It seems axiomatic that physical data security must actually be physically protected. Wouldn’t the best protection come from being physically present to address issues? In fact, data centers located across the country, or even the globe, provide more consistent, reliable, and all around better security. Let’s unpack the specific physical security concerns that need to be addressed, and then look at how data centers are better equipped to fulfill those needs.
Physical security issues affect every business at one point
When it comes to cyber security, it seems there aren’t long enough to fully protect and defend against every possible intrusion or attack. But even if your company has the strongest and most up-to-date hardware and software, the systems are still vulnerable to manual tampering, accidents, or natural disasters. It turns out that relentlessly monitoring access logs, building conditions, external threats, fire protection, security cameras, secure air handling, natural disaster management, parking lot traffic patterns, two-factor authentication, hardened security layers, and GPS or RFID tracking of individuals is simply too much data to efficiently be processed by one person, or even a small group of people. Even when supported by technology, a single company’s resources pale in comparison to the physical security systems available through a data center.
Why data centers deliver better physical security than in-house support
With any on-site security detail, there comes a point at which a human being needs to make a decision or take action to respond to a concern. Humans are the weak point in any system, not because of any inherent corruption, but because they cannot respond with the same speed and precision as a data center’s command system. Data centers offer the advanced technology, continuous monitoring, and immediate solutions to any threat, often through cloud security. While an on-site technician might be an expert with one—or a few—areas of physical data security, a data center will have expertise in every necessary area of data security, along with a task force that never sleeps, never takes breaks, never needs to use a restroom or eat or leave.
Keeping systems going, even during disruptions
No one wants to hire an untrustworthy employee, but industrial espionage is not unheard of, nor is it unreasonable try and keep the ultimate authority for data security from being a temptation for the unscrupulous. Data centers take the risks out of the hands of employees, enhancing the security of your data. Furthermore, in the case of a legitimate physical breach, private cloud backups of data, websites, and applications all immediately come online, providing users and clients alike with uninterrupted access and services.
