Modular Server Vaulting

When most people think about security for the data center, the focus is on firewalls that keep hackers out of the network.  These countermeasures are absolutely essential for protecting the data hosted on the network.  One issue that isn’t emphasized enough is the need for physical security–keeping unauthorized personnel and other intruders out of critical areas in the data center.  The server room is especially vulnerable and in need of extra security, due to the value of the components in the server racks and the information they contain.

Electronic equipment must also be protected from heat exposure.  Fortunately, improved physical security is a beneficial by-product of the modular fireproof server vaults by Firelock.  The wall and roof panels used in the construction of these vaults is not specifically designed to stop intruders (these vaults are capable of maintaining interior temperatures below 125-degrees F. for two to four hours, depending upon the size of the vault, even if the fire outside the vault reaches 2,000-degrees F.) but it would take a significant amount of time to breach them.  If a motion sensor or other intrusion detection system is installed outside the vault area, this extra time gives security personnel or the police a chance to arrive before the server room is compromised.

The double door system is another major improvement to physical security in the data center.  The outer door is an 1,100-pound fire door with a combination lock.  When the door closes it automatically throws 10 steel bolts into the locked position in the steel door frame.  This would be a very difficult door for an intruder to open after the combination lock is engaged.  The inner door is a steel door with a conventional door handle and lock that is often converted to a magnetic lock that can be activated by swipe cards or biometric access control systems.  These electronic lock systems are ideal for controlling access to the critical vault area during business hours and keeping track of authorized personnels’ entry and exit times.

With all the threats to IT operations that exist in the world, it’s a distinct advantage to have one integrated part of the data center that can protect against both fire and intrusion.  Vaulting the server room with a modular data chamber protects mission critical data both ways.

Tags: data center, data protection, design, disaster recovery, fire protection, Physical security, server protection, server room, server room planning

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 12:57 pm and is filed under Physical security, data center design, data center planning, data protection, server room technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.