Computer room location

Safety consideration and fire prevention

Safety is a vital factor when planning computer installation. This consideration is reflected in the choice of the computer location, building materials used, fire prevention equipment, air conditioning and electrical systems, and personnel training.

If an inconsistency occurs between IBM recommendations and any local or national regulation, the more stringent of the recommendations or regulations must take precedence. The National Fire Protection Association standard, NFPA 75, provides guidelines for protection of information technology equipment. The customer is responsible for adherence to governmental regulations.

• Computer room walls must have a minimum of a 1-hour-fire-resistance rating and extend from the structural floor to the structural ceiling (slab-to-slab).
• In rooms used for critical operations, it is preferable to install processors in 1-hour-fire-rated rooms separate from the main computer room.
• If the computer room has one or more outside walls that are adjacent to a building that is susceptible to fire, consider taking the following precautionary actions:
  • Installing shatterproof windows in the computer room to improve the safety of personnel and equipment from flying debris and water damage. Usually, windows in the computer room are undesirable because of security concerns, and the negative effect they have on temperature control. They can cause excessive heating in the summer, and excessive cooling in the winter.
  • Installing sprinklers outside the windows to protect them with a blanket of water if a fire occurs in the adjacent area.
  • Sealing the windows with masonry.
• Where a false (or hung) ceiling or insulating material is to be added, ensure that it is a noncombustible or fire-resistant material. All duct work must be noncombustible. If combustible material is used in the space between the structural ceiling and the false ceiling, appropriate protection must be provided.
• A raised floor that is installed over the structural floor must be constructed of noncombustible or fire-retardant materials. If the structural floor is of combustible material, it must be protected by water sprinklers on the ceiling of the room below.
  Note: Before the equipment is installed, the space between the raised and the structural floors must be cleared of debris. This space must also be checked periodically after installation to keep it free of accumulated dust, possible debris, and unused cables.

• The roof, ceiling, and floor above the computer room and the storage area for recorded media must be watertight. Liquid piping, roof drains, and other potential sources of liquid damage must be rerouted around the area.
• The space under the raised floor in the computer room must be provided with drainage to protect against flooding or trapped water.
• Waste material containers must be constructed of metal with a frame-suppressant lid.

Fire prevention equipment in a computer room

Fire prevention equipment in the computer room must be installed as an added safety measure. A fire suppression system is the responsibility of the customer. Your insurance underwriter, local fire marshall, and local building inspector are all parties that must be consulted in selecting a fire suppression system that provides the correct level of coverage and protection. IBM® designs and manufactures equipment to internal and external standards that require certain environments for reliable operation. Because IBM does not test any equipment for compatibility with fire suppression systems, IBM does not make compatibility claims of any kind nor does IBM provide recommendations on fire suppression systems.

• An early-warning fire detection system must be installed to protect the computer room and storage areas for recorded media. This system must activate both an audible and a visual alarm in the rooms and at a monitored central station.
• Portable carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, of suitable size and number, must be provided in the computer room for use on electrical equipment. Dry chemical extinguishers must not be used in the data center.
• Portable, pressurized-water extinguishers must be provided for combustible material such as paper.
• Extinguishers must be readily accessible to individuals in the area, and extinguisher locations must be marked so they are visible.
• Automatic sprinkler systems and gaseous total flooding systems are acceptable forms of fixed protection. For information on environmentally friendly gases for total flooding systems, consult NFPA 2001 titled Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems.
• Special consideration must be used if you prefer a gaseous total flooding system. If a gaseous total flooding system is installed, include a time delay feature that allows investigation and evacuation from the covered area of the gaseous total flooding system. A cross-zoned detection system is suggested.
• The protected area must be evacuated whenever the gaseous total flooding system or its controls are being serviced. Additionally, a master Disarm switch, available for use by the system service personnel, is required. With the switch set in the off position, the detonators that are used to release the gaseous total flooding system must be made inoperative, even if the circuit fails elsewhere in the system. This switch must be placed in the off (manual) position before servicing begins to prevent possible accidental discharge of the gaseous total flooding system.
• Alternatives to ordinary wet pipe sprinkler systems might include dry pipe systems or preaction systems. Water flows into preaction systems only if triggered by smoke or heat detectors. The detection systems must be independent of gaseous total flooding system detection systems. The On-Off type of sprinkler head is not suggested because it is more prone to leakage.

To determine the proper fire protection required for the computer room, consult with your insurance underwriter and your local code authority.