Data center with interesting physical protection

We use the DataPro data center for our cloud. Yes, the Technoserv integrator built data centers and server nodes, yes, we can do this, yes, we have the right engineers in the state, but we prefer to outsource the placement. Why? Because the data center in the form of IaaS is, greatly simplifying, like a refrigerator or a warehouse. Nothing romantic - just the place to put the server. Cooling, nutrition, regulations and everything else - these are a lot of competencies that are not needed in the cloud. Keeping other people's servers on is a separate business.

Why did we choose them? Because they are paranoid in the classical military sense.For example, they never depend on one vendor. Or, let's just get to our server and see how many times they stop us along the way.

First, a fence with a set of sensors will stop us. If you shake it in any place or try to climb on it, the vibration sensor will work, and the guard patrol will immediately advance.

Here is the fence:





Then they have the entrance to the building where you need to log in. True, there have been cases when instead of a pass it turned out to show the server for 2-3 million rubles, but they still will not be allowed to go further than the turnstile. There you need to introduce yourself normally, take an RFID tag and write down passport data. Next is another turnstile and office part, where engineers and teams of administrators of those who hold iron in the data center are sitting. We also sit there sometimes.



Okay, suppose you managed to get there. Now you need to get into the right room. On the way to the gym, there is such a surprise:



This is a vestibule, inside - two (or more) doors. In the photo on the left is the technical room, which opens with a special master key, on the right is the machine room itself, where access is via an electronic pass. That is, the engineer for the operation of technological equipment (an employee, by the way, DataPro!) Simply does not have access to the room with racks.



The racks themselves also deserve attention. Here are the usual locked ones:



And here are the additional protective perimeters (gratings) we use. And here, behind bars, only a small part of the servers:



Each customer selects these lattices to their taste. I would like the rods more often, so that my hand could not be put in even to a locked stand - not a question. I want blinds - not a question. The grilles of some very cautious and distrustful customers go under the raised floor and in the false ceiling.



Here is the control room of the operation service with round-the-clock monitoring of the data center:



This is the duty engineer of the operation service. There are more than one such engineer in a round-the-clock shift. The data center security service (security) has approximately the same separate room, only with access stricter than the machine room, and data from cameras is displayed there.
Here, the engineer of the operating service monitors the operation of all the data center equipment, for example, the temperature in the machine rooms, transmitted by temperature sensors from cold and hot corridors, directly at the racks:



You can go and inspect the equipment visually, with your own eyes (by the way, duty engineers on duty make regular walks with inspection of the equipment), but it will work out only if there is access to the appropriate rooms:



You can enjoy the look of the sensors:



Again, what we especially like, even strictly in in all parts of the data center operation team does everything very carefully and meticulously. Here are the DRIBP (these are such large uninterruptible power supplies, but without traditional batteries) and the marking on the cables:



According to the DRIBP there are also two vendors, by the way.



Everywhere neat wiring:









Although, of course, data center clients have ragged “snot” inside the racks:



There are convenient banquet tables, usually used as cantilever trolleys:



On the roof, too, everything is seized:



Rectangular boxes just below the cameras are light:



In all rooms, including this one - video surveillance:



Actually, the end of a simple tour.




DataPro Engineering Systems Operations Director - Andrey Kuchin

That's why we rent a data center - guys know a lot about reliability, safety and maintain the level of operation. But even with this approach, you can’t be attached to one vendor and one site (although our equipment is in several machine rooms) - so soon we will have another new site, including for geo-reservation.