Running head: BUILD & SECURE DATA CENTER1

Build & Secure Data Center

Western Governors University

BUILD & SECURE DATA CENTER 2

Table of Contents

Summary.....................................................................................................................................................3

Review of Other Work.................................................................................................................................4

Changes to the Project Environment............................................................................................................6

Methodology...............................................................................................................................................7

Project Goals and Objectives.......................................................................................................................8

Project Timeline........................................................................................................................................10

Unanticipated Requirements......................................................................................................................11

Conclusions...............................................................................................................................................11

Project Deliverables...................................................................................................................................12

References.................................................................................................................................................13

Appendix A...............................................................................................................................................14

Appendix B...............................................................................................................................................15

Appendix C...............................................................................................................................................16
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Summary

FakeBiz is a regional service provider that began as a reseller of communications services

and have recently experience large growth. They are looking to compete with larger companies

but have been confronted with a problem. The problem being that their current environment is

running slow because they had virtualized their system and network with a cloud service named

SoftMicro. FakeBiz is having a difficult time managing the systems that were hosted on

SoftMicros IAAS service. Another issue FakeBiz was concerned with was the datacenter breach

SoftMicro had experienced prior to our proposal. The physical breach was caused by 2 people

who had impersonated maintenance employees who were there to repair a condensing unit.

Luckily, FakeBizs’ customer data was not compromised by the breach. These are the events that

prompted FakeBiz to request a proposal from FKM Enterprises to build a secure and functional

on-premise datacenter.

The project completed successfully with a few minor revisions. Let’s begin with the

deliverables. For the first deliverable we provided the FakeBiz stakeholders a proposed floor

plan (Appendix A) that was immediately approved. The design required a security desk to ensure

the no unauthorized personnel accessed the datacenter floor. Anyone attempting to access the

datacenter would be greeted by the security desk and only those with approved appointments

from FakeBiz would be allowed to enter the facility. Being that a datacenter is a 24 by 7

operation the security desk is manned by a guard for an 8-hour duration per shift. As part of this

design we implemented a Data Center team. This team would be responsible for the datacenter

operations including escorting personnel into the facility and ensure the person is only working

on the systems/devices listed in the appointment or change. All changes to the datacenter

environment would be entered in a change management system that would need approval from
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the Change Advisory Board (CAB) and stakeholder approval. Deliverable 2 was the installation

of the security cameras. All cameras were installed and placed in strategic positions to ensure full

video coverage of the hallway, Security desk area and the datacenter floor. We also installed a

viewing station as the security desk so that the guard is always aware of who and what is

happening in the facility. This deliverable was a requirement before we could install the racks

and servers from SoftMicro. You can see that placement of the cameras on the floor plan listed in

Appendix A. Deliverable 3 consisted of the installation of the racks and servers from SoftMicro.

This deliverable also included the installation and cabling of the datacenter and the servers in the

racks. You can view the as built wiring diagram and networking equipment on the floor plan on

Appendix A. Once all three deliverables were completed, we turned over the facility to FakeBiz

and provided the cost details of the datacenter operations personnel. (Appendix B)

Review of Other Work

In this section, we will review three datacenter models that are similar to the datacenter

model we used for this project. The first datacenter is one of the most popular datacenter models.

This is the Amazon Data Center. Amazon pays special attention to the physical security layer.

This layer includes security guards, surveillance and direct video feeds to secure the facility.

Amazon also scrutinizes access to the facility. (Amazon. 2017, May) FKM Enterprises proposed

adding a security desk as a 2nd level of security along with mantrap doors to eliminate tailgating.

You can see the location of the security desk on Appendix A. Amazon also places a high

importance on their infrastructure. They ensure that the site has redundancies and to support the

capacity if there is a failure. (Amazon. 2017, May) This is very similar to what FKM Enterprise

designed and setup for FakeBiz.

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The second review is of Google’s datacenter. Google is a brand known Globally for its

web services and operating systems. Google is also a very large player in the cloud arena like

Amazon. Google is also very focused on the security of their datacenter. Security is a very

important requirement for their clients and Google has embraced that when they say “Security is

part of data centers; DNA (Data Centers – Google). FKM Enterprises has also implemented

security safe guards as Google has done. Google implemented a security team as we dis for

FakeBiz as a measure to mitigate physical breaches to the facility. Googles’ security team is also

responsible for developing and designing the security process. FKM Enterprises delivered a

policy and procedures manual to FakeBiz for both the data center and the security desk. The

manual outlines how to process requests for access and how each team will work together to

ensure the proper operation of the facility. Another aspect that Google places much interest in is

the design of the data center. Google wants to ensure that the experience users have is a great

one, which is why they try to build data centers closer to the user to cut down on the time it takes

for the user to run queries or use the available tools.( Wang, U. 2013, March 5) This speak to one

the reasons FakeBiz decided to bring the data center on-premise. They were experiencing issues

with slowness and just like Google does for its customers FakeBiz brought their infrastructure

closer.

Lastly, we will look at Rackspace. This company also has a global footprint and is

another company that cares for its customers because they place much weight on security and

availability. Rackspace is committed to ensuring the physical security of their centers. They have

24 by 7 by 365 surveillance. (Rackspace. n.d.) They restrict access to the center like FakeBiz

does at their center. Rackspace is also committed to network redundancy by having 4 transit

providers to remove a single point of failure. (Rackspace. n.d.). This is very similar to how we
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implemented the ISP connection for FakeBiz. As you can see on Appendix A, we installed 2

10GB circuits and also two routers and two switches to ensure availability.

To summarize, we took critical pieces from each of these data center models to create a

model that was suitable for FakeBiz.

Changes to the Project Environment

The original floor plan provided by FakeBiz was bare. It was a complete empty space

aside from the doors, ventilation, UPS systems and the raised floors. After we surveyed and

provided the stakeholders with the new data center floor plan, they were able to see what we had

proposed to meet the deliverables required for a successful project. Initially, we had only

provided FakeBiz with a floor plan with placement of the security measure and placement for the

hardware being migrated from SoftMicro. After implementing the Mantrap doors, security desk,

surveillance and installing and connecting all the hardware from SoftMicro, FakeBiz wanted us

to provide an as built wiring diagram for the racks and network which you can find on Appendix

A. The other change requested by FakeBiz was to modify the staffing model of the data center

from 24x7x365 to a 24x5 model initially since the demand for the data center is currently not

there to justify the originally proposed solution. This required use to update the operating

procedure to show the process for accessing the datacenter during off hours. The process was

updated to reflect the new process which is to contact the datacenter security supervisor and the

data center supervisor to approve the request and to allow the person to access the facility.

Adding the wiring diagram and changing the support model for the datacenter were the 2

changes requested by FakeBiz that we had accommodated during the project. These changes did

not cause a strain to the project timeline as we had built in contingency to the schedule. We were

still able to complete the project on time.

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Methodology

For the project we used the SDLC methodology since it works very well for the data center

migration. IT is also very good project management conceptual model that provides the necessary steps to

make a system development project functional. This includes following the project from development

through the completion. The steps used to achieve project competition are Planning, Design,

Implementation, Testing and Maintenance. We begin with the;

1. Planning- In this stage we took the floor plan provided by FakeBiz and analyzed the

current state. We also had a walk-through of the facility and found that it had some of

the major components needed for a datacenter. We found that the space had an

operational HVAC system, raised flooring, a fire suppressant system and 2 40KVA

online ups systems that were not listed on the plans provided by FakeBiz.

2. Design- In this step we took our vision and designed the space to include the security

measures required by FakeBiz and placement of the hardware being migrated from

SoftMicro. We were able to implement a plan that was able to minimize the downtime

for users and customers that would have been affected because of the migration. We

also updated the designs to accommodate the request from FakeBiz to add a wiring

diagram and the process for accessing the facility during off hours that were not part

of the original scope of the project.

3. Implementation- This stage is where we installed the security measures such as the

mantrap doors and cameras. In this stage we worked with FakeBiz and SoftMicro on

the logistics regarding the transportation and installation of the racks and servers. This

step also included the installation of structured cabling and the two 10GB circuits.
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4. Testing- During this stage we tested and validate the security solutions had been

installed properly and validate the functionality of them. Likewise, we tested the

hardware that was migrated from SoftMicro and ensured it was operational and had

been integrated with your local network and could be accessed internally and

externally. We also tested and validated the installed cabling and the 10GB circuits.

5. Maintenance- This stage is FakeBizs’ responsibility as we have already delivered the

finished products to FakeBiz. Your company would need to maintain the systems that

have been installed on an ongoing basis while also reviewing the current system and

determining if improvement will be needed in the future. We provided FakeBiz with

the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the datacenter operation.

Project Goals and Objectives

The goal of the project was completed successfully including the changes requested by

FakeBiz. The successful completion of the goal was due in part to the successful outcome of the

objectives. The first objective was met when we provided FakeBiz the data center design with

the security elements required to secure the facility from an unauthorized breach. We also

included the placement of the racks and servers that were migrated from SoftMicro on the data

center floor plan. We also updated the data center floor plan to include the wiring diagram as

requested by FakeBiz. This was accomplished by reviewing the original floor plan provided by

FakeBiz and then working with FakeBiz, our datacenter engineers, security engineers, and

architects to create the new floor plan that provided the best solution for FakeBiz. This objective

was considered successful after the stakeholders approved the design. The second objective we

delivered was the standard operation procedure (SOP) that will be used as an instruction booklet
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for FakeBiz to support and operate the data center. The manual will also be a reference for

FakeBiz to ensure they are operating the data center properly. We also added the changes to the

data center operations manual to update the operating schedule to 24/5 from 24/7. This objective

was completed with the help of our datacenter operations team. They were able to work with

FakeBiz to create a process that would provide the optimal support of the new datacenter. This

object was considered successful after we provided FakeBiz the standard operating procedure.

The last objective we delivered was the installation of all structured cabling from the

communications room to all the networking hardware, racks and servers. We also provided

FakeBiz a report with cable certifications for the wiring that was installed including the testing

performed on all ethernet cabling and the ISP circuit testing and validation. We also were

successful in coordinating with SoftMicro to deliver the racks and servers during times of low

usage. Because of this, no users or customers were impacted during the migration. This objective

was accomplished with coordinated efforts from our wiring team, server engineers, network

engineers, FakeBiz business internet team, and the coordination with SoftMicro. This objective

was considered successful after all of the installed hardware, cabling, and circuits were tested

and validated and the stakeholders acknowledged that everything was operational. Because we

were able to complete all of the objective successfully, we were able to deliver the required goal

for FakeBiz on time.

Project Timeline
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Planned
Duration Actual Duration
(hours or days,
(hours or days, 8-
8-hour Actual start
Milestone or hour workdays,
workdays,
include weekends
Actual end date
deliverable excludes
and holidays) date
weekends and
holidays)

Overall Datacenter
3 days 3 days 10/24/19 10/26/19
Security Design
Floor plan with rack
4 days 6 days 10/26/19 10/31/19
location and systems
Datacenter 4 days 6 days 10/31/19 11/05/19

management plan
Hardware, Cabling 21 days 15 days 11/05/19 11/20/19

and 10GB link

installation

The timeline for the project was accomplished on time even with the added requirements

requested by FakeBiz. We were able to accommodate the changes because we had built in extra

time in the timeline to mitigate any unforeseen issues. Because of the addition of the of extra

time we did not get off course and were able to deliver the goal without having to extend the

project. We did experience some delays with shipment of the security cameras which caused us

to move the start date of the rack and server installation, but it did not change the timeline and

we completed as scheduled.

Unanticipated Requirements

FakeBiz requested two changes to the original project plan. The changes had good reason

and were approved by the stakeholders. The first request was to change the operating hours to the
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data center which required us to update the standard operating procedure manual to reflect the

change from a 24/7 to 24/5 operating schedule and to also add a process on how personnel or

vendors would access the data center during off hours. The second request was to add an as built

wiring diagram to the data center floor plan which required us to redo the original proposed floor

plan to include the wiring to all networking hardware, racks and servers. Due to the changes we

had to ask our engineers to work extra hours to complete the migration and to accommodate the

changes which were requested by FakeBiz.

Conclusions

The results of the project were favorable and accepted by all the stakeholders. We were

able to deliver the requested goal including the addition of the wiring diagram and the change in

the data center support schedule requested by FakeBiz on time. The stakeholders did mention

that although the project was successfully completed that as time goes on, they will certainly find

flaws and will adjust the policies and procedures as they find flaws. The deliverables were

successful although we had to adjust to accommodate adding a wiring diagram to the floor plan

and also changing the data center operations schedule and add an off-hour support policy that

FakeBiz requested after the initial proposal. Our timeline was skewed, but because we had added

buffers to the original timeline were able to complete the project on the proposed end date. We

did have to add extra time to the data center floor plan and the creation of the standard operating

system but during that time we had worked with SoftMicro to schedule the delivery of the racks

and servers while also adding extra shifts to ensure we did not fail in the deliverables. Since the

additional requirements did not hinder the installation of the security elements, we continued as

scheduled but did not complete as expected because of a parts shortage and this is why the rack
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and server installation deliverable were pushed back pushed back 6 days. Other than these minor

issues we were able to continue our work and completed the project successfully.

Project Deliverables

On the below Appendix’s you will find the deliverables that were provided to FakeBiz

upon the completion of the project.

Appendix C shows the original state of the data center. The facility already had a fire

suppressant system, UPS system, HVAC system and a raised floor which were not displayed on

the floor plan.

Appendix A shows the revised floor plan including the requested wiring diagram of the

data center. You will also find the placement of the network equipment, racks and servers. As you

can see the floor plan also shows the 10GB circuits and the placement of all the security

elements including the surveillance cameras and the security desk.

Appendix B is the cost break down for the personnel that would be required to maintain

and operate the new data center. This breakdown will be used by FakeBiz to justify the

headcount needed in order to keep the data center operating at optimal efficiency. The document

shows the position and salary information of the current employees that have been hired to

support the new facility.

References

Amazon. (2017, May). Amazon Web Services: Overview of Security Processes.

Retrieved November 24, 2019, from https://d0.awsstatic.com/whitepapers/aws-security-

whitepaper.pdf.
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Wang, U. (2013, March 5). Googles 10 rules for designing data centers. Retrieved November 22,

2019, from https://gigaom.com/2013/03/05/googles-10-rules-for-designing-data-centers/.

Rackspace. (n.d.). Rackspace Global Infrastructure. Retrieved November 22, 2019, from

https://www.rackspace.com/about/data-centers.
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Appendix A

FAKEBIZ DESIGNED FLOOR PLAN

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Appendix B

DATA CENTER PAYROLL EXPENSES

PAYROLL TO MAINTAIN DATA

CENTER
Employee Employe Job Description Hourly Yearly

Name e Rate Salary

Number
Arthur Jones 6047120 Security Officer $20.00 $41,600

(Day Shift)
Brendan 6047121 Security Officer $20.00 $41,600

Davis (Swing Shift)

Fred Louis 6047122 Security Officer $22.00 $45,760

(Overnight Shift)
Paul Adams 6047123 Security Supervisor $25.00 $52,00

(Day Shift)
John Taylor 6047124 Systems Administrator $35.00 $72,800

(Day Shift)
Beth Walter 6047125 Systems Administrator $35.00 $72,800

(Swing Shift)
Ted Williams 6047126 Systems Administrator $38.50 $80,080

(Overnight Shift)
Adam Roam 6047127 Systems Administrator $50 $104,000

Supervisor

(Day Shift)
Total Yearly Salaries $510,640
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Appendix C

ORIGINAL FLOOR PLAN