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Advanced smoke and fire detection system for Internet infrastructure provider

As the need for safe and secure broadband networking capabilities increases, US-based Zama Networks, a leader in Internet infrastructure and managed services deployment, has designed a state-of-the-art environment for its customers.

Zama Networks is located in an advanced telecommunications campus just south of downtown Seattle, directly adjacent to a convergence of existing optical fibre routes. Zama's Data Fort Facility contains administrative offices, a Network Operations Centre (NOC), and a co-location equipment room - the largest area at 1486 m², which accommodates racks upon racks of servers for its network customers. The 5202 m² facility houses telephone equipment, DC power and battery storage, rectifiers, UPS room, and AC switchgear.

A suitable solution

One of the significant challenges that Zama faced when securing its facility was finding an advanced smoke and fire detection system that responded promptly and accurately, and provided detailed facts on possible fire location. According to Tim Martin, Vice President of Implementation Engineering at Zama Networks, "Fire suppression on the data floor is a key concern. We required a solution that not only could deploy reliable sensors to detect smoke immediately, but also could allow us to employ earliest intervention."

The initial design considered by Zama provided no specific information regarding smoke source location and had an inadequate early warning system for slow smouldering fires - putting the facility at a higher risk than what Zama was willing to accept. Although this choice was sensor-based, it was only capable of monitoring 84 m² sections, making smoke detection more difficult to immediately trace. To complicate matters, the temperatures in the server rooms varied. Because data centres emit intense heat and require constant air-conditioning to generate cooling, the resulting high air-flow made smoke detection difficult.

Zama enlisted the help of a local distributor, Fire Chief Equipment (FCE) of Bellevue, Washington, for advice and recommendations on a fire detection system that would best meet its needs. After studying the environment and analysing exact requirements, FCE began researching which fire detection system was best suited to this type of setting and would interface with the facility's existing management system and presented the company with Notifier's very intelligent early warning (VIEW) detector.

Intelligent warning detector

The VIEW detector, along with the AFP-400 interfacing control panel, easily joined the building's existing system which monitors generators, air conditioning, monitor modules, and the sprinkler systems. "We chose Notifier because of its interoperability and scalability with our building management telemetry," comments Peter Tifft, Zama's Network Operations Technician. "After some minor software upgrades, the VIEW detector was completely installed and operational, enhancing Zama's system with minimal downtime."

With its tightly focused laser light beam, plus special lens and mirror optics, the VIEW detector is suitable for computer rooms, telephone switching facilities, delicate medical areas and clean rooms. It can differentiate between dust and smoke particles and is designed to reject false signals caused by larger airborne particles such as dust, lint, and small insects.

The control panel's unique 'cooperative detection' feature enables several sensors to consider readings from adjacent sensors and to detect low-level smoke - instead of a single sensor detecting smoke at a higher level. This quick response buys Zama more time to prevent a disaster.

"Notifier's advanced technology provides unprecedented value to Zama in ensuring the safety of its employees, visitors, equipment and clients' mission-critical data," concludes Julie Bowlin, Network Operations Team Leader.

For further details contact Notifier on tel: (011) 805 1201.

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