Separate Networks Key to Data Center Security Success
December 8, 2011
A network dedicated exclusively to data center security needs, including video recording and storage and access control of database communications, should be segregated from the existing data center network. Supported by security staff with network training or, at a minimum, an internal network administrator, a dedicated network will enhance reliability and protection, providing immunity from typical network outage windows and improving speed and bandwidth on both networks.
Today's new IP security networks that support video surveillance and access control equipment require 24/7/365 operation and must be managed differently than the typical data network. For example, on a Saturday evening, the data network maybe taken out of service to upgrade the system at a time when the business it is supporting is not in operation; however, the security system must still be operational. If the IP cameras were connected to the data network, there would be no monitoring or recording during the maintenance outage. Employing a separate network and a security team trained in IP capabilities to operate independently from the data network team will enhance network flexibility and provide more robust monitoring and tracking.
For data centers interested in taking surveillance to the next level, video analytics will further enhance security efforts. Video analytics is the practice of using software to automatically identify things of interest without the need for a human operator. On the market since 2005, the most common types of video analytics are perimeter violation, license plate recognition and people-counting. When an algorithm detects an anomaly, it alerts an operator with an alarm to evaluate the situation. In this way, video analytics can actually help avert a situation before it happens instead of going back and reviewing video footage to investigate an incident that already occurred. This can be a valuable tool in protecting the mission critical environment and keeping the data center and its occupants safe and secure. Video analytics software can be embedded into the processor of an IP camera system, allowing for incremental deployment of the analytics systems to locations that require it.
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