It is almost impossible to consider a data centre or comprehensive computer room without the use of raised access flooring.
Not only is it used for managing the dozens, if not hundreds of cables wrapped around many computer rooms, raised flooring also creates a channel that allows cool air to effectively travel around the room and provide vital cooling to computer servers.
It is nigh-ubiquitous today, and the only times when it is not used for server rooms is when it is impossible to do so. Even then, there are similar ceiling systems that are used instead.
However, whilst early computers such as ENIAC did not have an access floor or cable management of any kind, it would not take long for it to become an essential part of many computer installations.
Like with so many computer firsts, it began with IBM.
Into The Big Blue
IBM has existed since 1924, but it only started to sell computers in 1952 with the release of the IBM 701, the first in the historic 700 Series.
Originally known as Defence Calculator, the 700 series were huge mainframe computer systems used for a range of typically bespoke programmable tasks.
Given that these computers were room-sized machines with over ten cabinet-sized components, the wiring considerations and cable management concerns were considerable, particularly since a trailing wire could make the vacuum tube systems potentially even more unreliable.
Because the components were so heavy, the wrong wire in the wrong place was extremely difficult to fix, which caused IBM to look for a potential solution.
They eventually realised that adding a platform would be the best solution, as the cooling systems and cabling would be most efficiently stored underneath the computer.
However, the main issue was that these computers weighed over a dozen tonnes, which meant that conventional stands and platforms meant for humans would simply collapse and fail under the weight of just one of the components.
Several businesses took the initiative and commissioned built-to-order raised flooring beginning in 1955, including businesses such as Bel Aire Industries and Solt.
Their solution to get around the issue was to create bespoke wooden floors, which whilst utilitarian in nature and lacking the benefits that came from standardisation, were effective at the time and provided the impetus for IBM themselves to find a solution.
The first-ever dedicated mass-produced raised access floor was a result of an intense meeting between Big Blue and the Washington Aluminium Company, which included two people vital to the future of access floors and computing as a whole.
Earnie Lisky and Jim “Bill” Irvine would take note of the request, and would quickly spin off the Liskey Aluminium Company based in Baltimore, Maryland.
This quickly led to a shift away from wooden floors towards stronger, lighter steel flooring solutions that could be more easily personalised to the needs of an individual business.
This would become the standard for access floors until the late 1970s and early 1980s, when modular construction techniques that could be easily installed, modified and removed became the norm, as well as improving airflow management.
