How Does Colocation Ensure Data Security and Compliance?
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How does colocation ensure data security and compliance?
Data security and compliance are extremely important to the businesses of today. This is why more and more businesses are using data centres for their colocation needs. There are physical and cyber-security risks; risks from unexpected power outages and natural disasters; risks that can arise from poorly stored equipment; regulatory compliance risks. By utilising professional colocation services, you are protecting your data, protecting your hardware, and ensuring compliance.
How do data centres keep equipment physically secure?
- Surveillance Cameras: Data centres usually have cameras monitoring the facility, monitoring and recording activity in and around the premises.
- Access Control: Access control measures, such as key-card, biometric access, and air-locks, are commonly used in data centres to restrict, observe and record access to equipment.
- Alarms and sensors: Alarms and sensors that detect unauthorised access and tampering are often set up to alert data centres if there has been a security breach.
- Security guards: Security guards are often hired to patrol data centres and respond to on-site security incidents.
- Redundant power: Secondary power supplies are in place to ensure that your equipment doesn’t lose power, even if mains electricity is impacted.
- Environmental monitoring: Humidity and temperature are monitored and controlled to ensure optimal performance and longevity of equipment stored there.
- Fire-suppression: Many data centres are equipped with VESDA smoke detection systems, gas or chemical fire extinguishing systems to prevent damage to equipment in the case of a fire, fire barriers and compartmentalisation to contain and slow fires, and portable fire extinguishers placed strategically around the premises as a fail-safe.
How is digital security and compliance maintained at data centres?
- Network security: Firewalls, intrusion detection and encryption systems are often put in place to stop cyber security threats, protecting data that flows in and out and preventing unauthorised access to data.
- Data backups: Stored data is regularly backed up and stored in secure secondary locations as a fail-safe. Data back-ups are also vital if a business suffers a cyber attack or malfunction to servers operated outside of the data centre.
- Compliance: Data centres adhere to industry regulations such as GDPR and ISO 27001, ensuring the security and privacy of stored data. In order to maintain regulatory certification, regular audits are carried out by the certification bodies to ensure standards are being adhered to.
- Employee training: Data centre employees are trained on potential threats and how to respond. Incident response plans are set up to ensure quick and effective action can be taken in the case of a security incident.
- Security Audits: As well as external audits from regulatory boards, internal security audits are often held to assess and maintain security standards, ensuring the data centre’s security measures and staff are operating to standard.
How can aql’s next generation colocation services empower you?
With over 25 years of enabling businesses and powering a connected society, our Tier 3+ data centres offer state-of-the-art infrastructure, stringent security measures, and expert support, ensuring optimal performance and reliability for your critical IT operations.
As the only data centre operator in central Leeds, we are directly connected to IXLeeds, the UK’s first fully independent internet exchange outside London, providing low latency, high bandwidth and access to an extensive network of regional and national peers. Click here to learn more about our colocation services.
As the only data centre operator in central Leeds, we are directly connected to IXLeeds, the UK’s first fully independent internet exchange outside London, providing low latency, high bandwidth and access to an extensive network of regional and national peers. Click here to learn more about our colocation services.
