Protecting The Servers

Aug 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Kim Rahfaldt

Equinix is a global provider of network-neutral data centers and Internet exchange services for enterprises, content companies, systems integrators and network services providers. Equinix Internet Business Exchange (IBX) centers serve as core hubs for critical IP networks and Internet operations worldwide. With direct access to more than 200 networks, including all of the top global Tier 1 networks, Equinix's network-neutral IBX centers offer service diversity, flexibility and reliability.

At Equinix, customers can directly access the providers that serve more than 90 percent of the world's Internet networks and users. No single network provider can reliably support the mission-critical requirements of important content and enterprise customers. Companies such as IBM, Google, Sony Online, General Electric, Electronic Arts, Primedia/About.com, Hotwire, Yahoo! and Microsoft have all selected Equinix as their outsourced IT infrastructure partner.

Considering the impressive customer list, server downtime is not an option. Equinix reduces that risk by using a Symmetry Professional Security Management System and Symmetry Video Management and Symmetry ENVS (Edge Network Video Server) by AMAG Technology, Torrance, Calif.

The security Equinix provides to its customers extends to its building's environment, beginning with the outside.

In order not to attract hackers or problems, no signage identifies the company, and company credentials do not contain the company name or logo.

Equinix's intense security measures are obvious even before someone enters the building. A mantrap at the front door allows one door to open at a time to eliminate people from entering without authorization. Access is verified before a person can enter.

Once inside, a customer presents a ticket to a security guard who authorizes a biometric hand scan. Hand scans allow customers onto the main floor where the servers are kept.

A power feed from the public utility runs directly into the Equinix power system. The power runs through uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) housed in special rooms in order to eliminate spikes or glitches, and then directly to a customer's servers. Generators provide an emergency power supply to the UPS system.

“Equinix has the capacity to support themselves if they go offline,” says Jeff Trick, president and CEO of Symmetric Interconnect Systems Inc., the distributor involved in the project. “Several diesel generators provide power in the event of an emergency.”

Each server is housed in a wire mesh cage. All cables are neatly bound and stored in trays, thus keeping the floor orderly. The hand scan confirms the customer is at the correct server, the wire mesh cage opens, and cameras record all activity.

The 85,000-sq.-ft. room is dark, with blue floor lights tracking the way to a customer's server. This prevents competitors from seeing other servers, and provides customers privacy.

One integrated security system allows the security guard to monitor the entire building at once.

“Equinix chose the Symmetry Security Management System because it had integration capabilities and ease of being able to monitor the activities of a customer,” says James Toy, North Star Security Systems owner. “Cameras view the customer's past and present activity; access control tracks where they have been.”

Each of Equinix's three Los Angeles sites use the Symmetry Professional access control system. One Los Angeles site and the San Jose site installed Symmetry Video Management with Symmetry ENVS, and their newest site in Virginia, currently under construction, will also be protected by the AMAG Symmetry Professional system and the Symmetry Video Management with Symmetry ENVS.

Employee's hands are scanned if they are maintaining the servers, and card access is used throughout the facilities. Mechanical rooms require a card and PIN code for additional security.

Each site has its own security and is not connected via a LAN or WAN. Equinix refuses to give the outside world the opportunity to hack into its security system. Equinix believes security should be in their building and nowhere else, therefore a separate network manages security.

Maintaining an impeccable audit tracking system provides customers peace of mind. Customers may request an audit report of who visited their cage at any time. If a cage is opened for any reason, the security staff must be knowledgeable to track why it was opened. Good video recording provides a visual record of who visited, and that becomes part of the audit report. Video information is held for 30 days before it is deleted.

The virtual matrix in the Symmetry Video Management software allows security guards to view cameras by priority or preference, choosing which camera to show the largest on screen. They can view up to 36 cameras at the same size, and can view live, recorded or archived images simultaneously for optimal performance and flexibility.

The new system also saves space. The same room that previously housed multiple DVRs now houses one server with a hard drive, and only one rack for video.

The Symmetry ENVS fits in small spaces in the field, eliminating the need for a separate cage for equipment. By putting more server cages on their floor, Equinix increases business. The ENVS eliminates the cost and labor of pulling coax cable back to one central location. They have multiple spaces in the colocation area which saves them money. Rather than pulling 200 feet of cable, they pull 20 feet, thus saving costs.

According to Toy, ENVS is plug and play. “AMAG made installation easier by the discovery capability in the ENVS — the software just finds the ENVS — that helps a lot and saves time.”

“The new AMAG system is all rolled into one system, and there is no tape recorder,” says Equinix Director of Operation for Los Angeles, Duane Mackenzie. “The downtown LA location had six racks full of equipment compared to less than a half a rack with the Symmetry ENVS system.”

The security staff can control its cameras from the Symmetry Video Management software, eliminating the need for a separate camera keyboard to move cameras around.

Currently, Equinix uses analog cameras, but plans to upgrade to IP cameras in the near future. Symmetry Video provides a path to allow Equinix to migrate at its own pace.

Symmetry Video's “store and forward” capability allows the security staff to store camera recordings on the edge of the network and forward to their server at their convenience.

Mackenzie appreciates Symmetry Video Management software's advanced video analytics. Equinix can identify specific behaviors and program them into the software. The Symmetry Video Management software sounds an alarm whenever that behavior occurs, notifying security staff of a potential threat.

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This article was written by KIM RAHFALDT, public relations manager for AMAG Technology.

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