Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Specially Designed Raised Computer Floors Protect Vital Equipment

By Iva Cannon


Computers, especially in the large numbers you see in a computer room, are a big expense. They serve the purposes for which they are designed and used and they must be protected. They must be protected from dust, dirt and something even more dangerous to them and all of the data that represents their contribution to the business model. The raised computer floors is one of the best tools for this.

Computers deal with a lot of data and the ones in most commercial applications deal with a lot more. This data is used for everything from marketing, storage, client relations, or even the service the company provides to their clients. As such it is vital this data stays safe. The floors, believe it or not, help do this.

Heat is a very dangerous thing for computers. They can slow down and even stop working, or stop working properly. This means they will not produce the results they are capable of. This also means, when it gets hot enough, they will stop and the vast majority of the data, stored on them, will be lost.

These special floors are raised from the sub floor by as much as one to three feet. All of the trunk lines and electrical wiring are run in these spaces. The floor, that you walk on, are actually perforated panels that permit the flow of cooled air from one space to the other. The cooling or, actually chilling systems are also run through this space keeping everything cool.

These square panels are set on stanchions through a unique design that requires a socket on the corner of each panel fitting over a post on the top of a stanchion. This design allows all panels to be installed in a tight way that does not allow the entire floor to shift. If it does, a reset of the whole room is a complicated procedure.

The engineering that goes into each panel and stanchion is an exacting science. The entire room is measured and the number of panels, based on the general size of each, is determined. The runs, or rows of panels are established, starting with the exact center panel and each next one is trimmed to align with one before it. If more than six to eight are removed, at the same time, the entire room may have to be reset. This is a costly project and people who routinely enter the floor work hard not to allow that to happen.

Cleaning must be accomplished under the flooring just as in any other area. Dust and dirt will fall through the perforations, so it must be removed. The custodial staff will lift each panel out, one at a time, and a vacuum or special cloths will be used to remove this contamination.

This special flooring works the way they are supposed to because people, within the room, maintain the proper protocols. These protocols include reducing the amount of unnecessary material brought into the room. It works because it is designed to take advantage of several scientific principles dealing with airflow and cooling.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment