R&M Data Center Handbook

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Vandalism, Theft, Burglary and Sabotage
Security products which control access to the data center building
play a primary role in preventing burglaries, sabotage and theft.
These products help to ensure that “villians” do not have any
access whatsoever to the data center infrastructure. Modern
access control systems manage individual employee authorizations,
usually through a central server, and make it possible for
employees to identify themselves by means of card readers,
keypads, iris scanners, fingerprints and similar means.
If data center management implements an ingenious system that
only opens up the routes that employees need to perform their
daily work, they automatically minimize the risk of misuse.
However, this does not rule out professional evildoers from the
outside attempting to enter the data center complex by force.
Access control systems should therefore, if possible, be combined
with camera surveillance systems, security guards and alarm
systems, since these contribute greatly to unauthorized individuals
not entering the building at all.
As we saw in the preceding section, data center surveillance systems with door lock controls and door sensors
that trigger alarms automatically (for example, between 8:00 in the evening and 6:00 in the morning) when room
or cabinet doors are opened supplement the products mentioned above, increasing the overall level of security.
“Vandalism sensors” measure vibrations and also help to record concrete data that document senseless
destruction. The audio recordings already mentioned can also be of use in this area.
Conclusion
The possibilities for influencing the security of a data center security are by no means limited to the planning
phase. Many improvements can still be implemented at a later point in time.
The implementation of rare gas fire extinguishing systems and high-performance systems for data center surveillance
and access control were just two examples given in this regard. It is therefore absolutely essential that
those responsible for the data center continue, at regular intervals, to devote time to this topic and analyze the
changes that have come to light in their environment, so they can then update their security concept to the
modified requirements.
3.6. Active Components / Network Hardware
The purpose of this section is to give an overview of the active components in an ICT environment, as well as their
functions. These include, on the one hand, terminal devices like servers, PCs, printers, etc. as well as network
devices like switches, routers and firewalls, in which each of these components also contains software. One can
also differentiate between passive hardware such as cabling, and active hardware such as the devices listed
above.
Active network components are electronic systems
that are required to amplify, convert, identify, control
and forward streams of data. Network devices are a
prerequisite for computer workstations being able to
communicate with one another, so they can send,
receive and understand data.
The network here consists of independent computers
that are linked, but separate from one another, and
which access common resources. In general, a
distinction is made in the area of networks between
LAN (local area network / private networks) and
WAN (wide area network / public networks), MAN
(metropolitan area network / city-wide networks) and
SAN (storage area network / storage networks).
Page 78 of 156 © 08/2011 Reichle & De-Massari AG R&M Data Center Handbook V2.0