While designing a server room, there are several factors which need to be kept in mind. As it is a room working particularly to power and operate computer servers, serving the purpose of ICT, the room needs to be designed in accordance with the needs of such a room.
While designing the walls and doors, the dimensions of the two have to be particularly managed and checked. The walls can be lined with asbestos and have to make sound proof because of the functionality of the room. The doors also need to be sound-isolated to give the room the privacy and environment needed. Moreover, the doors need to be about 8 feet tall, with dimensions 42 to 48 inches wide and can be sliding doors to reduce noise (“Standards for computer server rooms,” 2016). Controlling physical access to the server room is also important. Managing the keys to the room is in the hands of the person in-charge of the room. It is important that duplicate keys be made, but the duplicates need to be identified as duplicate from the original. Electronic entrances are another possibility whereby face recognition, palm detection and passwords can be optional as well. For the fire detection, there needs to be a fire repression system installed (“Standards for computer server rooms,” 2016).There can also be a fire rated system if there are cables and cooling wires embedded in the ceiling or the floor. Automatic fire suppression systems are effective as well. If the traditional method of fire extinguishers is employed, then electrical supply to the room must be cut off. Cooling for the room can be done by duct-systems or the under-the floor approach can be used. The air conditioning needs to control the humidity level in the room. The system is independent of cooling the rest of the building. Usually a temperature of 72 Fahrenheit is necessary to be maintained where the unit is about 4 feet away from the computer system. The power distribution is by the installation of electrical panels that can supply uninterrupted electrical energy, however, UPS backup is also important where the UPS and its batteries can be accommodated in a separate space (“Standards for computer server rooms,” 2016).
Figure 1: Server Room
References
Standards for computer server rooms. (2016). Retrieved August 1, 2016, from
http://blink.ucsd.edu/technology/computers/basics/resources/servers.html
