Earthquake Protection For Data Centers (Video)

In November 2015, Facility Executive featured on this website an earthquake protection service from Instor Solutions, a firm focused on data center infrastructure. The company’s service focuses on helping data center facility owners and operators avoid downtime and rebuilding costs. This involves utilizing Instor’s ISO-Base™ Seismic Isolation Platform Technology, which helps to protect data centers from seismic disruptions.

In January 2016, the ISO-Base Seismic Isolation Platform Technology was tested when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Alaska. The quake’s epicenter hit near Cook Inlet, 162 miles southwest of Anchorage. A credit union in the quake zone avoided massive damage to its data center thanks to the Instor platforms it has installed. The video below shows a row of 10 cabinets moving during the earthquake. The equipment includes a top and bottom platform with two Ball-N-Cone™ isolators, with planks connected with tubing into a front channel.