The IT system is at the heart of any business and forms an integral part of the company’s operating procedures, availability and overall success. Any threats to this system have a direct impact on the company, and losing any part of such a system can be felt across all departments of an organisation.
IT managers and CIOs spend countless hours documenting procedures and implementing numerous software packages that prevent internal and external threats to the organisation, such as viruses, hacking, data corruption, etc. However, one of the largest threats to the IT system is so often an afterthought and not given the proper attention, leaving one very important question unanswered: what about the physical security of your hardware?
The IT infrastructure is a mixture of various technologies that include servers, switches, routers and storage devices, patching, fibre and data cabling, and power distribution and UPS systems. Each of these elements effectively makes up the network, and the failure of any one of these components will have an overall effect on the availability of the system.
The IT rack, server room or data centre is the location where these network components are housed. These physical housing systems are susceptible to a number of threats, including accidental damage, opportunist theft, tampering, espionage and natural hazards.
It is here that Rittal prides itself as a market leader in the field of high-efficiency, scalable data centre solutions to combat these challenges.
The solutions
Founded in 1961 with its main focus in the industrial sector, Rittal has continually developed and improved its solutions to cope with the physical challenges and threats mentioned above. Today the company has a multi-tier approach to physical IT solutions.
Rittal’s Environmental Smart package system is basically a self-contained data centre in a box. Available as standard in single, double or triple 42U rack options, these sealed systems protect against the likes of water, dust, aggressive contaminants and unauthorised access.
The system includes the access control, rack-based cooling, a modular PDU system, in-rack fire detection and suppression, and a physical monitoring system to keep track of it all. The Smart package can be delivered pre-configured with various optional accessories in record time compared with that taken to build conventional server rooms.
Furthermore, the system’s scalable approach allows the user to install a single rack, and simply add additional racks as and when the demand increases. As far as maximising return on investment goes, the complete system can be moved when the organisation needs to relocate or move office.
For higher-security rack-based applications, Rittal has developed a range of self-contained Data Safes. Similar to the above, they can be delivered pre-configured as systems. The main difference is that the data safes are available in a range of resistance classes (actual burglary resistance), as well as a range of fire resistance classes tested according to DIN and European standards.
This data safe range includes the 15U Basic Safe, the mid-level Modular Safe level B in 42/47U, and the high-level Modular Safe Extend available also in 42/47U and as a scalable system.
For turnkey data centre requirements, Rittal offers the unique High Security Data Centre solution. This solution comprises of pre-fabricated modular elements that are designed for room in room construction. Available in three levels of physical integrity, the solution can be customised to meet the end user requirements and budget.
When compared with conventional civil methods of data centre construction, the Rittal solution has a clear advantage in implementation time, ease of future expansion, and overall physical protection, all backed by international system approvals.
| Tel: | +27 11 609 8294 |
| Fax: | +27 11 452 5816 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.rittal.co.za |
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