Don’t look now, but 2014 is just around the corner. As we rapidly approach the end of the year, it’s a good idea to start planning ahead for all the different things that could impact data centers in the year to come. Some of the trends that are developing aren’t new, but they will make a bigger impact in 2014 than they have to data.

With that said, let’s now take a look at 4 of the emerging trends that we expect to impact data centers in 2014.

Prediction 1: Green isn’t going anywhere

“Going green” isn’t just a buzz-phrase anymore. Businesses will start to care more about how their data center environments are being powered. If their private data center or colocation sites aren’t being powered in an environmentally friendly manner, it’s going to become an issue that gets noticed in the Corporate Sustainability Report. The desire for a greener data center is something that will influence everything from how data centers are powered to their very construction and design.

Prediction 2: There Will Be a Focus on Data Center Design

Speaking of design, how data centers are built is going to change as we move forward. In the past, the design of a data center was usually about convenience and affordability. Maybe a company had some extra space in a building or they found some cheap property somewhere. However, because there are so many different risks threatening data centers, from fires to earthquakes to floods to human interaction, more importance will be placed on having a sound data center design strategy. Data center design will be about function, safety, and as mentioned earlier, energy efficiency.

Prediction 3: The need for constant availability will continue to increase and drive “always available” options

Because of an increased need for availability in numerous business applications, the need for data centers to be always available will be an emerging trend in 2014.  Note that there’s a difference between the “always on” data center and the “always available” data center. The always on data center is one that is constantly running, even when servers are idle. This can lead to a huge waste of energy. However, always available data centers use power control options to automatically power down idle servers, reducing wasted energy without affecting performance.

Prediction 4: 2014 will be the year of data center mergers and acquisitions

While 2013 has been a slow year for data center mergers and acquisitions, experts are already seeing signs that the number of transactions in 2014 will take off. Speaking at the 451 Research Hosting & Cloud Transformation Summit, Peter Hopper, co-founder of DH Capital, explained that the simple reason for increased data center buyouts in 2014 is that “the buyer universe has never been better” and “multiples will remain stable, and the debt markets remain highly supportive.”

So, keep a lookout for both major and smaller data center deals over the next year or so.

As emerging technologies continue to drive change and foster new opportunities, it’s important for IT and data center professionals to keep up with these changes. From keeping up with the latest industry news on a consistent basis to taking technology training courses, because there are many different ways you and your team can stay on the cutting edge of modern technologies.

Author bio: George Hillston is a freelance business and technology writer from Toronto, Ontario.  As a former IT consultant, he has helped many businesses better incorporate technologies with their existing infrastructure.  You can find more of his work on his Google+ profile.

The post Top 4 Data Center Predictions for 2014 appeared first on Colocation America.

Any size business may be subject to a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, which can negatively impact services on the server and ultimately deny the availability of the system for legitimate users.

These events can deny regular employees to run computer networked machines or their own personal devices (BYOD), which may be laptops, tablets and smartphones.

BYOD Security

According to ABI Research, DDoS mobile threats are on the rise but authorities are fighting back.

Knowing what such a threat can do to a business, it seems as though not enough is being done to prepare and repsond to DDoS attacks.

DDoS is however, always high on most businesses’ agenda when it comes to security targeting BYOD and identifying DDoS mitigation solutions.

Trend and challenge

Companies that have reported being hit by a DDoS attack cited BYOD as the largest contributing factor. The growing influx of mobile devices can make operations a lot easier and more efficient, by connecting employees that can do their jobs from anywhere at any time.

However, BYOD poses a high-level of risks and security concerns when adopted. It also presents new challenges regarding threats that can impact the entire enterprise network. Businesses should not to ignore DDoS attacks in the BYOD architecture, but know how to address the challenges and complexities of mobility-driven devices.

Ways businesses can prevent, if not mitigate, DDoS

Applying mobile security practices is paramount. The first step towards managing and protecting systems is to carry out an information security risk assessment, which addresses both internal and external threats. It can identify loopholes where security measures should be in place; in addition, it can evaluate the potential impact if a DDoS incident was to be discovered. Taking the necessary steps to secure mobile devices can be as simple and easy as overseeing PC security and associated management and data loss policies.

The approach to take

The IT department can consider using access control methods, using a software authentication solution, encrypting the file system, or else optimizing a workers’ use of mobile devices by having a management app that controls the physical device itself.

This strategy will help the organization get the most out of BYOD while ensuring more mobile security and, possibly, deter hacktivists from launching malicious attacks.

The evolution of DDoS attacks – mobile driven

Those in a BYOD environment are likely to be at risk in the future. A business should always understand the impact of mobile technology and their security requirements. As the BYOD trend evolves, organizations should make certain to use one of the strategies mentioned to be able to respond to such distributed attacks, which, in consequence of Murphy’s Law, have the tendency to occur at the worst possible times for the business.

About the Author: George Hillston is professional freelance writer and passionate information security blogger.

The post BYOD and DDoS Attacks: Evolving Threats and Solutions appeared first on Colocation America.

Whether a company maintains a prevalent online presence or is simply storing information digitally, understanding the need to keep data secure and taking steps to do so is a must.

Data Security

Data security is a phrase that relates to ensuring that unauthorized individuals do not gain access to sensitive information that could be used maliciously. Examples of data related to businesses that should be kept secure include: stored credit card information, personal information of employees or plans for future marketing campaigns.

Importance of Data Security for Businesses

Data may be compromised by identity thieves or competitors who use unsavory business practices. When security is not made a priority, businesses often find themselves struggling to survive.

A failure to keep customer information safe can result in the theft of personal information including names, addresses and credit card information. Depending on the nature of the business, thieves may even get their hands on social security numbers. If a business does not keep the personal information of their customers safe, they may have trouble retaining and gaining customers due to a lack of confidence.

Information about the company itself could potentially be accessed by competitors and used to keep the business from filing a patent for a certain product, launching a marketing campaign that could significantly boost business or implementing an idea intended to encourage customers to stay loyal.

Inside threats

Finally, businesses may be vulnerable to security breaches within their own company. Employees who have access to too much information or too wide a variety of information may be able to steal from the company. While most businesses do not want to think about the possibility that their own employees may be acting unscrupulously in a way that hurts the company, there is a real risk that theft of funds or company secrets could happen.

Improving Security

–IT audits — One technique for identifying areas of weakness is to allow a professional to perform an IT audit.

–Strong passwords -Strong passwords should be used for every different access point that requires one.

–If there is even a suspicion that a password has been compromised, err on the side of caution and change it.

–Data Encryption – Data that is sent online can be protected through encryption, and it is also possible to encrypt the data found on a hard drive or USB drive.

Keep employees informed about data safety

Employees who may have work laptops or mobile devices often fail to use these devices securely because they do not think of the possibility of a security breach. Educate employees about the proper use of devices used for work, and remind them that safety must continue beyond the workplace if these devices are taken home.

Keeping data secure in the workplace is a must to avoid dangerous breaches that could result in financial losses to the company. Involve employees in efforts to boost security, and use data destruction services to properly dispose of unneeded digital information related to the business.

About The Author: George Hillston is professional freelance writer and passionate information security blogger. Visit his Google G+ to see more of his work.

The post Using Data Security To Keep Business Information Safe appeared first on Colocation America.