As part of a comprehensive disaster protection and recovery initiative, Arthur Blank & Co., the largest provider of private label credit and gift cards in North America, recently put a "lock" on its datacenter with the installation of a fireproof, Class 125-rated server vault from Firelock. The new Firelock-protected datacenter room can withstand temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit outside the walls, while keeping inside temperatures below 125 degrees Fahrenheit (Class 125 certified), ensuring the protection of sensitive servers and data housed in the facility.
"Protecting business and client data," said Jamie Caples, director of IT for Arthur Blank & Co., "is vital to our company's promise of delivering cards and related services with maximum uptime. Our retail and financial services clients deal with sensitive information that potentially involves billions of dollars, so they depend on us to plan for any contingency." Protecting their primary datacenter with a Class 125 fireproof vault is a critical element of Arthur Blank & Co.'s disaster recovery plan.
The Firelock Server Vault is comprised of several components. The walls and roof are constructed with a modular panel system using a core of ceramic fiber insulation, the same material used in steel foundries and for other high temperature industrial applications. A double door assembly, to meet the stringent Class 125 rating, is equipped with automatic closers that are activated by heat, smoke, flammable gas or a power failure.
Insulated cable penetrations, similar to those used in nuclear power plants, allow the myriad of data and power cables to be brought in without compromising the fireproof chamber. The coolant lines for the Liebert HVAC system are also protected by these insulated conduit penetrations. The entry points for the air ducts in the HVAC system are three-stage damper assemblies, which are protected by a housing also insulated with ceramic fiber.
According to Caples: "We realized standard room construction methods would allow heat and smoke to damage our datacenter even before flames penetrated the structure, which is why we sought out a data-rated vault solution for our facility. When we realized that the use of these pre-constructed fire-proof walls were comparable in cost to traditional dry wall construction the decision was easy." In addition to the fire protection capabilities of Firelock Server Vaults, the integrated Unimount ceiling grid makes it fast and efficient to install overhead wire management systems. Firelock's installation crew welds Unistrut directly to the roof panels of the vault so cable runs can be configured to match the server rack layout. There is also a great deal of flexibility in where the HVAC system and ducts can be located to optimize climate control and airflow.
Firelock vaults have traditionally been used to protect magnetic media, microfilm and other temperature-sensitive information assets. As data storage technologies have evolved, Firelock has seen an increasing demand for vaults to protect datacenters. The modular design allows these vaults to be built to the exact size and configuration requirements for retrofitting existing datacenters or constructing new facilities. The lightweight panel system even allows vaults to be located on upper floors. For above-grade locations Firelock installs an insulated floor system to protect against potential heat sources below the vault. The modular design also means vaults can be expanded or relocated if needed. The inherent design flexibility of Firelock's Server Vaults ensures their viability as datacenters continue to evolve.