are openings, there’s a loophole for fire too.
Yes, it's impossible to effectively seal them with concrete mix or other heavy fire-resistant materials. New cables can regularly be added to these cable highways. And if you fill the openings with concrete, you'll later have to urgently dig everything out again. That’s lost time, increased financial costs, and a significant risk that someone will accidentally cut an especially important cable. And Murphy's Law guarantees that this is exactly what will happen; it's been tested.
There are also fire-resistant sealants and composite panels (also sometimes called sheets). They are effective, but still require additional effort for installation and dismantling.
So it's much more effective to use other fire-resistant materials that can be easily transported, quickly changed, and rearranged. These have become intumescent fire-resistant pillows.
This cushion made from finely meshed, dense, and mechanically durable glass fabric with a special filling can be stored indefinitely in a dry and warm warehouse until needed. It contains no mineral fibers, is resistant to atmospheric corrosion, and is impervious to moisture. Some manufacturers guarantee that their cushion can last for a long time in damp, unventilated spaces.
Theory Practice
Three more photos
Fire-resistant cushions for data centers are small lightweight blocks that can be conveniently used to surround ducts, completely sealing the openings. By placing them tightly between the cables and the wall, effective fire resistance can be achieved. The secret is that the cushions expand in size during a fire, surpassing their original volume several times over. This achieves effective sealing around engineering penetrations. Fire-resistant cushions can withstand fire for up to 4 hours. That’s considerable. In 4 hours, the data center's fire suppression system should manage any ignition.
The advantage of these cushions is that they offer a dry, clean, and easy-to-install solution. This is a crucial factor for such an important facility as a data center. Additionally, since the equipment in a data center is regularly upgraded, the ability to quickly run additional cables through the wall without nearly completely demolishing it is highly valued. Thus, cushions are indispensable in a data center.
What else is useful to read in the blog
→
→
→
→
→
Subscribe to our -channel, so you don’t miss another article! We write no more than twice a week and only when necessary. We also remind you that the corporate cloud provider Cloud4Y has launched a promotion ‘Cloud FZ-152 at the price of regular’. You can apply already .
Source: habr.com
