One of the biggest and potentially most alarming news stories during the recent holiday season was the security breach at a national retailer. Data from thousands of credit cards was stolen, leaving card holders vulnerable to identity theft and retailers subject to huge losses.

Protecting data from these and other kinds of threats is complex as criminals become ever more sophisticated in their unlawful online activities. Data centers are secured like fortresses with entrances and exits strictly controlled. Movement throughout the facility can also be strictly controlled using key control and management systems. These automated systems securely store valuable facility keys and provide a usage trail for auditing or investigative purposes. Advanced key control and management systems can also secure card access badges that may be required to gain access throughout a data center facility.

To access a key or badge stored in the tamper-proof cabinet, the authorized user simply enters their personal identification code on the keypad and when the system verifies the user, the door will open and the location of the requested key will light up. Key control systems can also be configured with card readers or biometric readers for access and they can be networked for centralized control. At any time, security operations can view the status of any key in the system; quickly locate any key in the system; determine who currently has which keys out and for what area and when they are scheduled to be returned; or who has had keys out, for what areas and when. Keys can be returned to any cabinet in the system but if a key is not returned when scheduled, e-mail alerts and text messages can be sent to selected individuals to enable quicker action.

By controlling keys and access card badges, data centers can be assured of improved security and a safer environment.