Data center resilience driven by FM Approvals standards

In the data center world, perfection has a number: 99.999%. Commonly referred to as the “five nines” benchmark — allowing for just over five minutes of downtime per year — this metric is the gold standard for reliability. Operators know too well the steep financial implications of downtime. That’s where FM Approvals examination standards come in.

Loss prevention products, those designed to keep facilities running while mitigating against natural and other hazards, are evaluated by FM Approvals to confirm performance under real-world conditions. To earn an FM Approvals certification, products must meet multiple criteria at once. For example, some products must not ignite or self-propagate flame while remaining functional under demanding conditions.

As the global data center market expands rapidly — expected to grow from $347 billion in 2024 to nearly $387 billion in 2025 — maintaining the five nines level of resilience at scale will be both critical and challenging to maintain. FM Approvals’ testing and certification can play a role in advocating for and supporting loss prevention practices that promote resilience.

Standards for data centers: Best practices for reliability

When it comes to data center protection and loss prevention, no single solution can carry the load. Reliability comes from layering safeguards, each addressing a specific vulnerability, each tested to perform when called upon.

At a high level, FM Approvals examination standards support the following best practices and resources that data center manufacturers and operators can rely on to reduce risk and minimize downtime.

1. Contain fire at the source. 

When faced with fire, the building materials inside a data center — from aisle containment panels to wall assemblies — should not contribute to the ignition or spread of flames. Choosing limited-combustible and low-smoke materials ensures that a fire doesn’t gain momentum in the very structures designed to manage airflow and protect equipment. Ceiling configurations also matter: suspended panels must not interfere with sprinkler performance or allow flames to spread at floor level.

Relevant standards:

• FM 4882 - Class 1 Interior Wall and Ceiling Materials or Systems for Smoke Sensitive Occupancies: Limits flame spread and smoke from wall and ceiling panels, reducing both fire risk and contamination.
• FM 4884 - Panels Used in Data Processing Center Hot and Cold Aisle Containment Systems: Ensures separators used in thermal management do not propagate fire.
• FM 4910 - Cleanroom Materials: Limits flame spread and smoke, reducing both fire risk and contamination.
• FM 4651 – Plastic Suspended Ceiling Panels: Evaluates ceiling panels to ensure they do not obstruct sprinklers or contribute to fire spread.

2. Stop fire from spreading through openings. 

Every penetration — for cables, pipes or ducts — creates a potential escape route for fire and smoke. Without reliable barriers, an incident that begins in one room can quickly spread across the facility. Data center designs must prioritize compartmentation to seal pathways that could undermine continuity.

Relevant standards:

• FM 4990 – Firestopping: Prevents fire and smoke spread through penetrations and joints.
• FM 4924 – Pipe and Duct Insulation: Reduces the chance of flame spread through parallel runs of piping and ducts.
• FM 4925 – Fabric Ducts and Insulation Lined HVAC Ducts: Limits flame spread in flexible and insulated HVAC duct systems, a growing alternative to galvanized steel.

3. Protect cabling infrastructure. 

Cables are the nervous system of a data center, but they are also combustible. Once fire starts in bundled cables or trays, it can spread rapidly across an entire room, jeopardizing both power and communication. Cable coatings, wraps and blankets can reduce ignition risk and slow flame spread, keeping these critical lifelines from fueling a larger fire.

Relevant standards:

• FM 3971 – Fire Protective Coatings and Wraps for Grouped Cables: Applied to grouped cables to reduce ignition and limit flame spread.
• FM 3972 – Cable Fire Propagation: Evaluates how different types of cables resist or propagate fire.
• FM 3973 – Blankets for Cable Trays: Provides fire protection for trays by limiting flame spread across bundled cabling.

4. Safeguard power and cooling systems. 

Power and cooling are the lifeblood of uptime, but they also introduce vulnerabilities. Rooftop photovoltaics, cooling towers and industrial fluids must withstand hazards like fire, wind, hail and seismic stress. FM Approved components and systems ensure these critical assets function safely under both everyday and extreme conditions.

Relevant standards:

• FM 4478 – Roof-Mounted Rigid Photovoltaic Module Systems: Evaluates fire, wind, and hail performance of rooftop solar arrays.
• FM 4479 – Steep Slope Building Integrated Photovoltaic Roof Covers: Tests building-integrated PV roof systems for fire, wind, hail and electrical safety.
• FM 4480 – Ground-Mounted or Elevated Photovoltaic Module Systems: Tests ground-mounted arrays for fire and weather hazards.
• FM 4930 – Cooling Towers: Ensures towers resist combustibility as well as wind, ice, snow and seismic loads.
• FM 6930 – Fire Performance of Industrial Fluids: Tests lubricants, hydraulic fluids and coolants to ensure they don’t add fuel to a fire.

5. Suppress fire quickly while being mindful of sensitive electronics. 

Even with preventive measures in place, ignition can still occur. In a data center, suppression systems must act fast while minimizing collateral damage to sensitive electronics. Water mist systems are capable of providing efficient cooling and control over involved combustibles thus limiting overall water discharge, reducing both fire spread and equipment loss.

Relevant standard:

• FM 5560 – Water Mist Systems: Establishes design and performance requirements for water mist systems, now expanded to cover HC-2 and HC-3 non-storage occupancies, allowing for full-building protection in data centers.

6. Manage lithium-ion battery hazards. 

Backup power is indispensable, but lithium-ion batteries come with the risk of thermal runaway. The best practice is early detection and identifying failures before heat and flames develop. Off-gas detection systems provide the critical warning window that allows operators to intervene and prevent a single cell failure from cascading into a major event.

Relevant standards:

• FM 6540 – Lithium-Ion Battery Off-Gas Detection: Certifies detectors that identify gases released in the earliest stages of battery failure.
• FM 3960 – Battery Backup Units for Distributed Power in Data Centers (in development): Will establish criteria for battery backup systems widely used in modern data centers.

7. Monitor the condition of critical equipment. 

Not all downtime is caused by fire. Electrical switchgear, transformers, and rotating machinery can also fail, leading to sudden outages. It is beneficial to deploy condition monitoring systems that detect early warning signs of failure — heat, vibration or gas emissions — so operators can perform preventive maintenance and avoid unplanned downtime.

Relevant standards:

• FM 6510 – Condition Monitoring for Switchgear Equipment: Detects overheating and insulation issues in high-voltage equipment.
• FM 6520 – Dissolved Gas Analysis Monitoring Systems: Provides early detection of transformer faults by analyzing dissolved gases.
• FM 6530 – Condition Monitoring of Rotating Machinery: Tracks vibration, misalignment and bearing wear in pumps, turbines and motors.

Business continuity supported by combinations of standards

In a data center, no product operates in isolation. For example, a cooling tower might withstand wind and hail, but if lithium-ion batteries go into thermal runaway without early detection, uptime evaporates just the same. Firestopping might hold the line, but without non-combustible cabling, flame spread can still compromise the facility.

True resilience comes from implementing FM Approved products across the entire facility. FM Approvals supports data center continuity by certifying the products that build, power and protect these facilities – and all types of facilities around the world.

If your organization is in search of FM Approved products, go to the Approval Guide and view all our listings that include product information, engineering data, and technical information for the more than 60,000 FM Approved products. Additionally, all FM Approved roofing products can be found on RoofNav.

If your organization manufactures property loss prevention products, begin the FM Approvals certification process by applying for certification online or contact Charles Mahall (FM Approvals, Manager, New Business – Americas) at [email protected].