An ever increasing number of data centers are reaching an important stage in their lifecycle as they near or surpass 15 to 20 years. As such, these data center facility managers are not only focusing on their IT infrastructure and performance, but also on maintaining and upgrading their facilities.
Fire protection systems are critical elements that require serious consideration to keeping a data center running smoothly while keeping its assets and occupants under maximum protection. Every data center facility manager dreads running the risk of prolonged fire system downtime. Increased repair costs, frequent nuisance alarms or issues, and constant system failures may indicate that it is time to replace the data center’s life safety system. While a proper maintenance plan will help extend the life of the fire alarm system, little can be done in later years when components become scarce or even unavailable.