IBM and Fujifilm have recently announced they have a new magnetic tape technology with storage capacity 44 times more dense than LTO 4 tape cartidges, or 35 terrabytes of uncompressed data per tape!  These new tapes utilize barium-ferrite (BaFe) particles, which are one-third the size of traditional tape particles and aligned perpendicular to the tape (as opposed to horizontal alignment of magnetic materials on LTO tapes) to achieve this super high-density capability.  BaFe is a crystaline substance which Fujifilm claims does not corrode or change over time, making it ideal for long-term archival storage.  Like any new technology, this BaFe tape has both positive and negative qualities that raise some questions about what they mean to the data storage community.

For one, what implications does this “hard-to-demagnetize” characteristic have for information security?  The tape manufacturer said the process of reducing the particle to microscopic size is a challenge because it risks reducing the resistance to demagnification of a ferromagnetic material.  This means tapes could be difficult to reuse or could lead to more errors as some parts of the tape may not be re-recorded due to this resistance.  Also imagine the problems of degaussing it at end of life. Will these tapes need to be shredded to ensure destruction of the information held within?

Another question is how will this high capacity capability fit into the tape rotation programs practiced by the majority of data center operators?  With the ability to store all of an organization’s operational and archival data on just a few tapes, how will this affect the timing of removing tapes to a secure offsite location?  How many organizations will have the volume of data to make it worth the switch to this new media type?  Maybe Google, Microsoft and other large enterprise companies will benefit from this new technology, but for smaller organizations it is not an issue.  They may still want a tape that is done at the end of the day.   

Cindy Grossman, vice president of IBM Tape and Archive Storage Systems, said the advancement shows that “tape storage is alive and strong and will continue to provide users reliable data protection, while maintaining a cost advantage over other storage technologies, including hard disk drives and flash drives.”  It will be interesting to see how these new super density tapes are utilized when they become available, and if they live up to their manufacterer’s expectations.

Over the past 25 years Firelock has built over 1500 modular fireproof vaults to protect IT equipment and other heat-sensitive assets.  In that time very few of these vaults have had the same dimensions as previously installed vaults.  Each vault is custom-sized to fit in an existing room or to provide for the client’s exact interior space requirements.  When length, width and height is easily customized it creates an almost infinite number of  vault size permutations.  This is why it is easy for Firelock to customize the Secure Agile Vault Environment (SAVE) units for each customer’s needs.

Of course building inside a shipping container limits the vault dimensions to some degree, but containers can be had in multiple sizes and the length of the vault can be customized.  The standard SAVE unit is constructed with a 40-foot shipping container and allocates space for a vestibule in front of the vault and a mechanical room behind it.  It also includes eight server racks, an overhead cable management system, internal fire suppression, Vette’s LiquiCool Rear Door Heat Exchanger system and the HVAC equipment to support it.  The SAVE unit can be delivered with all of these components, some of these components, or with just the vault itself.  It’s all up to the customer.

If the water chiller and support systems are not needed inside the SAVE unit, the mechanical room can be eliminated and the vault can be expanded into that area.  If the unit will always be operated in an indoor space, such as a warehouse, and weather protection and improved physical security is not required then the vestibule area can be eliminated.

With a history of customizing fireproof vaults to fit each individual customer’s needs, Firelock is able to do the same for the SAVE solution.  Just as it is with all Firelock vaults–it’s all about the customer.

Many of the major server equipment manufacturers have recently been marketing the concept of a “data center in a box,” which is a shipping container filled with their IT equipment to create easily transportable data center modules.  This concept does have some advantages over traditional data center facilities, such as mobility, scalability and compact size.  However, these high-density modules are very much at risk of being damaged or destroyed by fire, intrusion or even adverse weather conditions.

To address these threats, Firelock has created the Secure Agile Vault Environment, or SAVE solution.  By using a 40-foot shipping container and installing a Class 125 data vault a much more secure environment is provided for mission critical systems.  The vault ensures that IT equipment will be kept safe even if exposed to the heat of a catastrophic fire.  Physical security is also greatly improved with the double door assembly.  The vestibule area in the front of the container allows the container to be sealed before opening the vault doors, so even the worst weather conditions are not a threat to the valuable servers.  The on-board mechanical room behind the vault contains the HVAC system, so only power and network communications need to be supplied to the SAVE unit.

Firelock has taken a vendor-neutral approach to the mobile data center module concept.  Eight standard server racks are in place and ready for any hardware manufacturer’s equipment.  To cool these racks the Vette LiquiCool Rear Door Heat Exchanger system is utilized.  This efficient and compact cooling system uses the airflow from the server units so no power needs to be supplied to these economical and maintenance-free units.

For more details about the SAVE by Firelock, click here for an illustrated presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFQ9bOuQub4

One of the most difficult aspects of server room design is managing the temperature inside this critical area.  As the density of server racks increases and the heat generated by the IT equipment escalates year over year it is no wonder data center designers must consider their cooling options carefully to maintain optimum server room temperatures.

One option we have found to be an excellent solution in high density data centers is the Vette Corporation line of rear door heat exchangers for server racks.  These systems cool the exhaust air from server cabinets before they enter the airspace within the server room by circulating chilled water through the unit.  Because this design utilizes the airflow from the fans in the server equipment there is no power consumption from the cooling units, resulting in significant operating cost savings.

To protect against ambient heat, especially in hotter climates, the R-33 insulation rating of Firelock vaults is a major advantage in maintaining the correct server room climate.  All cooling system penetrations in Firelock server vaults, such as for coolant lines and ducted air, are specially designed and installed to prevent the heat from a fire from damaging or destroying the most critical area of the data center.  And of course the vault structure and doors are capable of maintaining the temperature below 125-degrees F. for at least two hours (up to four hours in larger server vaults) even if the outside temperature reaches 2,000-degrees.  Heat must be held below this critical threshold to protect the IT equipment and the vital information it holds.  After all, mission critical data centers must be protected from all threats–from within and without.

When most people think about security for the data center, the focus is on firewalls that keep hackers out of the network.  These countermeasures are absolutely essential for protecting the data hosted on the network.  One issue that isn’t emphasized enough is the need for physical security–keeping unauthorized personnel and other intruders out of critical areas in the data center.  The server room is especially vulnerable and in need of extra security, due to the value of the components in the server racks and the information they contain.

Electronic equipment must also be protected from heat exposure.  Fortunately, improved physical security is a beneficial by-product of the modular fireproof server vaults by Firelock.  The wall and roof panels used in the construction of these vaults is not specifically designed to stop intruders (these vaults are capable of maintaining interior temperatures below 125-degrees F. for two to four hours, depending upon the size of the vault, even if the fire outside the vault reaches 2,000-degrees F.) but it would take a significant amount of time to breach them.  If a motion sensor or other intrusion detection system is installed outside the vault area, this extra time gives security personnel or the police a chance to arrive before the server room is compromised.

The double door system is another major improvement to physical security in the data center.  The outer door is an 1,100-pound fire door with a combination lock.  When the door closes it automatically throws 10 steel bolts into the locked position in the steel door frame.  This would be a very difficult door for an intruder to open after the combination lock is engaged.  The inner door is a steel door with a conventional door handle and lock that is often converted to a magnetic lock that can be activated by swipe cards or biometric access control systems.  These electronic lock systems are ideal for controlling access to the critical vault area during business hours and keeping track of authorized personnels’ entry and exit times.

With all the threats to IT operations that exist in the world, it’s a distinct advantage to have one integrated part of the data center that can protect against both fire and intrusion.  Vaulting the server room with a modular data chamber protects mission critical data both ways.

When  comparing the specifications for fireproof server vaults, there is a distinct difference between the ASTM E119-00a testing standards found in the U.S. market and the EN1047-2 standard that dominates Europe, Asia and South America.  For example, the American test requires a five-hour fire test, with a blast furnace heating the vault to over 2,000-degrees F. to measure how long a vault structure can maintain temperatures below the critical 125-degrees F. threshold.  The same vault structure must then be exposed to a hose stream test to ensure it still has the structural integrity to resist the pressure of fire fighting efforts around the vault.

In contrast, the EN1047-2 test procedure only requires the vault structure to be exposed to heat from the furnace for one hour, after which the furnace is turned off and only the residual heat in the test area remains as the source of elevated temperatures outside the vault.  Even more surprising is the fact that a new vault structure is then used for the hose stream test, rather than the one that was exposed to heat.  Most fire testing experts agree this is not an accurate procedure to test real world capabilities.

Because of these different test procedures, Firelock vaults are designed and constructed very differently from those that are designed to meet the EN1047-2 requirements.  Every component of Firelock vaults is capable of meeting the Class 125 rating required to protect electronic equipment and the data stored within.  The European-spec vaults have some fire protection value in the vault structure (though not as robust as the ceramic fiber-core panels utilized by Firelock) but the other components are far from meeting the Class 125 rating.  For example, the EN1047-2 spec requires a single door with an outward swing and a “crash bar” opening mechanism to speed egress from the vault area.  The door is not much different than a standard steel commercial door, and it is not unusual for them to have windows.  Needless to say, this is a far cry from the Class 125 double door assembly employed on Firelock vaults.  The same is true for the cable and air duct entry points, where light-duty units are installed to ease speed of installation.

Does this mean IT infrastructure and information in Europe, Asia and South America are less valuable than the same type of assets in the U.S. market?  Not likely.  I believe it is more a matter of U.S. testing authorities recogizing then need to apply real world conditions to encourage the development of products that will protect American assets when the worst case scenario becomes a reality.

Our dependence on IT operations to keep businesses running and profitable has never been greater.  To prevent costly downtime, and perhaps even save the enterprise entirely, all threats to the data center must be addressed.  One threat that immediately comes to mind for data center planners is a catastrophic fire, which is why fire suppression systems are ubiquitous in mission critical server rooms.  These fire suppression systems are effective for extinguishing fires that start inside of a server room, but are useless when the fire burns its way in from anywhere else in the facility.  In fact, the heat of catastrophic fire will destroy equipment, and the data on that equipment, long before the fire penetrates a typical wall structure.  To truly protect IT infrastructure and information assets a data vault must prevent flames, smoke and heat from penetrating the structure.  That is why Firelock Data Protection Systems has seen increased demand for the server vault application of its fireproof modular data vaults in the past few years.

 Firelock has been building data-rated fireproof vaults for over 20 years, with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and offsite storage firms among its clients.  Utilizing a modular panel system with a core of ceramic fiber (a high temperature industrial insulating material), double door assemblies, insulated penetrations for cables and coolant lines, and insulated air duct dampers, Firelock builds data vaults with a minimum Class 125-Two Hour rating.  Depending upon the size of the vault, a Class 125-Four Hour rating can be achieved.  This means the temperature inside the vault remains below 125^o F. for the specified period of time with temperatures over 2,000^o F. outside the vault.  Here is a table with the ratings for corresponding vault sizes: 

 Traditionally these Class 125 vaults have been utilized to safeguard magnetic media, such as computer backup tapes.  Countless organizations safeguard their mission critical backup data in Firelock vaults, either in their own facilities or with an offsite storage service provider.  Recent trends in data center design are making Firelock’s server vaults a more and more attractive option for protecting mission critical IT infrastructure. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning a new data center or upgrading an existing facility is a daunting task.  In addition to selecting the hardware and software to meet your needs, there are all the support systems to consider.  Then there is the protective infrastructure to keep all of this mission critical equipment safe and secure.  Most of this data center equipment has a short life cycle, so achieving a good return on investment is even more difficult.  Fortunately, there is one part of the equation that has longevity and unsurpassed fire protection capabilities: a modular fireproof server vault from Firelock.

These Class 125 data vaults are custom designed to fit each client’s exact size requirements. The modular design allows vaults to be expanded in the future as needs grow.  They can even be relocated if you move data center operations to a new facility.  This flexibility and portability means your investment will be a critical part of your IT infrastructure for as long as you have equipment to protect.  Generation after generation of servers and support equipment will come and go over the years, but they will always need a protective environment to keep them safe.

After exhibiting at the GSA Expo and a technology show at the GSA Building in Washington, D.C. we have been instructed to partner with IT contractors that currently work for govenment agencies.  The federal officials who have seen our vaults believe there are countless data centers that need a true data-rated server vault to protect the information and equipment within these government IT facilities.

Along with all the military bases with mission critical infrastructure that need protection, there are many public service-oriented federal agencies that must safeguard the data in their charge.  Now that Firelock has a GSA contract to facilitate government acquisitions of these fireproof data vaults the federal data centers can get the level of protection they demand.

In this era of volatile energy prices and constant pressure to reduce operating expenses, data center managers are looking for savings everywhere.  Environmentally-friendly corporate initiatives are also in style these days.  “Green” is in.  Cutting costs without compromising security can be a daunting task, but there is one way fire protection can be improved while reducing power consumption: installing a Firelock Class 125 data vault to protect server rooms and/or data tape archives. 

The fireproof modular vault panels are constructed with a core of ceramic fiber insulation to keep the interior of the vault below 125-degrees F. for two to four hours (depending upon the size of the vault), even if temperatures outside the vault reach 2,000-degrees F.  A beneficial byproduct of the ceramic fiber content in Firelock panels is the R33 insulation rating.  To put this in perspective, the typical rating offered by fiberglass insulation in homes and businesses is R14.

To maintain the optimum climate inside the vault chamber Firelock offers protected penetrations for either ducted air or coolant lines for split systems.  Data centers can also use these ducts to vent the heated air in the “hot aisle” out of the server vault.  This heated air can be circulated throughout the office space to gain even more cost savings on utilities in the winter.

Unsurpassed fire protection and improved energy efficiency is a Win/Win for those responsible for security and operating expenses.  This is one way going Green can save you some green in the long run.