Re: Fire protection in ISPs and collocation facilities

[Sean Donelan <sean () donelan com>]

On Sun, 05 November 2000, Marshall Eubanks wrote:
> In Fairfax and Loudon Counties here in Virginia, fire codes require 
> water for fire suppression (you can use other means, but you have to
> have water). So all the co-lo and exchange facilities here have
> pressurised water fire suppression. I have been surprised at how many 
> of these do not have DRAINS for the water. 
> In my real estate experience, whenever you have
> the possibility of water release, you will eventually HAVE water
> release. With no drains, that means you will have
> to move the equipment out to get the water out...

Its a catch-22.  In Rochelle Park, a substantional amount of the
flooding entered the building through the drains and plumbing.  If
you have openings for the water to flow out, the water can also flow
in.  On the other hand, there have also been colo's (in Virginia) with
depressed/raised floors which turned into concrete pools submerging
all the data cables and power cables below the raised floor.

Do I have a solution?  No.  I've thought about building in dry sumps
and containment (i.e. like nuclear reactor buildings).  But that
has problems too.