Data Center Audits and Building Enterprise Value (SlideShare)

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Data Center Audits and Building Enterprise Value

A data center audit can offer useful input at different levels to

help data center managers to achieve their business goals.

Sponsored by http://www.DataCenterLeadGen.com

http://www.datacenterleadgen.com/

How Is a Data Center Audit Done?



Auditing, whether in data centers or elsewhere, starts with measuring and

comparing.

It needs metrics and standards that can be applied consistently and that give

meaningful output.



Data centers often use the AICPA SAS 70 audit, requiring

organizations to make their own system of controls, and then audits

those controls to tell its stakeholders how well practice

complies with policy.Sponsored by http://www.DataCenterLeadGen.com


More recently, the AICPA brought in SSAE 16 and three associated Service Organization Control (SOC) reporting levels:• A SOC 1 report concerns the accuracy and completeness

of the description of the system (the data center in this case) at a specific date.• A SOC 2 report provides details on controls for security,

availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of a system and its information.• A SOC 3 report is for general release with a summary

statement on the effectiveness of the controls in place at the data center.



Things that are wrong need to be identified.

Constructive auditing practices then offer a structure within which to put

things right.



A popular approach is the “Five Cs”:

1. Condition: What is the problem?2. Criteria: Which standard is not being met?3. Cause: Why did the problem happen?4. Consequence: What is the impact (risk,

loss) due to the problem?5. Corrective action: What should data

center management do about the problem and by when?



Whether the data center serves just one organization or a number of

different customers as in a colocation service, data center guarantees play a large part in the overall credibility and

brand image of an enterprise.



While remaining objective, auditors take on a counseling role rather than one of just a critic.

They use their knowledge of data centers to go further than the numbers and to apply

practical business logic to make useful evaluations and help in achieving business

goals.



Do you use internal or external auditors for your

data center audit?



Tell us how you handle this and any pros and cons you see with either approach, with a line or two in the space beneath for

Comments.



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Data Center Audits and Building Enterprise Value (SlideShare)

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