As mentioned in our two previous posts on physical security in the cybersecurity realm, it is vital to consider the physical measures of protecting your assets when planning and implementing your cybersecurity program. Without considering the hard components of your business, you put a greater burden on your staff and cybersecurity team(s). Taking the time to protect your assets from the beginning will save time and money along the way, improving your business outcome. To finish this series of posts, we will look at how your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) design can impact cybersecurity and your bottom line. You might want to take a few minutes to read those first two posts here:
The physical side of cybersecurity – contingency and continuity planning in the realm.
What are we talking about when we use the term HVAC?
HVAC is the term commonly used for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. In other words, staying warm/cool, dry, and as static electricity free as possible. The environment in which we and our technology work must be appropriate, or we can find ourselves dealing with avoidable problems.
Heating
Heating provides your staff comfort from the cold, but it also affects your technology and how it runs. Proper heating will keep your computers and servers from potentially becoming covered with condensation, which can cause electrical problems and possibly even fires. DataSpan, a technology customization company, recommends an overall temperature range of 50 to 82 degrees and an optimal temperature range of 68 to 71 degrees (DataSpan). Keeping your temperatures optimal will help maintain your servers and give them the ability to operate at the best possible functional level. You should, however, always default to the temperatures recommended for the type of equipment you are using by the manufacturers. When planning your server room, make sure to look at the specifications and operating requirements of the specific servers and equipment that will reside there.
Ventilation
The air quality you provide to your servers and equipment is as important as the air quality you provide to your workers. If the air is full of dust, moisture, or other contaminants, your servers will not function properly and will likely not last as long as they should. Dust causes static electricity, promotes excessive wear and tear on moving components, and can block air passages meant to help cool your systems. Moisture, of course, is the bane of electrical systems and may result in overheating and fires. Other contaminants, such as airborne abrasives and chemicals, can corrode and destroy delicate components and equipment pretty quickly.
Air Conditioning
Keeping your cool — and your equipment cool as well — is very important. Servers today require cooler temperatures to operate at peak efficiency, and cooling systems are the means to that end. Different types of air conditioners are available depending on your requirements, but be careful to consider having a backup system available as well. Watch for filtration, how the temperature levels are controlled, moisture and humidity output and where it goes, and your site’s overall requirements. You may also want to consider having air conditioning for your server room that is separate from that used to maintain the working environment in the rest of the building. Keeping them separate allows you to ensure that the environment in the server room is always precisely the same and not being overloaded during warmer weather.
What other things are affected by HVAC?
To be sure, your staff’s comfort and well-being are a high priority when your organization is installing and maintaining its HVAC systems. Still, the working capabilities of your technology are vital as well. Your organization will see less than optimal production without either working at their best. In addition to this, one major item to be aware of is static electricity. Static electricity is usually caused by friction between two surfaces. Rubbing your stockinged feet across a plush carpet is an excellent example of how static electricity is produced and what it can do. Static electricity can be a highly destructive force in a server room or computing system. Even a tiny voltage load of 40 volts can severely damage or even destroy your sensitive electronic circuits. Larger charges can permanently take a system out of commission, cause unintended shutdowns, and erase data.
Some suggestions for your HVAC setup
Here are some good suggestions for planning and using HVAC within your business:
- Wiring: make sure the wiring of your HVAC is appropriate, protected, and grounded. Having your HVAC systems go down due to a lack of proper protection will not help things at all.
- Static: keep your environment at the proper temperature, humidity, and air conditions clear of contaminants.
- Air travel: your equipment needs to breathe just as you do. You should set up your servers in a manner that allows the inflow of clean air and the outflow of hot air. Many engineering firms and contractors can help you design your areas with optimal airflow in mind.
- Access: using an entry that has two doors, with a short corridor between, reduces the outflow of your conditioned environment. That saves energy and keeps the environment more stable.
- Location: your servers should be placed away from flooding, drastic temperature variations and should be well maintained.
As you can see, your HVAC is an integral part of your cybersecurity program. Keeping your systems and servers safe from harm ensures that your organization maintains the availability of your data assets, and your workers will thank you as well. Plan your environmental conditioning well to reduce the likelihood of outages and downtime.
Northstarr Recommendations
When you first begin planning your organizational risk management program and the cybersecurity components of it, you can find yourself overwhelmed and under-informed as to the appropriate measures to take. With Northstarr System Solutions at your side, the path forward is much clearer and simpler to walk. Give us a call today at (888) 767-2210 to set up a meeting to discuss your requirements and options. You can also request a free security assessment on our website [https://northstarr-ltd.com/].For more physical cybersecurity information and recommendations, please see the other two posts in the series:
The physical side of cybersecurity – contingency and continuity planning in the realm.
