RE: Fire protection in ISPs and collocation facilities

[Roeland Meyer <rmeyer () mhsc com>]

Simple rule, make sure that you're upstream and the down-stream end has more
bandwidth than the up-stream end. It's kind of the reverse of the internet.
In the event that the inflow exceeds the outflow, hit the SCRAM switch
before you fry something. This is the main reason I have it (SCRAM), but I'm
damned if I can justify it for that reason. It's a lot easier to talk about
fire. It should be left in the Fire codes.

What are the four seasons in California? Earthquake, Drought, Fire, and
Flood. You've no doubt heard about the "Oakland Hills Fire" but no one has
ever talked about the mud-slides, in the Winter following the "Oakland Hills
Fire", caused by the ground-cover being burnt off. In fact, no one hears
much about California flooding. That's because it is a natural part of the
ecology here and not as sexy as earthquakes and brush fires.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sean Donelan [mailto:sean () donelan com]
> Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2000 8:58 PM
> To: tme () 21rst-century com
> Cc: nanog () merit edu
> Subject: Re: Fire protection in ISPs and collocation facilities
>
>
>
> 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.