Security of Server Rooms and Network

Server Rooms and Network: Something that also needs to be included in this discussion is protecting server room. Since these rooms contain the living, breathing heart of your network, they require increased levels of protection.

This security must be robust and carefully considered because an intruder in these areas can cause catastrophic damage.

The server room needs to have several measures in place to avoid unnecessary and unwanted issues. Let’s look at a few of these:

Controlled Entry: No one who is unauthorized to be in the server room should be allowed entry unless they have been properly screened and or escorted into and out of the area.

Cameras: Cameras should be carefully considered for inclusion both in and around the server room. These would be used to monitor the comings and goings of personnel in the area.

Climate Control: The room should be kept within a cooler range than other human habitable parts of the buildings, and humidity should be carefully controlled.

Rack Mounted Servers: One advantage that may not seem obvious with rack mounted servers is that while they have a smaller footprint, they also are a lot easier to secure.

Equipment Security: In both the server room and other areas, devices such as switches, routers, and hubs (if you have them) should be locked up.

An intruder can easily plug a drop box or even a notebook into these devices and capture traffic or cause other issues.

Cable Protection: Both in and out of the server room cables are vulnerable pieces of the network and as such should be physically protected against tempering.

Fire Suppression: While we can’t say much here about types and forms of fire suppression, such measures do need to be present.

Positive Pressure: Server rooms should have positive pressure maintained wherever possible in order to ensure dust, particles, and even smoke do not get drawn into the room but instead be pushed out or away.

Access to these rooms should always be tightly controlled, and only trusted personnel should be allowed in the room.

Also, when designing security for server rooms, be sure to design security from the inside out to ensure that what needs to be protected is getting protected.