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05.15.2008 at 03:36PM PDT, ID: 23406939
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What is the best method to protect servers from sprinklers

Tags: server enclusures
The server room I am in charge of has two fire sprinklers. I am assuming that if there is a fire in the building, my servers will be soaked with water from these sprinklers and have to replaced.
I am thinking of placing them in enclosures to prevent water damage.
What do you all think?
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Question Stats
Zone: Computer Hardware
Question Asked By: mehranalmasi
Solution Provided By: cuziyq
Participating Experts: 2
Solution Grade: A
Views: 0
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05.15.2008 at 03:53PM PDT, ID: 21578606

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05.15.2008 at 04:02PM PDT, ID: 21578637

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05.15.2008 at 04:31PM PDT, ID: 21578786

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05.15.2008 at 07:27PM PDT, ID: 21579508

Rank: Master

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05.15.2008 at 03:53PM PDT, ID: 21578606
Most bona fide data centers use a chemical fire suppressant to douse flames inside the server room.  These systems are expensive, but without them, the damage from water would be just as bad as the damage from fire -- total loss of the data center.

I can't recommend enclosing the servers in a watertight enclosure.  If one of the servers (or an electrical fault inside the rack) is the cause of the fire, then the sprinklers won't do a thing.

You're really kind of stuck here, because I am assuming this data center is in a commercial building.  The fire code of most cities requires you to have some kind of automated fire suppressant system in place.
 
05.15.2008 at 04:02PM PDT, ID: 21578637
I was not thinking of a water tight enclusure but something that works like an umbrella! if the sprinklers spray water from above, the water hits the top and the sides of the enclusre and not the servers.
Come to think of it, what is an enclosure good for inside a locked server room?
 
05.15.2008 at 04:31PM PDT, ID: 21578786
Well, I am guessing this server room is an office or closet somewhere in your building that has been repurposed for running computers.  But a typical data center also has a raised floor with an air handling system blowing cold air under it.  There are slotted vent tiles placed directly in front of or underneath the server rack that keeps it cool.  An enclosed rack helps to keep the airflow blowing on the front of the servers rather than escaping and cooling off the rest of the server room.

But yeah, an "umbrella" would have the same issue.  If the souce of the fire is under the umbrella, then the water will not be able to put it out, and the damage would be the same as if it had just gotten wet.

But I think I understand what you are saying.  If a fire breaks out elsewhere in the building, all your sprinklers are probably connected, which means they will all go off.  You might want to check the fire code in your city to see if it's legal to have a valve installed (and turned off) on those pipes.  The city might be appeased if you have two or three fire extinguishers in there.
Accepted Solution
 
05.15.2008 at 07:27PM PDT, ID: 21579508

Rank: Master

I worked for a construction company a few years back and this came up a couple of times with sensitive equipment. The correct solution was a halon (inert) gas system or whatever the current equivalent today is, as cuziyq mentioned. But also as mentioned, they are expensive, especially if needed for only one small room.

In a few cases we were able to get permission to build the room to contain a fire if one existed, rather than extinguish the fire, thus allowing us to eliminate sprinklers in the specified room. This was done by using multiple layers of fire resistant drywall, metal doors with closures, and air ducts with automatic fire closure devices (lead catches that melt). The goal was to create a 1 hour fire barrier.
This of course has to be approved by the fire marshal and in many cases the insurance company.

However, where your server room already exists this is not likely a possibility.
 
 
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