Protecting Computer Systems From Fires

With businesses relying more and more on technology for their operations, creating great fire suppression systems that are compatible with computers has become very important. Here are some of the best ways to protect electronic equipment from fire damage. 

Use Building Structure to Your Advantage

Simply making some changes to your building's structure can help to control fires before they reach your server room. For one, make sure that your data center is protected from the rest of the office by a firewall. If you can afford it, keep your data in two separate areas that are isolated from each other by a firewall as well. This way, if one set of data is destroyed, you have a backup server to work with. 

Use Alternative Sprinklers

In many home systems, a combination of fire alarms and water-based fire sprinklers is the go-to option; you need to be a little more careful in a server room to avoid unnecessary water damage to your equipment. One option is to use fire sprinklers that rely on another fire suppression agent. Some fire sprinklers use pressurized gases to suppress a fire, for instance. Note that there are also some modified fire sprinklers that release water mist instead of a deluge; these are a viable option for dampening fires without causing damage to electronics. 

Get Power Control

An emergency power-off system is useful because it can help to stop electrical fires before they get out of control. But it can also help to prevent the short circuits in your electrical equipment that may lead to logic board and memory damage. When you're doing fire alarm installation, consider wiring the system so that it's hooked up to your office security system and shut-off switch. These systems work best when they can be activated remotely, and/or if they are automatically triggered by heat sensors, so that your computer equipment is interacting with a potential fire as little as possible.

Electronic Tracking Systems

Finally, you can benefit from making your fire alarm system hi-tech. It's possible to set up your building alarm system so that it connects to heat sensors, for instance. Your fire alarm installation could automatically notify the fire department or a building manager when unusual activity is detected. A smart surveillance system would also allow you to see inside the building in case there really is a fire and to potentially control the output of your fire sprinklers and other chemical suppression agents. 

In short, there are plenty of fire suppression options so that your data center doesn't need to be compromised at the first sign of a building fire. 

For more information, contact a company like Schmidt Security Pro-Since 1976.