Data Center Security

Data center security refers to the physical practices and virtual assets used to protect a data center from external security threats and cyberattacks. Data centers must be protected against physical security threats to its components through security controls such as physical access control, secure site or location, environmental controls, building security controls, and other physical security controls. It is the practice of applying the security controls to the data center facility and equipment. The purpose of data center security is to protect it from security threats that could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of information and information systems.

Data center is a physical facility that organizations use to house their critical and sensitive applications, data and other valuable organizational assets. It is a design of network infrastructure, cooling systems (HVAC), power systems, structural cabling, computing and storage resources that enable delivery of shared applications and data. Key data center components include network devices, storage systems, servers, software, hardware, and applications. Furthermore, data centers contain the majority of information assets and intellectual property (IP) of an organization and are the primary targets of cyberattacks. And it contains hundreds to thousands of physical and virtual assets that are segmented by different classification scheme such as application type, data classification zone, and other mechanisms.

Major components of data center security include the following:

• Physical security
• Software and virtual security
• Multifactor authentication
• Surveillance monitoring systems
• Physical access control systems
• Data center network segmentation
• Secure building management system
• Technical security such as authentication, encryption, firewalls and related technologies
• International standards compliance
• Secure site selection
• Network security
• Disaster recovery and backup systems