SECURING FIBRE CHANNEL FABRICS - Brocade

Physical SecurityOne challenge with passwords is a situation in which users have tomemorize different passwords for each system they are required tomanage. The ability for a user to use one password and account for allof the systems they are required to access is called single sign-on. Programsare available that allow a user to create or change a passwordand automatically update all the systems a user has access to.Utilities and protocols such as RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-InUser Service) and LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) canperform this function, as well as provide more sophisticated useraccount management. When a user logs into a system using one ofthese methods, the authentication request to the system is redirectedto the RADIUS or LDAP server, which performs the authentication andsends a confirmation back to the system if the authentication issuccessful.Physical SecurityThe first line of defense to protect IT assets from external threats andmany internal threats is physical security. Physical security not onlyinvolves preventing and detecting access to assets but also addressessafety concerns affecting the personnel, facilities, and equipment inthe data center. This section introduces general concepts of physicalsecurity relevant to IT and storage environments.Physical security controls come in the form of physical and psychologicaldeterrents. Deterrents can be visible or invisible and real orperceived. For example, a guard dog can be used as a real physicaldeterrent, but a “Beware of Dog” sign (with no dog) can provide theillusion of protection and acts as a psychological deterrent. Lightingcan also be used as both a physical and psychological deterrent. Whenlighting is used in strategic locations with the proper intensity, it providesa disorienting glare effect, which can be a physical deterrent.Lighting is used most often as a deterrent to make intruders feel as ifthey are being observed and could be discovered-particularly if it iscombined with a plainly visible video surveillance system.Securing Fibre Channel Fabrics 65