Genetec explains how service providers can stay SOC 2 compliant when it comes to data centre security.

If the demand for cloud services was soaring before, then it has sky-rocketed in the past few years. According to Gartner, by 2025, 85% of infrastructure strategies will integrate on-premises, colocation, cloud, and edge delivery options, compared with 20% in 2020.

This shift to online in business, government, and education, as well as the introduction of GDPR and its various country-specific modifications in Europe, has given data centres a complicated new reality to navigate: how to stay compliant with evolving regulations. 

Companies transmit and store sensitive information online every day. That means it’s more important than ever to ensure partners are following best practices when it comes to cybersecurity. One way to make sure software vendors are taking this seriously is to check if they are SOC 2 compliant.  

SOC 2 in a nutshell

A System and Organisation Controls (SOC 2) report indicates that the organisation meets industry standards in regulating information, as determined by an independent audit by a certified public accountant. It defines criteria for service providers to securely manage data and protect the interests of their enterprise clients and the privacy of their customers. SOC 2 Type II offers proof that controls have been implemented properly over several months. In essence, it is a stamp of approval that an organisation is compliant with best practices in data protection and has all the appropriate safeguards and procedures in place to control who can access sensitive data.

The Genetec solution

Genetec has successfully completed a SOC 2 Type II audit for its portfolio of cloud solutions and the Information Security Management System that governs them.

What this means for Genetec customers in the data centre world is absolute assurance that their security is airtight. The Genetec data centre portfolio unifies all aspects of security within one solution, creating a holistic view of all locations and helping security personnel make better, more informed decisions. A unified system, weaving together video surveillance, access control and digital evidence management to name but a few, is a guaranteed way for operators to get the full view of their territory. 

SOC 2 Type II accreditation provides peace of mind that proper procedures are in place to ensure data stored within the Genetec system is secure, private and confidential. It also provides independent validation that controls are in place to deliver our service availability and processing integrity.

What makes Genetec unified solutions essential to data centre security is that they are supremely effective for keeping track of who had access to what, when and why, greatly reducing opportunity for human error that manual processes are so susceptible to. Making use of a physical identity and access management solution that bridges physical and IT security to automate the workflow will also drive down costs.

Centralisation and compliance

There are many other ways in which centralisation can enhance security and streamline compliance operations. For example, by making it easier to set expiry times for contractor passes or by automating the generation and sharing of audit reports so that any irregular activity is quickly brought to light. The automation that Genetec can provide is key as these activities are easy to specify but difficult to consistently carry out if manual intervention is required.

SOC 2 Type II certification is the most comprehensive proof of a technology company’s commitment to safeguarding client data. Data centres must keep up with evolving regulations and security threats while ensuring their customer needs are always met. By choosing Genetec, you can be sure you have the physical security systems in place to keep your networks, devices and data safe. We help your team reduce security risks and improve decision-making, facilitating your data centre to run at peak efficiency and giving you peace of mind.

For more information on securing your data centre with SOC 2 compliant, scalable solutions, contact Genetec today: www.genetec.com/industries/data-centers