Category: Case studies

National Defense Command Enhances Data Protection

Data Access Control improves workplace efficiency

A classified military command data center situated in the greater Washington, DC area was faced with a growing number of physical restrictions and security gaps. An  expensive remodeling or additional build out of the data center to enhance security was logistically difficult and cost prohibitive. E-LINE by DIRAK provided the Data Center Manager with an innovative solution to increase security, decrease cost, and mitigate risk, all while maintaining the existing physical infrastructure.

The problem

The command was home to a mid-size, established data center with limited raised floor space. Logistics and budget constraints resulted in no realistic option to expand the data center to meet best-practice security protocols.

  • The data center’s standard IT rack, HP G2 series, has a proprietary latch design utilizing a basic key system
  • A mixture of classified and non-classified data center cabinets side by side in a facility with personnel of varying security clearance levels needing access
  • An effort was made to obtain a basic level of security by adding a combination lock on the door to the data center floor. Classified staff had to indicate on a white board when they were working inside, interrupting the work of nonclassified employees
  • Multiple keys were not a solution due to lack of traceability and slower security response

The solution

E-LINE by DIRAK’s MLR Series provided a solution to the security and workflow issues of the data center. The E-LINE by DIRAK system provided the command’s data center with:

  • An electronic access control for front and rear doors of the data center cabinet
  • The ability to individualize access based on job function, clearance level, and specific rack
  • Multiple authentication security protocols (pin code and RFID)
  • DIRAK engineered and manufactured a customized tamperproof mechanical adapter specific to the HP G2 series
  • Door and side panel sensor integration for complete intrusion detection and protection

The results

  • Increased security posture by mitigating risk and increasing emergency response time
  • Software provides a gapless auditable log of all rack activity
  • Workplace efficiency has been improved through a reduction of time spent accompanying non-classified personnel in the data center

“Controlling access to our data center was a significant problem that has been solved thanks to E-LINE by DIRAK. Their security and software professionals were responsive to our needs, creative in meeting our needs, and their product simply works.”

Data Center Manager

MLR: Mechatronic Locks for Racks

The handles of the MLR1000 series have a hardware interface for integration in an existing management system. The handles can be opened as soon as their potential- free contacts are activated or voltage is applied. Following activation, the MLR1000 switches to readiness for opening. During this period, the user can open the MLR1000 by pressing the keys. Extra clarity and information thanks to status LED and back-lit information panel on the handle.

ELCOS Energy Technology

ELCOS Energietechnik, headquartered in Hannover, Germany, specializes in low and medium voltage systems for energy distributors, drives, and controllers all around the world.

Challenge in industrial safety

The supply voltage which connects to the energy systems often lies in the potentially fatal range of a couple hundred to a few thousand volts, presenting a large risk to operating personnel. To address this risk in the past, ELCOS Energietechnik utilized a conventional lock and key system to control access to the medium voltage  systems. These basic locks were not an adequate solution to ensure the operating personnel’s safety. To come up with a long-term, effective solution that ensured safety in the work place, ELCOS engineers primarily focused on a modular access control solution that could flexibly integrate into their energy systems. After researching, the engineers decided on an access control solution which only allowed entry to the energy systems when they were de-energized, E-LINE by DIRAK.

„A purely mechanical access solution does not issue any feedback. We were looking for a possibility to make the systems freely accessible only when de-energized, in order to improve personnel protection.”

“We initially thought about the connection of a rod latch on the door with a sensor, but the DIRAK MLR swinghandle is perfect. It guarantees completely safe access  control for the medium voltage systems.” 

Sven Kappelmann, ELCOS Energietechnology

Customer advantages

E-LINE by DIRAK’s newly integrated MLR swinghandle provided a secure solution that only allowed the ELCOS medium voltage systems to be unlocked when there was
no danger to the operating personnel. The swinghandle could be actuated only when the power supply was interrupted, creating a next level security solution. Additionally, the circuit breakers cannot be activated when the door is open, safeguarding the system against operating errors.

MLR: Mechatronic Locks for Racks

The MLR1000 handles can be integrated into any management system via an input/output system. The handles unlock under dry contacts or by applying voltage. The end user supplies authentication method to ensure compatibility with the existing management system. Additionally, the handle displays open/close status and relays information to the management system.

Green House Data

Green House Data is a colocation data center, cloud infrastructure, and managed service provider located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Committed to future growth and meeting the increasing demands for commercial colocation data centers, Green House Data recently completed a second build-out replete with a multitude of world class features to demonstrate their mission of delivering advanced technology, state of the art security, and high performance solutions and services. As a colocation data center servicing a broad set of industries and housing organizations’ critical data, physical security and compliance are paramount to their business. Green House Data concentrates on specific compliance standards and partners with their clients to meet the requirements and constraints that their industries demand.

Customer Demands

Healthcare is one of the largest industries in the US, with some of the strictest regulations and continuously evolving standards for compliance. While Green House Data operates as a fully HIPAA compliant facility, they were approached by Human Capital Management Services (HCMS), a healthcare IT company, looking for the next level of data center security — access control at the rack level to fortify their HIPAA compliant business. “Having cabinet security that is fully auditable will allow us to stay ahead of the curve in terms of providing assurance for HIPAA compliance to our clients and business partners,” said Mick Simon, Partner and Chief Technology Officer, HCMS Group.

Market Analysis

Green House Data performed extensive market research on solutions available, searching for a product that would exceed all current HIPAA compliance standards, as well as act as a security solution that could become a standard for all other clients and compliance based industries housed inside their data center.

After a thorough examination and trial with the E-LINE by DIRAK solution, Green House Data presented it to HCMS Group, with positive results.

„Our selection process really was an exhaustive look at the solutions that are out there in the marketplace for delivering the next level of security all the way to the cabinet. The features that E-LINE by DIRAK provided to us met our needs exactly.”

“We loved it right from the start. It gave us the ability to have physical controls at the cabinet level. We knew we wanted cabinet level control since we are in a HIPAA compliant business that requires pretty tight access control and a solid audit trail down to the cabinet Level.”

Shawn Mills, Managing Director, Green House Data

E-LINE by DIRAK

By delivering real time monitoring, auditability, and AES encrypted communication, the E-LINE by DIRAK MLR5000 series, implemented by Green House Data, increases security, mitigates risk, and ensures compliance for their security conscious customers. The MLR5000 series handles are each IP addressable, making  them capable of independent, front and rear door, RFID access control. By operating in both network and power down situations (through use of a battery pack), it completely eliminates the need for mechanical key overrides and creates a truly gapless audit trail. This type of solution gives the system administrator the ability to monitor, control, and report all activity occurring at each rack any time of the day, providing a complete auditable log of all persons who accessed each rack.

Benefits

To HCMS: E-LINE by DIRAK provides HCMS with the next level of security and a truly auditable solution, enhancing their business and allowing them to differentiate themselves to their clients and business partners by staying ahead of the current HIPAA compliance standards. Additionally, E-LINE by DIRAK’s MLR series provides end users with automatic email alerts, preplanned vendor access to ensure timely completion of maintenance, and the convenience of using existing RFID cards.

To Green House Data: With the E-LINE by DIRAK solution, Green House Data is able to offer current and potential clients the highest standards of access control, secure operations, and compliance, satisfying the new standard of security minded customers. They have the ability to give their clients individual logins to manage their racks remotely, without giving them access to any other subset of the interface, creating the perfect multi-tenant solution to be used across all. their data centers. In conjunction with additional sensors, the MLR series will automatically detect an unauthorized intruder from any panel on the rack, not just the front and rear door. This helped Green House Data to maximize their floor space by eliminating the need for cages. As Art Salazar, Director of Operations and Compliance at Green House Data stated, “E-LINE by DIRAK has helped Green House Data both as a business and as a revenue generating proposition. As a business, we are no longer having the constraints of building cages around cabinets or building individual contained pods, losing real estate in the data center.” E-LINE by DIRAK also provided Green House Data with a potential new revenue stream through a value-added service that will attract new customers. Mills explains, “The E-LINE by DIRAK solution for us has really given us the ability to sell in another level of service to our clients. In the colocation market space, many of our clients need an extra layer of security and this E-LINE by DIRAK solution allows us to provide that next level of managed services, the next level of value added services to our clients that they may not be able to get from some of our other competitors.”

The Solution for Colocations

E-LINE by DIRAK is the premier rack level access control for colocation data centers. Now, facilities such as Green House Data’s are able to exceed their customers’ demands for compliance standards and increased security. They also improve operational efficiencies through reduced use of cages to maximize data center floor space – while simultaneously providing an additional revenue stream for their business as a value added service.

MLR: Mechatronic Locks for Racks

Each MLR5000 handle is individually IP addressed and designed with the ability to retrofit onto the front and back of existing rack doors. The handle functions and audits in network down and power down states, eliminating the need for mechanical keys and creates a truly gapless audit trail. The Administration Suite provides the system administrator with the ability to monitor, control and report all activity occurring at each rack any time of the day.

  • One to two factors of authentication (RFID/Keypad)
  • Designed for both low and high density data centers
  • LEDs create visual alerts for authorization, temperature, alarm, and lock statuses
  • Emergency interface for battery pack
  • Integrates into the Administration Suite software or into existing management systems