Server Room Fire Management

[Stevecee]

Hi All

 

we moved into our new school building 2 1/2 years ago now and we have a sprinkler system throughout the school, including the server room. A recent fire walk RA has asked the question whether there should be a sprinkler in the server room or should it have a Co2 repression system?

 

Should there ever be fire in our server room it would be to say the leat catastrophic, not least because of the servers and switches in there but also all of the cabling from other cabs about the school are routed through it, also this is where a our telephone and Broadband connection is.

 

has anybody had a similar situation, what have you done etc?

 

cheers

 

Steve

[atcoates]

I would guess they shouldn't be using water as what could be a small fire that could have been put out with minimal damage would end up being a total disaster if the sprinkler system gets activated and destroys everything!

 

Fire Suppression Systems for Server Rooms and Data Centres

[Katy]

Yeah that sounds like standard practise as far as I've experienced for any school building project, they fit the fire etc in before deciding what goes in each room (or just don't bother asking IT). I'd say no way should a sprinkler system be in a room full of powered on electronics unless they want to make the fire worse. We don't have any sprinkler systems or fire suppression (besides the standard hand held extinguishers). I'd say some sort of CO2/gas based suppression system would be best, second best would be just nothing at all, and worst would be sprinkler system.

 

(Obviously I'm not a fire expert so all the usual disclaimers here)

[MatthewL]

A suppression system is what you want, water will make things worse.

 

As far as I am aware there isn't any legislation that stipulates you have to have it but Fire & Rescue are pushing sprinklers big time as they do make a difference and schools been one key place that lots of damage and disruption can be caused and sprinklers will deal with the incident all be it with a few puddles around. A CO2 based system is what you want in a server room.

[Sylv3r]

I know its all a bit "how longs a piece of string" and will depend on the size of the room / kit used etc, but whats a ballpark figure on a suppression system for those that have had one installed. I guess both from a point of view of a brand new build and a retrofit on an existing server room.

[nicholab]

I believe at least one of Cisco data centres users water only. They working on the assumption once dry away you go. Also only the sprinkler over head should go off.

[Max_Power]

Sorry to BUMP this thread, but what is the general census on this?

 

Do people have Fire Suppression within the server rooms, or like @Katy mentions, the simple hand held fire extinguishers?

 

Found systems such as these https://www.safelincs.co.uk/redetec-fm200-automatic-fire-suppression-unit/?fGB=true but wondered if other people have anything?

[GuyJD]

I would say 100% Co2, water could put the fire out but at the cost of all the equipment in there and there's also the possibility that it won't even put the fire out, 18 months or so ago we had a flood after a hot water boiler failed in the plant room above, water poured over the network cab that contains 3 servers, 5 or so switches and all of our telephone equipment, we ended up with 2/3" of water on the floor of the server room and surrounding corridors but none of the equipment was damaged because the cabinet diverted the water around the sides of the contents of the cabinet.

 

Handheld extinguishers are all well and good as long as there is someone there to use it, don't forget someone will be at the school only 40-50% of the day the rest of the time the servers are running with no one in the building.

Edited November 14, 2017 by GuyJD

[TechMonkey]

I'm sure I've seen cabinet hats/hoods that can direct the water away. My worry would be a massive UPS getting very wet and the conductivity of a puddle.

 

As with everything I guess it will be a cost vs risk exercise. Reverse installing a CO2 or powder system and making the room fit to use it in may cost more than just letting the kit go to Davey Jones' locker and replace.

[GuyJD]

I'm sure I've seen cabinet hats/hoods that can direct the water away. My worry would be a massive UPS getting very wet and the conductivity of a puddle.

Solution would be make sure the UPS is up off the floor or rack mount it.

[synaesthesia]

Why is water still a thing for sprinklers etc in IT rooms when we are told, told and told again about which fire extinguisher to use in what circumstances; never ever ever water on electrical appliances, for obvious reasons.

[Jawloms]

@Net-Ctrl had a rack mounted fire suppresion system at last year's BETT show, which some insurers recognise and reduce their premium accordingly. You just put it in the bottom of your rack and it goes off in the rack if necessary.

[Net-Ctrl]

We have been installing the Redetec solution into a number of schools server cabs. There is a video on YouTube that shows how it all works; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cie-sa-JR8k.

 

We have also installed some Geist environmental monitors that review factors like heat, humidity and moisture. You can then receive SNMP, email, text message or voice call alert notifications when environmental sensors detect a problem.

[Katy]

Handheld extinguishers are all well and good as long as there is someone there to use it, don't forget someone will be at the school only 40-50% of the day the rest of the time the servers are running with no one in the building.

Where I mentioned them earlier, they are purely there for "if you are stuck in the server room when it sets on fire, use it to attempt to evacuate". Our server room probably has somebody in it at most 10 minutes a day as it's nowhere near our office. There's heat/smoke detectors in there so if there is a fire we will be evacuating the site and waiting for the fire brigade to sort it out! No amount of servers are worth risking life to go and put the fire out. As someone has said, the cost of retro-fitting a gas based fire suppression system is probably more than the cost of just replacing the servers should it happen (which would be covered under insurance anyway)

[TechMonkey]

Are there any stats on the number of fires originating from server racks? I guess it is always possible but in my head, the rating of risk would be low, more worrisome is fire encroaching into the server room which would need a whole room suppression system.

[MatthewL]

I will try and get a proper recommendation regarding this by next week.

 

Suppression system is what I would recommend as your always taught to not put water on electrics (got my refresher in fire extinguishers next week!), don't think there is any hard and fast rights/wrongs regarding this.

[MatthewL]

Right had a chat tonight and here are the recommendations, there is no legislation that covers things, what you have depends on how critical your kit is.

 

A CO2 fire suppression system is what you want in an ideal world but this one comes down to cost. Next option is to have CO2 extinguisher outside the server room but at hand to the door of it. The next best thing is a new type of extinguisher, a water mist which is safe to use in such situation. In due course as extinguishers need replacing at their 10 year old spot these will generally be the replacement. Details found here. Safe to use on electrical and won't create as much mess as CO2 does with the residue left over.

 

Hope this helps, any questions feel free to ask.

[PotNoodleTech]

Very useful.

 

This is something I've been wondering about lately as in a proper fire situation I really don't think a single Co2 outside the door will be all that effective. The only way of doing it properly appears to be a full automatic CO2 system in the room and lordy only knows how much that will cost!!

[Net-Ctrl]

When we've provided the Redetec automated solution I mentioned earlier in the thread price has been dependant on the number of units and support contract length. I think the unit itself start at approx £2,000 (there is a range of different units available), and then you have support/maintenance on top that would include repacement Co2 cannisters etc.

[PotNoodleTech]

When we've provided the Redetec automated solution I mentioned earlier in the thread price has been dependant on the number of units and support contract length. I think the unit itself start at approx £2,000 (there is a range of different units available), and then you have support/maintenance on top that would include repacement Co2 cannisters etc.

 

Hmm that's not as bad as I thought!

[Homer]

We have an FM200 fire supression system in our server room, only because the previous owners of our building had a requirement for it. It's not been maintained for over 4 years, we've just got quotes to get it under maintenance, and due to the age of the cylinders (which would apply to most installations, I would presume, as they age) the initial cost is £4k as they need to be pressure tested.

 

Annual routine maintenance thereafter is around £1.5k/annum including an integrity test. It's a good solution, but it could be really expensive to install and maintain.

[mavhc]

Does it reduce your insurance costs by £1.5k also?

[MatthewL]

If a fire is bigger than a waste paper basket in size an extinguisher is no good.

 

If you want protection then a suppression based system is what you need. A handheld extinguisher is there to allow you to exit an area safely and tackle a small fire.

 

Unless you have been trained to use one you could make a fire worse, better to close the door, raise the alarm and get out.