Fire Supression

jwads

What is the most appropriate type of fire suppression system to install in a data center computer room?
Dry-pipe sprinkler system
Gaseous fire suppression
Dry chemical suppression
Wet chemical suppression


I assume it would be gaseous supression but why is Dry chemcical not an option?

Plantwiz

Start with your local fire codes to see what is acceptable in your region.

Dry Chemical is a mess to clean up. However, if this is what you are limited to using, you may not have a choice. Though dry-pipe (pipes with heads without pressure) can be effective if you have an emergency power-off feature. However, you don't list it above as part of your question.

The answer can require a bit more than a simple pick...several factors may be variable.

And to use gaseous, the room needs to be sealable. Halon is outdated and not enviromentally ideal. FM200 is used typically for gaseous solutions.

jwads

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Dry pipe is an option. This is one of the questions on the practice CompTIA Sec+ exam, trying to figure out what the right answer would be in their eyes.

Plantwiz

My mistake.

I thought you were looking for information assist you as a professional in the field.

And what you don't list above is the EPO feature. I noted you have dry-pipe, but typically it is desirable to piggyback with EPO.

quinnyfly

Elinminate all inapprpriate supression techniques and theres your answer, but I would go the gaseous <as in Co2 fire supression>. Co2 displaces the oxgen with a confined space taking away one of the factors feeding a fire. Also read up on class C fires. But I am unsure as whether the classes may be region specific.

jwads

Ya, I vote for gaseous supression as well, but without being able to check the answer I feel unsure..I don't like feeling unsure..

paul78

I'm not familiar with Comptia's body of knowledge but other best practices like ISC2 - would consider gaseous suppresion to be most appropriate answer. The reason would be following:

1) A data center is considered non-human occupied space so water isn't a necessary requirement.
2) Data center fires are generally electrical in nature. So that would be classified as a Class C fire. Class C fires are best suppressed with gas.
3) Chemical suppression in a data center will damage the equipment so recovery would be an issue.

In the real-world - it will vary by local regulation and where the data center is located (high-rise, etc.), size of the data center, and proximity to human occupied space.

My personal preference in a real-world is to prefer the use of water from a life-safety point of view - I.e pre-action dry pipe

hattz

Plantwiz wrote: »

Start with your local fire codes to see what is acceptable in your region.

Dry Chemical is a mess to clean up. However, if this is what you are limited to using, you may not have a choice. Though dry-pipe (pipes with heads without pressure) can be effective if you have an emergency power-off feature. However, you don't list it above as part of your question.

The answer can require a bit more than a simple pick...several factors may be variable.

And to use gaseous, the room needs to be sealable. Halon is outdated and not enviromentally ideal. FM200 is used typically for gaseous solutions.

I think in Inergen is another common replacement (similar to FM200). No idea on price or operational comparison though.

Darril

jwads wrote: »

...without being able to check the answer I feel unsure..I don't like feeling unsure..

You've gotten some great information in this thread but if you feel unsure and you don't like feeling unsure, you may like to use a source of practice test questions that have explanations. There are many quality sources out there at prices ranging from $7.99 to $139.

I'm not sure where you're getting your questions from but if it's from the CompTIA web site, you can get those answers and explanations. CompTIA has outsourced this to MeasureUp but the questions are only available in certification mode via the CompTIA site. If you want MeasureUp's official answers and explanations (they aren't CompTIAs official answers and explanations even though the CompTIA site is the portal), you can buy MeasureUp's products. I think you can download 291 questions for only $109. If "only" and "$109" don't go together for you there are other sources available.

Good luck.

jwads

Ya, I really don't want to buy just a bunch of questions and cram them in, I would like to understand the reasoning behind the questions and answers. I was hoping someone would have a definite answer, and I guess gaseous suppression is the consensus for this question

paul78

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That's a great attitude to have. You're going to do great! Good luck in your studies.

jwads wrote: »

I was hoping someone would have a definite answer

Herein lies the rub - there are going to be topics where there isn't always a perfect definite answer Especially when in comes to soft topics like best-practices. One person's best practice in their industry segment may not apply to someone elses.

jwads

So when taking the exam you choose the CompTIA best way?

paulgswanson

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That's how I understand it.