Data Center

Data centre key functional framework
1. Entrance Room (Carrier Equip & Demarcation)
2. Main Distribution Area (Routers Backbone, LAN/SAN)
3. Horizontal Distribution Area
4. Zone Distribution Area
5. Equipment Distribution Area

source:adt.com

Do you have any plan to migrate your data center? Here is sample of data center migration procedure you can use for compliance. This checklist could be combined with other approach such as Business Continuity Plan or Disaster Recovery Plan in Data Center Operation. Here is the list

1. Develop implementation Plan
The implementation plan should address the following areas:
1. Project Plan
2. Application and User Testing Plan/ Testing Results Approval
3. User Training
4. Data Conversion Plan
5. “Go/No-Go” Decision (Go Live Criteria)
6. Deployment Strategy (Rollout Strategy)
7. Back Out & Contingency Plan
8. User Support
9. Monitoring and Maintenance
10. Post Implementation Review

Completion, success criteria, and/or standards for testing should be established prior to implementation for each area

2. Develop Testing Strategy
1. Ensure testing strategy includes tools and methods used to check that the system responds correctly, determines how and when the test will be performed and recommends how the approval process should occur.
2. Ensure Security is tested in a “near production” environment. All testing should be performed in a secure and segregated environment.
3. Ensure testing strategy is documented and approved by project management
4. Testing should be designed to prevent or detect errors in the application, database, and interfaces.
5. Test scenarios should be developed to exercise all paths of logic and business conditions.

Data center audit or site review is one of mandatory activity during IT audit process. But most of IS auditor forget key activity that should be checked during the process. Here is simple audit checklist to be used:

1. Policies & Procedure
• Have computer center operating policies and procedures been written?
• Are they sufficiently descriptive in detail to guide the organization and operation?
• Do data center personnel aware to the policies and procedures?
• Are they kept up-to-date?

2. Personnel
• Are data control center personnel and operators' assignments rotated?
• Is an operating log maintained to record any significant events and action taken by the operator?
• Is the operator log inspected daily by management?

3. Incident handling
• Do the computer room operators know exactly what to do when the different types of fire emergencies occur?
• Do the other personnel know exactly what to do when fire emergencies occur?