You have passwords, multi-factor authentication, anti-virus, and firewalls installed on your network to protect your organization’s valuable data. Here’s a secret: all the cyber protections in the world may not protect you if you don’t have your servers physically secured, too. The benefits of rack server security are too important to ignore, from ensuring regulatory compliance to being in full regulatory compliance.
What are Rack Servers and Why do They Need Special Security Attention?
A rack server, otherwise known as a rack-mounted server, is a server mounted inside a structure (or “rack”). These racks allow multiple servers to be stored in one place, usually by stacking them on top of each other in separate compartments within the rack.
Rack servers are popular choices for organizations that have limited space, and they are typically more economical because they require fewer set-up costs.
Rack servers offer ease of server cooling, convenience, and additional power to run the servers. They are the perfect choice for data centers consisting of a low to moderate number of servers (more than one, but less than ten).
It’s surprising to see how many technicians and other traffic sources access your rack servers daily. From maintenance to upgrades and installations, your rack server security is at risk. Physically securing the rack server ensures that only people who have legitimate reasons for accessing the servers can open the rack and get to the hardware inside.
What are the Benefits of Rack Server Security?
Cyber security is at the heart of rack server security, but physical protections also prevent theft of your valuable hardware and assets, too. Some of the biggest benefits of rack server security include:
- Compliance to ISO/IEC 27001: The ISO 27001 is the international standard focusing on Information Security Management Systems. Businesses who get certified in ISO 27001 will see an increase in opportunities as it provides proof that the organization takes data security seriously.
Securing your rack server satisfies portions of many ISO 27001 requirements including operational security, access control, and asset management specifications.
- Cyber Risk Insurance: Organizations who can show vigorous physical security measures on their data centers and servers have a better chance of being compensated by their cyber risk insurance following an incident if the incident was caused by a theft within the server rack.Think about it as a car insurance policy that refuses to pay after the theft of your car because your doors were unlocked.
- Protect Your Customer Data: Even though your customer’s information may be digitally secured, it is still accessible to anyone stealing a hard drive from the server rack.
- Protect your Assets: What is a hard drive worth to you? What is it worth to your organization as a whole? Can you afford downtime if a hard drive “walks” out of the server room? How much money will it cost to install and configure a new one? You may not think about your server storage, but criminals do. One hard drive’s worth of valuable data is worth a fortune to a bad actor.
- Increase Accountability: Employees and technicians are held to a higher level of accountability. This protects against malicious behavior, like an insider threat by a disgruntled employee, as well as accidental actions that may put your data at risk, such as someone leaving a rack door ajar.
Next Generation Security Concepts Rack Server Security Solution: RACK ARMOR
We are pleased to be working with IDenticard to bring you RACK ARMOR™ , the revolutionary physical data center security system to help your servers stay secure. Rack Armor is more than just a “set it and forget it” rack server security solution; it is a measure of protection that actively tracks and audits users.
Some features of RACK ARMOR include:
Tracking and Auditing
- Identify who accessed a rack and what time access was granted
- Assess the amount of time someone spent with the rack door open
- Easily schedule usage reports
- Dynamic mapping that allows instant security visualization
Physical Security
- Restrict access on a “need only” basis
- Customizable and real-time actions including alarms, emails, and other notifications if the area is left unsecure
- Available video management integration to maintain video logs
- Multi-Party Control systems including dual card swipe access
Contact us today for a free security assessment at 540-338-8160, and find out if RACK ARMOR is the right solution for your rack server security.
