Every building in which IT is operated is criss-crossed by a multitude of cables and pipes, such as fresh water and waste water pipes, heating pipes, or lines for supplying energy or transmitting data. It is impossible to prevent these pipe and cable trays from crossing ceilings and firewalls. If suitable firestop seals are not installed at such locations, fire and smoke may spread uncontrollably through them.

The highly dynamic nature of IT makes the continued re-routing of cables necessary, even across firestop seals. How this can be done correctly depends directly on a building's existing fire protection, which means the possible solutions can vary a great deal. If modifications to a firestop seal are not carried out according to the specifications of the respective manufacturer, it can fail in the event of a fire. The fire could then spread to areas that should actually be protected by the seal.