The business benefits of cloud computing are widely recognised but, for many organisations who have to comply with regulatory requirements, there is a need for evidence of enhanced security from their Data Centre partner. Stolen or corrupt data can lead to loss of customers, high recovery costs and – most of all – a damaged reputation. If an organisation is using a cloud solution they must rely on their supplier to provide the necessary level of security technology and processes. In the Data Centre environment both physical and virtual security requirements must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of their customers.
The physical security of a data centre plays a significant role in ensuring information is kept safe. Access to the site should be restricted to authorised people only and have round the clock surveillance. Electronic access control systems as well as interior and exterior high resolution CCTV is a must and Data Centre managers must ensure that security is not compromised by failure of resources such as electricity.
Not only must the site be physically secure, the network infrastructure must also be safe from unauthorised penetration. The scope of system security in the Data Centre should include security policies and practices, firewall protection, anti-virus software and continuous monitoring for incidents. Automated solutions can be used to detect security breaches and to replicate data for regulatory compliance requirements.
“Data Centre security is of vital importance. It’s up to the owner to ensure that the infrastructure is safe and all security procedures are fully documented and rigorously followed. This allows our clients to focus on their core business without having any concerns over the safety of their data,” said John Morton, Sales Director, DSM.
New solutions are being introduced constantly to counter threats and meet compliance requirements in web application security and data security. There is a wide range of security ‘add-ons’ including alerts to network events and real-time visibility into routing and traffic anomalies. Many Data Centres are now using smart monitoring features such as Intrusion Detection which quickly identifies and alerts if human attackers, network worms or bots are attempting to compromise the system.
Only by ensuring their Data Centre partners are well protected and incorporating the latest security technologies can organisations be confident that their data remains safe.