Protecting a data center against a natural disaster is different to securing a facility against an unnatural threat. Certain measures such as planting foliage to obscure it from view is good for security but becomes a risk in adverse weather events. Locating a data center on higher ground may protect against flooding, but may increase exposure to strong winds and lightning.
For total protection against natural disasters, many experts agree that underground or subterranean facilities offer both maximum protection and security. For example, United States Secure Hosting and Colocation (USSHC) offers a heavily reinforced underground data center which, according to the vendor, is designed to survive even a nuclear blast. In terms of more probable scenarios, the facility, which is located on a dedicated property at an elevation several hundred feet above the nearest flood plain, is virtually immune to flooding and high winds.
Choosing the right location is key when planning a new data center, with areas not subject to severe storms or tectonic events being best. Using dual centers means that if one data center suffers storm damage, the other data center can continue vital enterprise operations. Building a data center to industry best practices such as EN 50600, which is the European standard for data centre infrastructure, covering aspects of design, power, cooling systems, security, and sustainability. EN 50600-2-1 defines the requirements and recommendations for building construction, independent of the size and function of the data centre. It addresses a wide range of situations including the choice of location and site selection for a new data centre to the assessment of existing buildings and structures. It then defines requirements for the applicable constructional aspects and is directly linked to EN 50600-2-5 in relation to physical security aspects.
For an existing data center, they should concentrate on disaster remediation and recovery. Remediation means retrofitting the data center to provide greater disaster resistance, preferably using a cost/benefit analysis, thinking about actors including weather history; damage, if any, from previous storms; and weather trends which include predicted trends from climate change.
Protecting Existing Data Center with Asset Positioning:
- Elevate equipment or other physical assets off the floor. In a multi-story facility, move the most valuable assets to the highest floor possible. Avoid the top floor, however, since strong winds could damage the roof.
- Relocate equipment or other physical assets away from doors and windows.
- Remove outdoor furniture, trash containers, and other relatively lightweight objects that could become windblown missiles.
- Inspect the roof flashing at regular intervals.
- Walls & Windows
- Line exterior walls with steel-reinforced concrete.
- Shield windows with hurricane shutters or other readily deployable wind-resistant coverings.
- If possible, fill in window openings with concrete or brick.
- Water Evacuation
- Install pumping stations to remove storm water before it can accumulate to dangerous levels.
- Install an emergency generator to ensure pumping operations are not disrupted due to an external power failure.
To attend talks from industry leaders, connect with solution providers and network with peers, join us at the 2nd Constructing Sustainable Data Centers Europe: Revolutionizing Planning, Design, and Engineering, taking place on October 14-15, 2025, in Berlin, Germany.For more information, click here or email us at info@innovatrix.eu for the event agenda. Visit our LinkedIn to stay up to date on our latest speaker announcements and event news.
