General Paths of Access

All entries into the data center shall be secured. There should be a direct communication between control center and the building guard station and it should be both audio and visual for high sensitive sites.

The points of access include main data center personnel access, non-data center personnel access, vendor equipment - access, access to support equipment, such as UPS and batteries, HVAC equipment, miscellaneous electrical equipment repair access, telecommunications vendor access, and separate user group access.

The maximum slope for ramps is 8° from horizontal for movement of cabinets with equipment. However, some accessibility regulations specify a maximum rise of 1:12, or about 4.8°. Additionally, the ramp shall be at least 900 mm (36 in) clear width, have handrails on both sides, and have a 1.5 m (5 feet) clear landing at the top and bottom.

If the computer room has only one ramp, it shall meet Rwanda Information Society Authority accessibility requirements. One ramp for equipment and an elevator or ramp for wheelchair access is acceptable.

The main access to the data center should be secured via some form of access control. This control can be a combination of personnel and electronics or solely electronics. Each client should consider the level of security necessary for protection of the data being processed.

Sites without a building guard should have both audio and visual controls at the initial point of access to the data Center.

In data centers occupied 24/7; it is recommended that the initial main access route lead into a secure location outside the computer room that provides additional control prior to entrance into the computer room. Observe life safety code regarding egress.

The data center shall allow for the delivery of computer and telecommunications equipment to the facility. The computer/telecommunications equipment delivery pathway, including doors, shall allow for delivery of equipment as large as 3 m (10 feet) long by 1.2 m (4 feet) deep by 2.4 m (8 feet) high, weighing greater than 3400 kg (7500 lb).

The routes for mechanical and electrical equipment shall be large enough to permit installation of new equipment and removal of old equipment—a clear height of at least 2.7 m (9 ft) is typically required along routes from the loading docks to the electrical and mechanical rooms. Clear height requirements shall consider the height of equipment, packaging, and moving equipment.

The local access providers require access to the telecommunications entrance rooms, but they are generally restricted from access to the computer room unless:

• The entrance room is a portion of the computer room.
• The computer room houses equipment such as DWDMs, SONET multiplexers, or other circuit provisioning equipment.
• The carrier demarcation points (e.g., DS-1 or DS-3 DSX panels) reside in the computer room.
  

Access control shall allow access by essential vendors that support the processing equipment. The access control system may require that such vendors be escorted. This control shall allow the data center personnel to know when and where the vendors access the data center.

Support equipment that requires servicing should be serviced on the perimeter of the data center to prevent untrained personnel from inadvertently damaging the processing equipment.