Networks Europe May-Jun 2017 | Page 17

SECURITY & COMPLIANCE 17 Ensure GDPR compliance By John Allen, Business Development Manager, Axis Communications www.axis.com Why data centres, the mainstay of the information age, require robust physical security to guarantee GDPR challenges are met The future of business is taking place in the cloud. Cloud products will reportedly represent 30% of Microsoft’s revenue by 2018, and In Q4 of 2016, Amazon Web Services generated $3.53bn in revenue – up 47% from the year prior. As the use of cloud technology increases, so too does our reliance on the physical infrastructure supporting this growth – data centres. Data centres invariably hold a wealth of sensitive user data which they do not own, particularly within co-location sites. As the numbers of cyberattacks rise, resources are increasingly reallocated to defend against the cyber threat, often leaving physical security as an afterthought. In real terms, this means that when an engineer is called out, security and verification can often be limited to a single phone call to check identity, resulting in significant vulnerability to outsider threats. Within data centres, continual uptime and data security are key – particularly in light of the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is designed to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the EU. GDPR stipulates that a fine of 4% of annual group turnover or €20m, whichever is higher, is to be paid in the event of non-compliance. As such, in addition to www.networkseuropemagazine.com