Data Center Design Standards

[nemisys]

Ok, this might not be the proper section, but seemed the closest fit. Here is the issue:

Company A is moving to a new location. As a result, a new Data Center is being built. However, currently floorplans dictate the Datacenter doors will be opening into the datacenter instead of outward.

I could have sworn that, throughtout the years and various CCxA courses I had taken, that there was a standard that dictated the Data Center doors must swing out. This standard applied to BDFs and IDFs.

Am I crazy or is there an actual standard? Various google searches have all provided company docs that say the doors should swing out, but none have mapped back ot an OSHA, IEEE, EIA/TIA, etc standard.

Anyone got any ideas?

thanks,

 

[jajmon]

If it helps - I've been in the biz for ~20+ and every datacenter I've been in, the doors swing OUT (Pillsbury, BlueCross BlueShield, 3M, and many others)

 

[nemisys]

yeah I've been doing it roughly 6 years and every one I have come across as swung out. This is Datacenters, IDF's, and Electrical rooms.

I just coulda sworn there was an actual standard. I believe it relates to having a dry chem fire suppression system, but am still searching.

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

i would assume they swing out incase you got to storm out of their fast...

 

[TimDgsr]

the building we lease from has inward swinging doors on their MDF/IDFs

It's a building owned by UAB.

 

[electromagnetic]

I've been working in a data center for over 2 years now and this is by far the most interesting subject on data centers that has surfaced. Also the only subject, wow my job is just that interesting.

 

[Ddruid_SMP]

It's been about a 50/50 split with the datacenters that I have been in. I don't know if there is any actual regulation on the direction, but it makes since to me to have the door swing out, primarily to prevent someone pushing a door open and knocking someone off a ladder, etc.

On the other side of the coin, a door that swing inwards will allow a better positive seal on the entryway when the door is shut due to the airpressure forcing the door closed..

 

[coin]

as a counterpoint a door that swings out is harder to break in

 

[nemisys]

well I was thinking a door that swings out makes mor esense. If you have a dry chem fire suppression, you usually have a very limited amount of time to clear the room. I believe it was well under a minute at the last place I worked. Doors that swing out make it easier to exit a room so it seemed, as a fire regulation or something along those lines, to make sense.

I am still trying to dig up the old CCDA info I had regarding this but have had no luck as of yet. Iwill post if I find a definete answer.

and yes electromagnetic, not a very interesting topic, but it is more a matter of stubborn principle as a result of an argument iwht a coworker as to which way the door should swing. Not a life or death decision, but I would like to be able to say I was right