Getting physical with data centre security

Datacentres are considered the ‘engine room’ of a business, enabling companies to achieve their main business goals through housing critical processes, applications and data. Physically securing facilities, equipment and assets is of the utmost importance in helping to reduce intruder activity at datacentre sites.

In recent months, an increasing number of high-profile organisations’ datacentres being targeted for theft. This has resulted in the loss of valuable equipment, compromised data and inevitable service downtime. Given the implications for a business without the appropriate security measures in place, David Myers, Regional Managing Director for the UK South Region at ADT Fire & Security, explores security solutions that can help improve datacentre security and help to ensure business continuity, consistent delivery of service and recoverability through the safeguarding of mission-critical operations, equipment and data.

The key to a successful datacentre security programme is to take a ‘multi-layer’ approach across the site. Having the most valuable assets in a central ‘bunker’ means numerous security layers must be in place from the perimeter moving inwards to the core area housing the datacentre itself.
Reducing the number of access points helps to increase site security, allowing security operations to be focussed and targeted on fewer access areas around the perimeter of the site. It is then of critical importance that security staff restrict on-site access to authorised personnel and vehicles only, which can be achieved through the deployment of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) solutions at each access area.

ANPR technology, when combined with High Definition Mega-Pixel CCTV at each access point, is an effective method of tracking the flow of vehicles and personnel to and from the datacentre site to avoid underhand intrusion tactics, such as bottlenecking. HD CCTV cameras are able to pan and zoom on specific events at each access point to provide a clearer image of any suspicious activity. HD CCTV technology provides a higher quality of discernible detail compared with older CCTV technology, greatly improving image quality, for facial recognition purposes. This level of detail also means that post-event analysis can be conducted much faster; enabling investigators to analyse and process data more efficiently and accurately in the event of a problem. Electronic timestamps also allow for quicker and more accurate searching of archived data for police and security staff when conducting criminal investigations.

With perimeter security solutions in place, the next layers of security should involve robust access control technologies in the buildings surrounding the central datacentre bunker. Solutions such as biometrics (retina or fingerprint scanners), smartcards and passwords are able to control the movement of people within the building. Collectively, these solutions create a triple authentication process from which personnel can be identified. This process helps guarantee people are moving within their designated access limits and automatically flags any infringements to security officers. This layer should also see the adoption of further HD CCTV cameras by each access point, capturing events in an enhanced zoomed image, so operational staff are able to react quickly to any unfolding situation.

All security and surveillance systems should be integrated into a Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) system. This is a software platform designed to simplify the command and control of multiple security systems. The software seamlessly brings together events from individual systems into a single environment, greatly enhancing situational awareness for security operators. A PSIM also provides the ability to apply pre-defined logic to incoming events, and presents the operators with an easy to follow workflow and pre-emptive operation for different scenarios.
This security ‘nerve centre’ means operators only require training for one system, reducing initial deployment time and cost. The system then forms a vital part in ‘cause and effect’ reporting, whereby it forces the local cameras to focus on the area around triggered alarm signals. This enables the operator to view the cause and act quickly and effectively. PSIMs allow for improved accountability, co-ordination of actions and overall operational efficiency.

A PSIM means operators work in unison with all security branches; from ANPR to HD CCTV surveillance and access control technologies. For example, if an unauthorised vehicle attempts to enter the facility, retractable bollards can block entry and relevant security staff will be notified and provided with live video footage of the infringement. The relevant workflow can then be implemented to resolve the situation using the intelligence from the PSIM.

As well as ensuring security is handled at the management level, the introduction of a highly intelligent integrated solution is critical when securing datacentres. This provides end-to-end support by consolidating disparate systems, such as surveillance and access control, using the resident IT network. Once all security processes are seamlessly working together, operators can monitor and control each component from centralised site locations, delivering a larger return on investment through the reduction in cabling, maintenance costs and the streamlining of security staff originally working on the original disparate systems.

Given the business critical role of datacentres, security must be a priority and work in parallel with people and processes to help build out resilience levels at datacentre sites. The tangible steps outlined above demonstrate how a multi-layered integrated security solution adds clear business benefits when protecting business assets, and when coupled with an appropriate contingency plan significantly enhances the resiliency levels at datacentre sites.