Comments on: UCS Machine Room Tour http://sjcuthbertson.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/ucs-machine-room-tour/ Philosophy, cookery and geekery Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:30:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Stuart http://sjcuthbertson.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/ucs-machine-room-tour/#comment-42 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:26:08 +0000 http://www.sjcuthbertson.me.uk/wordpress/2007/11/25/ucs-machine-room-tour/#comment-42 Hi, and thanks for reading!

IIRC (and I may well be wrong: I’m not claiming to be an expert, and the talk was two weeks ago) there’s a 30s delay between detection of fire and activation of the suppression system, which is plenty for anyone in the room to get out. There are also yellow buttons on the walls which you can press to delay activation even longer, if, say, there was a disabled person in the room.

I’m pretty sure the tour guide stated that the mix will asphyxiate you pretty much instantly – because it doesn’t induce a choking reflex. This is deemed OK because the room ISN’T “normally occupied” per se – most of the employees work on the boxes remotely, from offices elsewhere in the building.

]]> By: John Boyer http://sjcuthbertson.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/ucs-machine-room-tour/#comment-41 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:08:33 +0000 http://www.sjcuthbertson.me.uk/wordpress/2007/11/25/ucs-machine-room-tour/#comment-41 Hi Stuart,
Interesting story but sorry to spoil your good intro;
” complete with slightly scary fire-suppression system (you have 30s to get out, at which point the standard nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere in the room is forcefully replaced by an argon-based mix, causing you to die pretty much instantly but stop the fire almost as instantly)”

The fire suppression agent you refer to, argon based mix, if used in the correct design concentration will not kill you instantly, it is specifically designed for normally occupied areas and will allow sufficient time to leave the area in an orderly manner.

Thought I should let you know to avoid any undue concerns.
Kind regards
John

]]>