Secure operations for Digital Realty’s data centers

Digital Realty is one of the world’s leading providers of data centers, colocation, and interconnection solutions. In Zurich, the company operates three modern data centers in Glattbrugg. The buildings ZUR1, ZUR2, and ZUR3 together offer more than 25,000 m² of colocation space and form one of the most important platforms for national and international companies that rely on highly available IT infrastructures. With its focus on sustainability, carbon neutrality, and the highest security standards, the Zurich data centers are a central part of Digital Realty’s global network. A special highlight: the 45 MW campus was the first site worldwide to be fully awarded the «Gold+» certification by the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association (SDEA). This sets new benchmarks for the sustainable operation of data centers in Switzerland.

Challenges of fire protection in data centers

Fire protection in data centers is a particularly demanding task. Even the slightest smoke development or short circuit can have massive consequences: data loss, failure of critical systems, or high financial damages. In addition to protecting human lives, ensuring availability is the top priority.

Fire detection systems must therefore be highly sensitive to respond early, but also smart enough to avoid false alarms. A reliable, fail-safe, and scalable solution is crucial to guarantee uninterrupted operation of the infrastructure.

Our solution: SecuriFire Expert

To meet these requirements, we installed a comprehensive SecuriFire Expert fire detection system in the ZUR3 data center. This solution is specifically designed for complex infrastructures like data centers. It provides earliest possible smoke detection, a redundant architecture for maximum availability, flexible scalability, and intelligent algorithms to prevent unnecessary false alarms.

At ZUR3, complete monitoring of all areas was implemented: automatic fire detectors secure the technical rooms, corridors, and office areas, while the data halls are equipped with ASD 535 aspirating smoke detectors. Explosion-proof detectors are used in the chiller rooms. In addition, a multi-zone gas extinguishing system with 26 zones protects the critical infrastructure. The systems are interconnected via SecuriWAN 2.0.

Maintenance of existing systems

In addition to installing the fire detection system at ZUR3, we also handle the maintenance of access control and video security systems. Although these systems were not originally built by us, our services ensure reliable and uninterrupted operation.

We are also currently overseeing a major modernization project at ZUR1 and ZUR2, where the existing access control and video security systems are being progressively replaced by the latest solutions. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025. Digital Realty will then have a unified, consistent security architecture across the entire campus.

Conclusion

With the combination of state-of-the-art fire detection technology, maintenance of existing systems, and continuous modernization of access and video security, Securiton supports Digital Realty in meeting the high safety and availability requirements of the data center industry. This close collaboration creates a solid foundation for reliable operations – today and in the future.