Ensuring Security in Colocation

One of the main reasons companies elect to collocate their hardware and internal infrastructure to third-party service providers is to take advantage of the advanced security measures a state of the art data center offers. In the colocation environment, security should include physical protection of the servers and other equipment, safety of data and applications, and protection from floods, fire, power failures and other disasters. Let's walk through some of the most critical features so you will know what to look for in a secure colocation facility.

Redundant and Backup Power Sources

In recent times, power outages have become more frequent and are now a common occurrence in any data center. Utility companies were fairly dependable in the past but the landscape has changed dramatically. This is mainly because the demand for power has grown much faster than utility companies are able to generate capacity, a factor that has led colocation service providers to install backup generators that run longer, as well as redundant generators to serve as backups to the primary units. In a time where businesses are more power hungry than ever before, one generator is no longer enough to ensure the high level of uptime required by today's colocation customers. Multiple alternative power sources are becoming the standard on the industry so keep this in mind when looking for service.

Physical and Access Security

On-site security is very important for the colocation provider and its clients. Because customers and employees come and go quite frequently, actively monitoring and controlling access to the building becomes a critical factor that cannot be overlooked. Physical security is a must-have feature but even this is not enough to prevent unauthorized access. Many service providers are now relying on biometric access systems, that generally include fingerprint and retina scanning to verify identification. These mechanisms have proven to be far more effective than first-generation key cards that can be easily stolen and duplicated. You should also consider a facility equipped with motion-activated surveillance cameras as they can provide additional security by monitoring activity within and outside of the facility. When used, these cameras should thoroughly cover the grounds surrounding the building along with every physical access point to the facility.

Network Access Protection

In many cases, the customer is responsible for making sure their server hardware is protected with security software. However, the colocation provider must keep its customers protected from threats that might occur on the network as well as each other. For instance, some customers have been known to cross-connect their servers with other tenants to elude carrier charges. While it may help them save money, it also introduces a tremendous risk of because if one customer is compromised, the attacker may also be able to access the system of the tenant who cross-connected for cost savings. This has become such a security problem that many colocation providers forbid it and take extreme measures to ensure that cross-connecting does occur in their facilities.

When it comes to colocation, security should be an ongoing concern for the service providers and customers who want to store equipment in their facilities. The purpose of this article was to give you a few key pointers, but you should be happy to know that most companies are doing all they can to ensure the security of their customer's mission-critical systems and data.