Halon is an odorless, colorless gas that extinguishes fire by tweaking combustion process. It was embraced by places such as data centers, libraries, and art museums because it didn’t leave any residue. But in late 1990s, Halon was found to be environmentally damaging, as well as potentially harmful to anyone doused by it?not a good situation for IT employees who might be in data center when a fire breaks out in building.

Although Halon was banned for new construction, it wasn’t outlawed, and refill tanks are still available for systems that are still in place. That means if a data center manager is looking to colocate, and facility in question was built before mid-’90s, it’s possible that a Halon system is in place. Besides environmental and health concerns, it’s worth thinking about stripping system or looking for another facility, Sacco notes, because Halon is frequently considered a poor alternative to a water-based system. For Halon to work, room has to be airtight because gas is heavier than air. That means any raised flooring or open vents could render system less effective.

Data Center Makeovers For companies that aren’t building a new data center but want to spiff up their existing facility, fire protection issues get more complicated. The replacement of one system with another isn’t just a discussion for architect and IT department head; rather, local fire authorities also have to be involved. Sometimes a municipality won’t allow a nonsprinkler system to be put in place, no matter how effective it might have proven to be in other facilities.

“Unfortunately, systems have to conform to rules set up by municipality where data center is located,” says Sacco. “The fire inspector could approve a chemical-based system in new construction but not approve capping of a wet sprinkler system in a remodel. That’s pretty common.”

In that case Sacco notes that data center managers should work with architects to develop a preaction system, which holds water in check until it’s absolutely necessary. Such a system will fill pipes with water but won’t release it until there’s a significant amount of heat in room.

In general Sacco recommends that every data center, whether new or old, should have a multilayered system in place for fire protection. That includes having latest fire suppression system but also doing periodic testing, assigning responsibility for system upkeep, and integrating fire protection with other temperature controls.

Makers of fuel cells, which would replace generators, are just beginning to test marketplace, as well. Fuel cell installations promise to be simpler, as there are no noise or pollution issues and units are fairly compact. But costs are unclear.

Data center personnel also worry about maintaining and testing. “Very few companies want to schedule a test once a month or once a week. I don’t think they exist. I never heard of one,” says McHugh. For average small to medium-sized enterprise, weekly tests are probably unnecessary. However, larger companies may need to test more often.

“In a hospital or nursing home, JCHA [Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation] recommends testing emergency generators once a week. They have to test under load and keep maintenance logs. How important is your data?” says Dauffenbach.

The best test is to use “building mode.” You simply simulate a power outage by cutting off power from outside. “Data centers don’t like to do that,” says Dauffenbach.

A compromise: Use a transition transfer switch. To test, or if you think an outage is coming, turn generator on first, synchronize generator’s output with utility’s power, and then open switch to cut off utility supply.

A more common approach is simply to turn on generator once a week or once a month, while utility continues to provide power to data center. Testing generator that way, without connecting to an external load (the equipment in data center itself), puts extra strain on it. Generator vendors recommend simulating load by installing a “dummy” load bank. The power can be dissipated with resistive wire (“Think of it as a giant toaster,” says Dauffenbach) or with inductive or capacitative loads. A 10KW load bank can cost $4,000 or more, depending on its type and its adjustability.

APC offers an annual service itself or through business partners worldwide. Under service plan, you can contract to have a test under load done periodically. The APC technicians arrive with their own load bank. “We also recommend testing under real load. Maybe quarterly, on a Sunday, shut down all noncritical processing tasks, check UPS batteries, and pull plug,” says Hunt.

The emergency generator business is dominated by local firms, working with local design consultants and electrical contractors. Among those suppliers who distribute nationally in addition to APC are Detroit Diesel, John Deere, and Caterpiller. You’ll be referred to a dealer-distributor such as Bowers Power, Covington Detroit Diesel-Allison, and GoPower.com.

Figuring The Size

Estimating generator size you might need involves more than adding up data center’s computer demand. Should you include power for air conditioning? “If you plan being on generator for no more than 20 or 30 minutes, you may not need air conditioning,” says McHugh. “But after 30 minutes, our preference is that at least a portion is put onto generator. A handful of lights is enough.”

If you include air conditioning, you will have to add extra generating capacity to allow for transient loads. Air conditioners, fans, and similar equipment start under load and draw far more than their rated power needs for a few seconds.

How to sell it to boss? “It comes down to dollars for everybody,” says McHugh. “What does this cost your company if you have a two-hour outage and you have a half-hour battery? Is this cost in hundreds of thousands? Millions?”