Latest Standards For Computing Environments

BS/EN1047-2:2000 European Standard recommends that hardware be operated at a maximum temperature of 70 deg C and humidity of 85%.

Conventional F30-90 building materials (standard fire retardant office panels, brick, block, concrete) are simply required to prevent flame penetration for the period specified, not temperature control. In the event of a fire outside the computer room, they will not maintain required operating temperature or humidity levels or prevent the ingress of smoke, acrid gases, fire fighting water that will equally cripple hardware systems.

Fire suppression systems are only designed to deal with fires starting inside the room. Once an external fire has penetrated the internal space, the game is up.

The Modular IT Room System units were independently tested by the Warrington Fire Research Centre to BS476 (Certificate No WRSCI 33487). The results after 1 hour with the external temperature at 920 deg C showed that the temperature at the internal face was 68 deg C (i.e. within EN1047 recommendation). However, since temperature drops dramatically with distance from the panel and hardware is not generally placed directly against a wall, the actual operating temperature will have a substantial margin of safety. Other measurements were: Integrity 148 minutes (e.g. F148 fire penetration test), Stability 240 minutes (test discontinued at this point).