[AusNOG] [AUSNog] : Re Data Centre Fire Suppression Safety

[Alan Maher]

Co2 was the original choice for fire problems in early data centres.
Then....... they found a few problems.
Number one problem was that Co2 was so cold it not only put put the 
fire, but it completely
destroyed all the circuit boards. They cracked and so did the computers.
Plan B was Halon, and we all know how that worked.
Illegal now, but probably the guys in Antarctica may have hit the wrong 
button.
On 13/12/2018 6:17 PM, Matt Perkins wrote:
> Depends on the fire system. If it’s co2 like in some high power 
> environments it can be quite dangerous but most other agents are 
> relatively harmless.   I can’t think of a good reason why a data 
> Center would use co2. Most environments with co2 suppression also have 
> leak detectors and alarms.
>
> Matt
>
>
>
> -- 
> /* Matt Perkins
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> On 13 Dec 2018, at 11:00 am, Chris Ford <chris.ford at inaboxgroup.com.au 
> <mailto:chris.ford at inaboxgroup.com.au>> wrote:
>
>> As a university cadet working for IBM in the late 80s I remember 
>> getting inducted into the Westpac data centres and getting a long 
>> explanation of what to do when the halon system went off – where the 
>> breathing gear was, where the exits were, to basically just drop 
>> everything and run.
>>
>> Have been inducted into a few DCs in the last 3 years and can’t 
>> remember that being part of the induction at all – although given I 
>> already knew it I may have just glossed over that part.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Chris Ford
>>
>> Chief Technology Officer
>>
>> *INABOX GROUP*
>>
>> *m***0401 988 844 *e***chris.ford at inaboxgroup.com.au 
>> <mailto:chris.ford at inaboxgroup.com.au>
>>
>> *t***02 8275 6871 *w***www.inaboxgroup.com.au 
>> <http://www.inaboxgroup.com.au>
>>
>> *From:*AusNOG <ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net 
>> <mailto:ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net>> *On Behalf Of *Paul Wilkins
>> *Sent:* Thursday, 13 December 2018 10:53 AM
>> *To:* AusNOG at lists.ausnog.net <mailto:AusNOG at lists.ausnog.net>
>> *Subject:* [AusNOG] [AUSNog] : Re Data Centre Fire Suppression Safety
>>
>> Every data centre has a fire suppression system. We're not used to 
>> thinking of this as a hazardous environment, but consequent to two 
>> techs being found dead working on a fire suppression system in 
>> Antarctica 
>> <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/12/antarctica-two-technicians-dead-mcmurdo-station-ross-island>, 
>> I find myself wondering yet again, why there aren't more stringent 
>> controls around the fire suppression systems in data centres: viz - 
>> when you enter a data centre, how confident can you be you're not 
>> going to be quietly asphyxiated?
>>
>> Kind regards
>>
>> Paul Wilkins
>>
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