Securing Your Data Center

Today's connected world relies on a nonstop flow of data to power our devices and networks. If this source of data is compromised, the daily operations of businesses and corporations can grind to a halt. This growing reliance on flawless data center operations requires an investment in security to prevent breaches. In fact, according to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Center Breach report, the global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was USD 4.45 million, a 15% increase over three years.

Data center managers, faced with an increasingly stringent regulatory environment, need to rely on the latest technology and the industry’s best practices to provide viable and cost-effective physical security for their facility. Whether for owned data centers, co-locations or managed services, organizations must overcome a host of challenges posed by legislation ranging from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). What’s needed is an enhanced approach to security that reaches all the way to the rack. Carefully designed security systems policies can heighten user confidence, ensure compliance, and make a significant contribution to ROI.

Security needs can vary depending on the type of data center

• Enterprise Data Centers
  • Several layers of security are required to adequately protect this type of facility, starting with perimeter fencing and exterior doorways. Exterior doors lead to interior corridors, which lead to server rooms and server cabinets. At each point in this process, proper protections must be taken to ensure the security of the data.
• Colocation Data Centers
  • These facilities share the same door security needs as enterprise data centers, but with an additional layer of access control requirements. Since the facility is shared among several companies, authorized users must be assigned access privileges to their specific areas of the building.

Create Three Lines of Defense to Secure Your Data Center

• Perimeter Security
  • Perimeter Security controls access to the building.
• Access to the Building and Spaces Within
  • Commercial-grade doors, frames, and hardware provide a means to restrict access to the facility and specific areas within, a primary goal in any type of building. Door, frames and hardware are essential components of a data center security strategy.
• Server Cabinet Security
  • As more companies move into shared locations, the opportunities for unauthorized server access increase; the potential costs are very high, whether the intrusion is accidental or malicious. An additional layer of access control at the server cabinet door can reduce this risk.

For an additional viewpoint, read Larry Anderson's, from SecurityInformed.com, detailed white paper about securing data centers and the varied technologies and demands that come with it. He goes into great detail on understanding the facility, access and points of vulnerability, energy consumption, and ASSA ABLOY's 'curb to core' approach.

Additionally, if you would like to better understand ASSA ABLOY's recommendations for the physical security methods needed to better secure your facility, explore our strategies page to learn more.