On Fri, Nov 20, 2015 at 2:37 PM, Kevin Burke <kburke@burlingtontelecom.com> wrote:
What kind of experience do people have with rack access control systems (electronic locks)? Anything I should pay attention to with the
Overpriced, overkill for most real-world uses? High-Tech technology for technology's sake? Avoid them if you can. Within six months or so, at least once, there will probably be some glitch delaying or denying required prompt access. [snip]
Background We have half a dozen racks, mostly ours. Mostly I want something to log who opened what door when. Cooling overhaul is next on the list but one
It probably makes sense if there are more than a handful of people with unobserved physical access, and high frequency of access, or there's a trust issue, high-risk consideration. Or you have to satisfy a "Checkbox Auditor". You're not going to be able to look at a log and see Joe opened it at 2:45AM 12 months ago, and ever since then, the servers are not quite right. Consider manual procedures Example: Electronic access control to the actual rooms. A Robo-Key system (RKS), Keyvault, or Realtor lockboxes on each server rack ^_^ Physical locks on cabinets. Key vault that supports multiple combinations. Then you don't need exotic hardware, just a good lock, and sound key control procedures. I am imaging if you need to automate control of individual keys; that there will be more competing solutions for this than specialty rack locks. Logging procedures for key access... Send an e-mail when someone opens the vault. Simple magnetic reed switches on all cabinet doors. Send an e-mail when a cabinet door is opened. Quite a few standard alarm panels can do those types of things. Assign someone to periodically check handwritten logs and check for discrepancies. ^_^
at a time. Even with cameras those janky make nobody happy. -- -JH