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What Makes a Data Center Secure?

What Makes a Data Center Secure?

The data center is the heart of an organization’s IT infrastructure. It houses the servers, storage, networking and other equipment that powers an organization’s applications and services. A data center outage can have a major impact on an organization’s business operations.

To avoid outages and minimize the impact of disruptions, data centers must be designed for high availability and resiliency. They must also be secured against a variety of threats, including natural disasters, power failures, human errors and malicious attacks. In this article, we’ll look at 16 features that can make a data center more secure.

  • Physical security of the premises

In order to keep a data center safe and secure, the physical security of the premises is paramount. The data center should be located in a secure building with controlled access to the premises. It should have CCTV cameras installed, which should be monitored at all times. It should have a security team on-site at all times, which should carry out regular patrols of the premises.

It should also have strict access control measures in place so that only authorized personnel are able to enter the premises. It should also have a robust fire detection and suppression system in place, in order to protect the premises and the equipment within it. By implementing these measures, data centers can greatly improve their physical security and reduce the risk of theft, vandalism, or other criminal activity.

  • Logical security measures

Data centers must also implement logical security measures in order to keep their systems safe from cyber attacks. This includes using strong authentication measures, such as two-factor authentication, for all users. It also means implementing encryption for all data in transit, both within the data center and between the data center and any external systems.

Data centers should also have a comprehensive security policy in place, which should be regularly reviewed and updated. This policy should cover all aspects of security, from physical security to logical security measures. By having a robust security policy in place, data centers can help to protect their systems against cyber attacks.

  • Redundancy and failover

In order to keep a data center running smoothly, it is important to have redundancy and failover measures in place. This means that if one component of the system fails, there is another component that can take over. For example, data centers usually have multiple power supplies so that if one power supply fails, the other can take over.

Redundancy and failover measures are important not only for keeping the data center running but also for protecting the data within it. If one component of the system fails, the other can take over without any data loss. By having redundancy and failover measures in place, data centers can greatly improve their uptime and protect their data.

  • Good environmental security

Good security and protection also mean protection from the elements. Data centers should be located in areas with a low risk of natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes. They should also have robust environmental security measures in place, such as temperature and humidity controls. By implementing these measures, data centers can help to protect their equipment from damage and ensure that it continues to operate correctly. Whenever you start a business relationship with a new data center, the literature they provide you (if it isn’t already available on their website) should break down precisely how the environmental conditions in the facility are maintained and controlled.

  • Regular backups

Regular backups are an essential part of data center security. They help to ensure that if something goes wrong, the data can be recovered. Data centers should have a backup plan in place, which should be regularly tested. The backups should be stored off-site, so that they are not at risk of being lost or damaged.

By having regular backups, data centers can help to protect their data and ensure that it is always available.

  • Disaster recovery plan

A disaster recovery plan is an essential part of data center security. It helps to ensure that if something goes wrong, the data center can be up and running again quickly. The disaster recovery plan should be regularly reviewed and updated. It should cover all aspects of the data center, from the physical infrastructure to the logical security measures. By having a disaster recovery plan in place, data centers can help to protect their data and ensure that their systems are always available.

  • Good network security

Good network security means having a robust firewall in place. It also means securing all data in transit, both within the data center and between the data center and any external systems. Data centers should also have a comprehensive security policy in place, which should be regularly reviewed and updated. This policy should cover all aspects of security, from physical security to logical security measures. By having a robust security policy in place, data centers can help to protect their systems against cyber attacks.

  • Good monitoring and auditing

Good monitoring and auditing refers to monitoring all activity within the data center, and auditing this activity on a regular basis. This helps to ensure that any suspicious activity is quickly identified and dealt with. Data centers should have a monitoring and auditing plan in place, which should be regularly reviewed and updated. By implementing good monitoring and auditing practices, your data center mitigates the risk of breaches and cyberattacks.

  • Good security policy and procedure implementation

Good security measures start with good security policy. A data center should have a comprehensive security policy in place, which should be regularly reviewed and updated. This policy should cover all aspects of security, from physical security to logical security measures. A robust security policy is something that is developed over time through the implementation of good security practices.

  • Good incident response

No data center is impervious and what makes the good ones stand out is their incident response. In the event of a security breach, data centers should have a plan in place to deal with it. This plan should be regularly reviewed and updated. The incident response plan should cover all aspects of the data center, from the physical infrastructure to the logical security measures. For example, a data center that uses biometrics for security should have a plan in place to deal with the loss or theft of a biometric device.

  • Regular testing of systems and controls

Penetration and vulnerability testing is the foundation of data center security and part of good cyber resilience. By testing the systems and controls on a regular basis, data centers can ensure that they are effective. Data centers should have a testing plan in place, which should be regularly reviewed and updated. The testing plan should cover all aspects of the data center, from the physical infrastructure to the logical security measures.

  • DDoS attack prevention

This is a type of DoS (Denial of Service) attack in which an attacker attempts to make a system unavailable by flooding it with traffic from multiple sources. DDoS attacks can be prevented by having a robust network security infrastructure in place. Data centers should also have a plan in place to deal with DDoS attacks, which should be regularly reviewed and updated.

  • Business continuity

This refers to the ability of a data center to continue operating in the event of an incident. Data centers should have a business continuity plan in place, which should be regularly reviewed and updated. The business continuity plan should cover all aspects of the data center, from the physical infrastructure to the logical security measures. One example might be having a backup power supply in the event of a power outage.

  • Data segregation

This refers to the separation of different types of data. Data segregation is a good security practice as it minimizes the risk of data leakage. Data centers should have a plan in place to segregate data, which should be regularly reviewed and updated. The plan should cover all aspects of the data center, from the physical infrastructure to the logical security measures. For example, a data center might have a physical separation between sensitive and non-sensitive data.

  • Cutting edge cybersecurity knowledge

You should feel comfortable that the data center to which you are entrusting your data and data security is up to date with the latest cybersecurity knowledge. This can be demonstrated in many ways, from having certifications from top cybersecurity companies to ensuring their team attends regular training.

  • Data encryption

This is the process of encoding data so that it can only be accessed by authorized personnel. Data encryption is a good security practice as it makes data more difficult to access by unauthorized personnel. Encryption is often used in combination with other security measures, such as data segregation. Data centers should have a plan in place to encrypt data, which should be regularly reviewed and updated.

Conclusion

There are many factors to consider when it comes to data center security. By implementing the right mix of security measures, data centers can protect their assets and minimize the risk of a security breach.

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*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Blog Feed authored by Blog Feed. Read the original post at: https://www.globalsign.com/en/blog/what-makes-data-center-secure