Sector | Data Centers
Resilience for data centers.
Data centers carry critical processes, data and supply. Their security depends on how perimeter, access, power supply, building automation, cybersecurity and crisis organization work together.
Concepture assesses this security architecture across technical, physical and organizational layers. The result: robust priorities for operations and for the audits ahead.
45 minutes. Confidential. No documents required in advance.
Starting point
Whether security holds is decided at the interfaces.
Data centers are operated to high technical and physical protection standards. The critical points are the handovers between operator and service providers, security and facility management, operational technology and IT.
Unclear responsibilities, shared dependencies or gaps in evidence usually surface during change, disruption or audits. That is when it matters whether measures interlock and whether those responsible can access a shared situational picture.
An audit is coming up
Customers, management, insurers or internal audit require robust evidence on protection, operations and recovery.
Operations are changing
New services, additional service providers, expansion or a change of operator alter responsibilities and technical dependencies.
The threat landscape is changing
Sabotage, drones, supply chain failures and hybrid threats change the risk picture for sites and supply routes.
Assessment areas
Six assessment areas. One shared situational picture.
The Data Center Resilience Check follows the workflows and dependencies of operations. Each area is assessed in relation to the others.
Perimeter and physical protection
Layers of protection, detection, alarming and intervention from the surroundings to the sensitive operational area.
Access and third-party personnel
Authorizations, escorting, traceability and escalation for own staff, service providers and maintenance contractors.
Fire, power and emergency supply
Prevention, redundancies, emergency supply and recovery along the actual operational dependencies.
OT and building automation
Critical systems, remote access, changes and handovers of responsibility between building automation, operational technology and IT.
Incident, crisis and recovery
Escalation, situational leadership, communication and restoration across technical and operational teams.
Governance and evidence
Responsibilities, risk assessments, control of measures and auditable evidence for management, customers and auditors.
Law, standards and customer requirements
Which requirements apply depends on the site and the business model.
Classification depends on site, operator role, performance class, services offered and customer structure. This determines which legal obligations, contractual requirements and technical standards are relevant for the site in question.
Germany and the European Union
For providers of data center services, the German BSIG as amended by the NIS 2 Implementation Act and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690 may apply. Depending on the scope of impact, the KRITIS Umbrella Act and the data center provisions of the German Energy Efficiency Act come into play. Owner-operated data centers, size classes and services offered need to be assessed separately.
Customers and contracts
Financial institutions pass DORA requirements on to ICT service providers through contracts, audit rights, location requirements and exit arrangements. Classification as a critical ICT third-party provider adds direct European supervision. Comparable requirements can arise from data protection, supply chains, public procurement and sector-specific rules for healthcare, energy, telecommunications or defense.
International sites
Legal obligations are tied to jurisdiction, site, registered office, activity and services offered. For international projects we therefore build a country and customer profile for the site, the data processed and the contractual supply chain. European requirements are not applied wholesale to sites in Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States.
Standards and international evidence
DIN EN 50600 and ISO/IEC 22237 are central references for the planning, construction and operation of data centers. ISO/IEC 27001 addresses information security management, ISO 22301 business continuity and IEC 62443 the security of OT and building automation. Depending on market and customer profile, BSI C5, SOC 2, TIA-942, the Uptime Institute Tier Standard or PCI DSS are added.
The Data Center Resilience Check maps the relevant requirements for the agreed scope and links them to the security architecture, the operational workflows and the existing evidence.
Entry offer
The Data Center Resilience Check
The Data Center Resilience Check examines a defined site or service area. Documents, responsibilities and operational workflows are assessed together with the situation on site.
The evaluation shows key dependencies, missing evidence and the actions required for the next 90 days.
Scope and target picture
Trigger, site, operator role, organizations involved and expected outcome are defined in a binding way.
Document and evidence review
We review the relevant policies, risk and emergency documentation, access and service provider arrangements as well as existing audit and incident records.
Stakeholder interviews
Structured conversations bring together the perspectives of management, operations, security, facility management, compliance and service management.
Resilience workshop
The workshop tests assumptions, handovers of responsibility and operational dependencies.
Site perspective
A focused walk-through shows how requirements and protective measures are implemented on site. Scope and security arrangements are agreed in advance.
Management evaluation
The evaluation consolidates findings, priorities and areas of responsibility for the decisions ahead.
45 minutes to classify trigger, site and desired outcome.
Results
Priorities for the next 90 days.
Results are ordered by their significance for operations, recovery and the ability to provide evidence.
Management summary
The key findings and decisions, prepared concisely for management and those responsible.
Resilience heatmap
Assessment of the areas by relevance, existing safeguards and need for action.
90-day action plan
Measures with sequence, areas of responsibility and dependencies.
Evidence matrix
Overview of existing, missing and improvable evidence.
Dependency map
Critical interfaces between operations, security, facility management, service providers and governance.
Requirements profile and next steps
Classification of site-related, contractual and normative requirements, with recommendations for deeper assessments or direct implementation.
Approach
How the check works.
- 01
Define the scope
We define the question, the area under review, the contacts and the documents required.
- 02
Understand practice
Document review, interviews, workshop and site walk-through produce a shared picture of operations.
- 03
Assess dependencies
Gaps and interactions are assessed by their significance for operability, response, recovery and evidence.
- 04
Prepare decisions
Results are reviewed with those responsible and translated into a 90-day action plan.
Fit
When the Data Center Resilience Check makes sense.
The check requires a specific site or service area and a named trigger. This includes upcoming audits, operational changes, new service providers, incidents or open questions on regulatory classification.
Boundaries of the service
The Data Center Resilience Check does not include certification, legal advice, penetration testing or a complete technical inspection of installations. Audits mandated by authorities, insurers or standards remain unaffected.
- 01Specific scope — one site or service area is to be reviewed
- 02Named trigger — an audit, a change or a management decision is imminent
- 03Shared responsibility — several areas of responsibility need to work together
- 04Effectiveness and evidence — existing measures need to be classified
- 05Prioritization — a robust sequence of measures is required
Concepture
Security architecture across all layers.
Concepture combines cybersecurity, physical security, governance, risk & compliance and intelligence into one continuous security architecture.
For data centers, we bring structural, technical and organizational measures together with the requirements of operations, service provider management and evidence. Vendor-neutral, risk-based and aligned with the actual criticality of the site.
The result is a protection system that holds when it matters and can be demonstrated to management, customers and auditors.
Confidentiality
Handling sensitive structures with discretion.
Data center operations and security architecture require controlled handling of information. Scope, documents, participants, access rights and distribution of results are defined before the project starts.
The assessment is limited to the agreed question. Results are shared only with the designated recipients.
We share references in person and under a mutual non-disclosure agreement.
As a rule, we do not publish customer names, sites or security-relevant details.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Data Center Resilience Check
Readiness Call
Your trigger. Your site. The right assessment frame.
In a 45-minute initial call we clarify trigger, site, roles involved and desired outcome. This defines the right scope for the Data Center Resilience Check.
45 minutes. Confidential. No documents required in advance.
Contact
Request a Readiness Call
Briefly describe your trigger. We will get back to you personally to arrange a suitable time.
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