Test if your data is stored securely
Being engaged in any legal business comes with generating and consuming data. If you do not have access to data, your business will grind to a halt or be damaged significantly. Your information, orders, and money will simply not move. Thus, the more your activity relies on IT systems and data, the more critical it is to store them well.
Keeping your data secure at Greenergy Data Centers. Photo: Tõnu Tunnel.
In general, every organisation has two choices:
Their own IT equipment in their office or at a colocation data center
The IT equipment of someone else in a data center (such as at a cloud service provider)
Neither of those solutions is necessarily a bad one. The reliability and security of the choice will be decisive.
Depending on the need for security and reliability, the head of the organisation or the administrator of its IT systems should respond ‘yes’ to as many of the following control questions as possible. The more positive responses, the more securely you are protected and your operations will go on even in the case of an accident or a malicious attack.
How many of the following questions about your data storage conditions can you confidently respond ‘yes’ to?
I know where our data is located physically (where and in which building) and who has access to it. The possibility of anyone copying something from my devices or damaging anything is minuscule.
The data of the company is located in at least two physical locations. If a fire destroys the equipment in one location, I can carry on working with the other one.
The equipment cabinet(s) in which my data is stored is (are) equipped with at least two power connections. My business will not be left without power if there is a failure in one substation.
My server room has a redundant cooling capability. My devices will not overheat if the main system fails.
My server room has redundant data connections. We will still remain connected to the outside world in the event of a careless digger driver digging through the communication line leading to the building.
My server room was originally designed and built for this purpose.
The server rooms have 24/7 manned security and a control center. I know that someone is taking care of the physical as well as cyber security on a daily basis.
In addition to people, security is also being ensured by computer systems, as no human being is capable of monitoring hundreds of cameras and sensors in parallel.
Only authorised and physically identified individuals have access to the server rooms, with a further layer of security ensured by biometrics.
My server room cannot be entered by using fraud, for example by another person immediately following an authorised person – this is prevented by man traps.
The infrastructure supporting the server rooms is separated from the public internet, which means that the equipment cannot be switched off remotely.
The server room is compliant with international standards (e.g. ISO27001, EN50600) which certify its operability and ensure its reliability in the eyes of our partners and customers.
The reduced oxygen system is used in the server rooms, which prevents fires. At least one other fire prevention system is used.
The operation of the server rooms is monitored and checked 24/7. No deviations will remain unnoticed and I am immediately notified of any issues.
The infrastructure supporting the work of server rooms is tested and maintained regularly. I can rest assured that the back-up systems are actually functional.
14–15 ‘yes’-responses
You are using a highly secure personal server room or a world-class data center. The digital reliability and security of your activity are ensured perfectly and, from the technical perspective, you are probably capable of dealing with anything that the world full of unexpected situations can offer. Your partners and customers have one further reason for trusting you.
12–13 ‘yes’-responses
You should consider the severity of the risk of the deficiencies on the sustainability of your business from the perspective of the security and reliability of your operations. You take risks and should have a plan for eliminating the shortcomings. This plan may include finding an alternative for the data storage location or improving the current one. The goal is to make your business more future-proof.
10–11 ‘yes’-responses
If the reliability of IT systems and the availability of data are important for the successful functioning of your organisation, you should pay serious attention to the deficiencies. It would be a good idea to map and prioritise them, starting from the most critical ones. Depending on the extent of the deficiencies and the cost of fixing them, you may also consider finding an alternative location for storing your data.
9 or fewer ‘yes’-responses
Your business is clearly vulnerable from the perspective of the reliability and security of data management. Several different weaknesses increase the risks and taking those risks may not be reasonable. The solution could involve thorough mapping of the needs and considering the alternatives, either by building a private server room or moving into a data center/cloud. You should take action as soon as possible.
It is said that data is the gold of the modern day. You should regularly pay attention to the conditions of storing your most valuable asset. When mapping your alternatives, it would also be a good idea to consider the most secure and reliable data center in the Baltic states, the data center of Greenergy Data Centers.