Given the diversity of data center architectures and the enterprises they support, there is no universal cybersecurity solution.
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Data center security is a multidimensional, multilayered problem for the majority of enterprises. Data centers are the « crown jewels » of a business, regardless of whether they are hosted in-house, in managed or co-located facilities, in corporate-owned off-site data centers, or on the cloud. They contain vital information that enables the operation of company operations and provides the context for making informed business decisions.
Attackers, on the other hand, want these extremely desirable and lucrative data and strive diligently to acquire access to it. Similarly, insiders may accidentally or intentionally misuse or compromise important organizational information. In either scenario, company and customer data may be held for ransom, sold on the dark web, or exploited in other ways.
The sheer magnitude and variety of data center environments further complicate the issue. In traditional networking, cybersecurity focuses primarily on the network’s perimeter, preventing intruders from ever obtaining a foothold. This method is still applicable despite the growing rise of the distributed workforce, which increases and frequently eliminates a significant portion of the network perimeter.
In contrast, data centers often manage more traffic, with virtualized workloads operating on servers, VMs, and containers that collaborate to complete tasks and share data. Data center architectures may be as simple as a single in-house facility or employ hybrid or multi-cloud architectures with a fairly flexible boundary.
Given the diversity of data center architectures and the enterprises they support, there is no universal cybersecurity solution. Nevertheless, there are a number of broad rules and best practices that can guide data center security initiatives.
Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) are typically implemented as the first line of security for data centers, similar to traditional networking; however, depending on the size, traffic load, and other factors, a specific data center NGFW may be necessary.
