Eliminate Public Access to Wiring Closets and Cables - Wherever possible locate all wiring closets in locations that are not accessible to the public.

Limit Insider Access to Wiring Closets and Cables - Try to ensure that general insider access to wiring closets is restricted to “the few” (the IT team).

Naming Wiring Closets and Cables - Ensure that you build naming conventions that include wiring closets and cables. An earlier article entitled “Building Your Own Naming Conventions” explains how to do this. Click this link to go there Building Your Own Naming Convention.

Securing Wiring Closets and Cables Labeling Systems - Now to apply labels to your wiring closets and the cables inside them. For more information about developing and implementing, your very own highly secure labels click this link Making Your Own Indexed Labeling System.

Partitioning the Wiring Closet- When multiple utilities must share the same wiring closet then it is a good idea to partition the available space in your wiring closet. The basic idea here is that each utility will have its own dedicated and locked wiring closet partition.

Dedicated Wiring Closet Compartments - Thus, electrical wiring will use its own dedicated self-contained compartment in the wiring closet if need be. Other utilities, including IT infrastructure and components will have their own dedicated compartments as well.

Reducing Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) - For the IT related wiring closet partitions, I strongly recommend that the different cabling types have their own compartments as well. This will help to reduce the negative impacts of EMI (noise/cross talk) from external sources.

Wiring Closet Cable Bundling and Grouping - With multiple types of IT cable to be found in wiring closets it is essential to subdivide these cables into groups of related cable types, functionality and the services that each cable transports. Use cable ties to keep the individual member cables of a custom group together.

Destination and Services - One practical grouping system would be to bundle all cables heading to the same destination together. Another would be to bundle wiring closet cables involved in the delivery of the same specific services together.

Dedicated and Exclusive Fiber Optic Cabling Compartments - Although fiber optic cables are “immune” to EMI they still require careful planning, management and maintenance. Accidental damage to a very small number of the individual fiber optic lines within a fiber optic cable often necessitates the replacement of the entire cable. I can tell you from experience that this is no fun.

Cable Conduit - Using conduit to encase cabling will add an additional layer of physical protection for cable runs is a smart move.

• When using conduit for cable runs always ensure that there is ample room inside the conduit for all cabling you wish to run through it
• Do not squeeze cable into conduit
• Leaving space in the conduit will help to reduce the amount of “inside the conduit” cross talk that your cabling will experience

Regulatory Compliance - Always check to ascertain what if any regulatory compliance aspects pertain to your network specifically. You may need to employ the services of a duly qualified and registered cable technician.

Network Backbone - All network backbone cabling (fiber optic and copper) should have their own dedicated wiring closet compartments.

• Building-to-building network backbone fiber optic cable runs should be in fiber optic backbone only wiring closet compartments
• If traversing open spaces then it is a good idea to bury these fiber optic backbone links

Locks - Wiring closet locks need to be robust and tamper proof. When the wiring closet contains multiple internal compartments, each compartment must have its own discrete locking mechanisms.

Auto Locks - Here is a group of locking devices that will automatically lock immediately upon engagement of the locking elements.

• You do not need a key to lock them
• You do need a key to reopen them
• This type of lock comes in both the normal physical lock variety, the electronic variety and as combination locking mechanisms that employ multiple strategies

Keys - Implementing a secure locking system with appropriate lock and control mechanisms and policies will fall flat on its face if you do not take the same due care and attention with respect to the keys and keying mechanisms.

Master Keys - I think you will already be familiar with the concept of one key that will open many locks. I have implemented the use of “master keys” successfully on many occasions myself.

• Because we had deployed fully self-contained internal wiring closet compartments, we are able to let the electrician into the wiring closet using a master key and keypad combination to regulate entry into our wiring closets
• The electrician can do his job without ever needing to expose every other wire and cable also contained in any given wiring closet
• All of the key mechanisms to open the individual compartments inside use different key mechanisms and types
• In our case, not only are we using master key and keypad combinations to regulate external access to the contents of the wiring closet, we are doing likewise for the interior dedicated compartments as well

Fastening - Securely fasten all wiring closets and cabling.

• For cabling use plastic or plasticized fixatives wherever possible
• Do not use staples or U-Tacks to fasten cables to fixtures
• Cable ties or telephone wire clips are preferable

Redundancy - Having spares to hand can save much angst in a time of crisis.

• Most users consider a missing cable that prevents their using the network to be a real time of crisis
• Hot swappable devices also have a role to play here

Inspection - Conduct regular infrastructure inspections that incorporate the physical inspection of your wiring closets and cables. Be on the lookout for Vampire Taps (devices similar to those seen in the movies used to “tap” the line).

Policies - The planning, design, development, implementation, maintenance and updating of organizational policies is more important now than ever before.

• Develop and implement appropriate wiring closet and cabling security procedures and policies
• Develop and implement appropriate lock and key policies
• Use drills and rehearsals to test the effectiveness of your lock and key policies
• Document your policies thoroughly

Documentation - Thorough documentation of all production environment implementations is a vital element of all aspects of networking. Doing so will come undoubtedly prove its worth down the track.

• This includes the traditional IT network, communications networks and now the Unified Communications (UC) networking implementations
• Do likewise for any proposed implementation amendments
• Physical Constructs - Diagrams and other illustrations detailing the physical layout of the wiring closet and network cabling are more than just pretty pictures. They serve to aid rapid identification particularly when troubleshooting.
• Diagram Placement - Place a copy of the physical wiring closet and cabling diagrams inside the wiring closet. For lockable, fully self-contained, wiring closet compartmentalization solutions place the appropriate diagrams into the appropriate compartment.
• Logical Constructs - You may also find it to be of value to include diagrams of wiring closet, cabling and network logical constructs inside the appropriate wiring closet compartment.

Auditing - Conduct audit processes to ensure compliance with your policies.

• In a Windows Server environment, do this by turning on auditing through the Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
• Most aspects of physical security relating to wiring closets and cables will need some degree of manual verification on the part of the IT team

Drills and Hypothetical Scenarios - It is often very helpful to “dry run” possible scenarios from both a “very likely” to a merely hypothetical scenario to determine your current state of preparedness should any of these situations eventuate.

• It also helps build confidence in the IT team
• Having practiced what to do in a given situation will help the person in the “hot seat” to better deal with the situation than would otherwise be the case

Well that is all for now. So until next time when I will discuss the physical security aspects of peripheral devices enjoy!