There is a prevailing mindset that afflicts people all over the world – "It won't happen to me." This type of thinking can be poisonous and prevent individuals, organizations and companies from taking necessary precautions. While emergencies may be infrequent, it is still important to put preventative measures into place.

Similarly, it can be tempting for companies and data centers to skimp on data protection with the idea that a breach is too unlikely to merit investment in security. In reality, the opposite is true – disasters, breaches and break-ins do happen and companies must take the proper precautions.

For data centers seeking the best protection in the event of a burglary attempt, biometric technology is the best solution. Through the use of a fingerprint scanner or other biometric access control mechanism, these centers can control security clearance from the the front door to the server cabinet.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
No one wants a security breach. But when one does occur, it is best to be prepared – not just for recovery, but prevention, according to Kroll Ontrack.

"Disaster planning and preparation are a critical aspect of any business plan. But there is no single approach to disaster preparedness and the emphasis on disaster response is changing," explained Stephen Bigelow of TechTarget.

It is true that a varied and updated security system is the best bet against attempted data theft. But a biometric security system should be at the center of any data center's protocol. While passwords can be guess or forced and keys can be lost or stolen, the unique physical characteristics required by a biometric platform are virtually impossible to fake.

The reason data centers should protect themselves against any risk is that their data is their most valuable asset. If they cannot protect their clients' data, then they have little value. As Trevor Smith, executive vice president at Brite Computers, told Democrat and Chronicle, data is the bottom line. He pointed out that threats can come from outside and from within and that employees that leave a company take their knowledge of passwords with them. That's why biometric systems can be reprogrammed to deny entry to outdated fingerprints.

Nigerian data center raided
In the U.S., we take our political stability for granted. Other countries can stand as a reminder of how tenuous that peace can be and how important it is to protect data centers with the best security means possible.

In Nigeria, the State Security Service (SSS) raided a data center belonging to opposition party All Progressive Congress (APC), destroying computers and arresting staff, according to Data Center Dynamics. The SSS claimed unlawful activities at the center, which the facility vehemently denied. Nevertheless, the raid was without warrant, as the SSS arrived unannounced and began ransacking the building.

The SSS claimed that the APC center was "cloning [the] INEC Permanent Voters' Card with the intention of hacking into INEC data base, corrupting it and replacing them with their own data."

In response, the APC asked, " … [W]hat prevents them from obtaining a court order permitting them to enter and search the building instead of carrying out a Gestapo-like operation?"

This type of event is unlikely in the U.S., but represents the importance of biometric security. Such a system would deny entry to anyone who tried to access the facility and ultimately the SSS might have been unable to carry out that breach. Similarly, any other intruders would be foiled by a cutting-edge biometric security platform before they had the chance to reach the server cabinet.