On Sun, 05 November 2000, Marshall Eubanks wrote:

In Fairfax and Loudon Counties here in Virginia, fire codes require water for fire suppression (you can use other means, but you have to have water). So all the co-lo and exchange facilities here have pressurised water fire suppression. I have been surprised at how many of these do not have DRAINS for the water. In my real estate experience, whenever you have the possibility of water release, you will eventually HAVE water release. With no drains, that means you will have to move the equipment out to get the water out...

Its a catch-22. In Rochelle Park, a substantional amount of the flooding entered the building through the drains and plumbing. If you have openings for the water to flow out, the water can also flow in. On the other hand, there have also been colo's (in Virginia) with depressed/raised floors which turned into concrete pools submerging all the data cables and power cables below the raised floor. Do I have a solution? No. I've thought about building in dry sumps and containment (i.e. like nuclear reactor buildings). But that has problems too.