Top Ways To Keep Your Data Center Safe

Your building’s data center contains valuable machinery and information, which makes protecting it against threats, whether physical or digital, paramount. Everything might seem secure on a surface level, but threats can lurk deep below the surface. Without the proper safety precautions, your data could be vulnerable to intrusion, destruction, or theft. In this guide, we’ll outline the top ways to keep your data center safe, so you won’t have to worry about the security of your data and information.

Keep It Cool

The hardware in your data center can overheat when exposed to high temperatures. If the hardware overheats, it might shut down on its own—destroying valuable data in the process—or require a manual shutdown for maintenance, which leaves your data center temporarily vulnerable to attackers.

You can keep your data center cool by installing a set of intake and exhaust vents. Another option is to install blanking panels in any racks with unused space. This prevents hot air from becoming trapped in those empty spaces. In general, you should try and prevent as much heat as possible from entering your data center. Overheated hardware can result in equipment failure and reduce the lifespan of your components.

Shield From EMI

Another one of the top ways to keep your data center safe is to shield it from EMI. Your data center is full of electronic devices. Wherever there are many electronic devices, EMI finds a way to ruin things. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can disrupt the operation of any electronic components in your data center, leading to shaky monitor screens, system failures, or in worst-case scenarios, scrambled information and wiped hard disks. It’s crucial that data centers invest in some form of EMI shielding. You can shield any electronic components, including PCB boards, to protect them against the devastating effects of electromagnetic interference.

Isolate Your Network

Your network might seem secure, but it’s easier for trained attackers to find vulnerable points than you’d think. Attackers often target unused accounts and services and then disguise their malicious files under those names in the system directory. The easiest way to protect your network is to isolate it. You can isolate your network using out-of-band management networks, which eliminate any entry points and vulnerabilities that attackers can manipulate. This will make your network less of a target to attackers, who will see it as too much of a hassle for too little of a reward.