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Keep it secret , keep it safe

Ensuring the physical security of a data centre is just as important as an effective firewall . One of the easiest and cheapest ways in which to keep your data centre safe is to keep its location a secret . Hyperscalers like AWS and Google are very cagey about the precise locations of their campuses ; if you were to drive past one , there ’ s very little chance you would see the company ’ s name in big glowing letters on the roof . By removing obvious signage and maintaining a relatively inconspicuous presence in the local community , you eliminate a good deal of the physical risk to your customers ’ data .

Good Habits : Treat physical security every bit as seriously as you treat digital threats . Bad Habits : Advertise your location more than is strictly necessary .

Ensure you have an effective alert notification process

If and when something does go wrong with your data centre , ensuring a short response time is critical . Given the fact that data centre downtime can cost as much as $ 5,600 every single minute , you need to be able to make sure that , in the event of a breach or outage , the right staff receive an alert and details of their responsibilities during the emergency as quickly as possible . A good data centre risk management plan needs to account for the best way to alert employees ( both on and off site ) in the event of a disaster .

Good Habits : Regularly update your contact information for key employees . Bad Habits : Create a plan that rests solely on the shoulders of one staff member , who may be unavailable to respond ; send out confusing or mixed messages in a crisis .

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