data-centre

What are the biggest safety risks in a data centre?

Data centres present a variety of challenges when it comes to risk management. There are a range of factors that need to be managed and mitigated in order to keep a site functioning in a safe, and sustainable manner.

The Uptime Institute’s 2019 Data Centre Survey found that 60% of respondents claimed their data centre’s outages could have been prevented with better management processes. This includes the management of their cyber security, their fire prevention measures, and their equipment failure procedures.

At Rubber Box, we understand the dangers posed by highly electrified environments, and our power distro boxes are designed to significantly reduce the risks you face on a daily basis. Our commitment to product quality and development has seen us implement new technologies such as CNC machines and ultra sonic welders. That’s not only improved the quality of our boxes, but also reduced costs and lead times.

So then – what are some of the biggest risks faced by data centres?

Breaches in cyber security

Cyber attacks are a significant threat to data centres. These usually come in the form of DDOS (denial-of-service-attacks), the aim of which is to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users. Attackers achieve this by temporarily or indefinitely disrupting services of a host connected to a network. Essentially, this blocks out users from accessing their data.

Microsoft’s Digital Defence Report from 2020 concluded that ‘threat actors have rapidly increased in sophistication over the past year, using techniques that make them harder to spot and that threaten even the savviest targets’. As well as conventional hacking, some thieves may attempt to steal data through social engineering – a term given to a broad range of methods in which criminals try to trick staff into voluntarily giving them sensitive information or access to critical systems. For maximum security and peace of mind, it’s therefore worth concentrating on both cybersecurity and extensive training for your staff.

data-breach

Fire break-outs

Fire can be one of the most destructive risks to a data centre. With numerous pieces of electrical equipment working at maximum capacity, the risk of a fire is not something to be taken lightly. Damage from fire can have a devastating effect on data centres – which means that not only are they a serious health and safety concern, they pose a significant threat to your infrastructure.

Some great examples of fire prevention methods include smoke detectors, fire walls, fire retardant cables and automated fire suppressant systems. These are all pivotal measures that can help avoid significant damage to your equipment.

Prevention is better than cure, as the old saying goes. It’s amazing the amount of contexts you can apply this saying to, and fire prevention is one of them. If you’re incorporating any fire prevention measures into your data centre, take care to ensure that you implement a strict maintenance programme for them, as their safety value is significantly compromised if they’re poorly maintained.

Equipment failure and loss of power

The most commonplace threat to a data centre environment is equipment failure, and loss of power. Although not as significant a risk to personal wellbeing as a fire, power failures and equipment malfunctions can still result in a loss of important data, a reduction in productivity, and sizeable financial repercussions if equipment requires replacing.

You can sidestep the worst of the risks by ensuring that you’re keeping important documentation up to date, and having a well-planned recovery process in place that focusses on system restoration and efficiency.

These are all preventable scenarios if you prepare accordingly, and impose effective preventative measures. We can help you on that front – whether it’s portable power, or a fixed installation, we have the expertise and experience to produce the highest quality electrical power distros at the right price in a short space of time.

If you’d like to find out more, you can take a look through our listings and get a quote via our website. Or if you’d prefer, you can give us a call on 01282 506922, or email us at: info@rubberbox.co.uk and we’ll be happy to see how we can help.

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