Data D-Day- how in-cabinet fire-protection systems safeguard business assets

Data is one of the most valuable assets of any business so it is crucial to protect it.

However, the telecommunications equipment and computer server cabinets that house that data are often extremely vulnerable to fire hazards. This reality is the key reason why fire-safety experts recommend the use of in-cabinet fire protection systems to safeguard such assets.

There are many advantages with such systems, but the starting point is that they protect from fire a specific cabinet that has been identified as critical for business, rather than flooding the whole room or areas of a business site.

Sleep well at night

Every day, hundreds of businesses around the world suffer from debilitating fires that threaten data assets. In recent years, Australian businesses such as Telstra and UniSuper have experienced major outages because of data centre blazes.

Electrical panels with faulty wires and overloaded circuits increase the risk of destructive fires, but there are advanced fire-suppression systems available which can provide peace of mind for site owners and managers. Importantly, the best systems rely on clean agent gases, rather than water and liquids, to extinguish fires. This makes them safe for people and property.

Such fixed-installation systems for data centres means that if a fire breaks out in a single electrical cabinet, it can be stopped at the source and before any flames or smoke can damage surrounding equipment and rooms. As a result, the damage is minimised to only the local cabinet and just the failed components need to be replaced.

Two market leaders

Internationally renowned brands Firetrace International and Chemori offer two of the most sophisticated in-cabinet fire-suppression solutions on the market and can be installed by Delta Fire for Australian customers.

These systems use pressurised, linear pneumatic tubing technology that can detect a fire within an electrical cabinet and which bursts if a fire ignites. The specific area at risk is then targeted with the extinguishing agent.

The result is that the automatic systems can suppress fires before they grow significantly, which reduces the damage to any panels and also lowers the chance of employees being hurt.

A significant advantage of the Firetrace and Chemori systems is that they can provide around-the-clock fire protection without the need for an electricity source. This is important for many operations that do not have people monitoring their site 24 hours a day.

The two options are ideal for sites such as ports, for example, where massive shipping container cranes require fire-suppression technology to protect the drivers and the port infrastructure in the case of a fire emergency. Cabinet-based applications can mitigate such risks and keep teams operating in a safe environment.

Don't delay

Site owners and managers should not put off reviews of their disaster plans for crucial data centre operations. Such a review should include determining the right kind of in-cabinet fire-suppression systems for the business.

The best systems on the market feature advanced technology and require pre-installation planning to work properly. So seek advice from experienced fire-safety professionals to ensure you get the right system for the right site and have access to appropriate after-sales service.

When the planning and installation of such fire-suppression systems is properly done, property managers can be assured of the highest levels of protection for crucial data assets.

Don't take any risks and don't put off getting advice.

Data centre fires can destroy critical assets and leave businesses facing days, weeks or months of downtime. Contact us today to take action.

Also read - In-cabinet fire protection systems a must.

Why your data centre needs remote asset monitoring

Protecting data centres has never been more important at a time when digital infrastructure is the engine room of many businesses.

There is no doubt, too, that the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted management teams to rethink how they safeguard such systems. With a greater reliance on people working from home and social distancing limiting the contact between employees and contractors, old ways of dispatching teams to manage data centres are not always practicable. This is especially true in remote locations.

In such an environment, digital monitoring solutions have come to the fore. They use sophisticated technology to allow for the routine maintenance of such data centres at off-site facilities. The fact that such monitoring systems can improve the efficiency and safety of sites while reducing maintenance costs just adds to the business case for their use.

Real-time alerts

The most obvious advantage of digital monitoring of data centres is being able to check the status of equipment around the clock without the need for time-consuming visual inspections.

Rather than relying on old, hard-wired technology that connects alarms and controls, staff members can monitor a site from any location using an internet connection and a smartphone, laptop or tablet. If assets experience issues or come under threat from events such as storms and fires, a notification is automatically sent to alert head office about the potential threat.

This is beneficial for remote locations, in particular, because operators can track assets at all times and respond quickly to problems that may emerge. The software also facilitates complete reporting and management of all critical services equipment while eliminating human error. With digital monitoring, the ability of sensors to capture accurate data for predictive, scheduled and emergency maintenance also leads to cost efficiencies.

Comprehensive checks

With the right data centre monitoring software in place, facilities can keep an eye on every aspect of their operations - from power consumption and server failures to fire safety and equipment malfunctions - without having to set foot inside the facility.

Even if, for example, servers go down, the technology can be used to issue alerts and work requests to external personnel and ensure that operations are up and running as soon as possible. An added advantage is that staff who are responsible for overseeing sites do not have to be stuck in a control room because monitoring can be done from home, an office or even in the field.

Perhaps most importantly, digital monitoring of data centres provides peace of mind - knowing that valuable IT assets are as safe as possible and just seconds away from being fixed in the event of an incident.

Automating key functions on hazardous sites also reduces the number of workers who could potentially be exposed to harm without reducing the efficiency of the site.

As with any advanced technology, it is important to seek guidance and installation support from experienced suppliers to implement digital monitoring solutions. Act quickly, however. In the wake of the pandemic, such monitoring systems have shifted from being a nice-to-have technology to an essential business tool.

Delta Integrated Systems is a division of Delta Fire Australasia, which specialises in the installation and servicing of fire-suppression solutions to commercial and industrial sites.

 

How digital monitoring slashed project costs

The original budget for this project was set at USD$400,000. The cable costs alone over ran this budget without the inclusion of any installation or equipment costs.

By implementing digital monitoring, only 75% of the planned budget was required and allowed the field device coverage to be increased from the original 12 to 36 devices.

Delta Integrated Systems is a division of Delta Fire Australasia, which specialises in the installation and servicing of fire-suppression solutions to commercial and industrial sites.