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Data Center Security: Keeping your Servers and Data Safe   no comments

Posted at Aug 3, 2021 @ 9:00am New York Datacenter

datacenter-security

The question of where to store data and sensitive information continues to concern many businesses. If you are like most companies, you worry about the security of your data. You may be thinking that you need to keep the data as close to you as possible, storing it at your own on-site data centers where you can “keep an eye on everything.” How could you possible know what is happening with your data at servers far away from your office space?

The fact of the matter is, however, that your data is much more secure at a Data Center & Cloud provider than on your in-house servers. A cloud provider is able to offer you many more security features and guarantees for your data than you have in your own space. However, you have to feel comfortable with your cloud provider keeping your data. A quick look at the many benefits of cloud storage may help convince you.

The Benefits of Moving to the Cloud

Choosing to move your information and data to the cloud is no easy decision. However, the number of benefits that data center and cloud providers offer to you and your business can make this change well worth it. Consider the many benefits, including:

  1. Data security – Possibly the most important aspect of cloud storage, data security is the main priority of cloud providers. With some high-profile companies becoming the victims of data breaches in the last couple of years, cloud providers have upped their investments in access control, identity management, intrusion prevention and virus and malware protection. These improvements have resulted in increased security protocols and more protection for communication between users and servers.
  2. DDoS protection – Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are designed to overwhelm cloud servers, flooding them with requests until the security breaks down and actual user needs are ignored. Such an attack can derail a business quickly, losing revenue, customer trust and authority. Cloud providers are now providing services that monitor and protect against DDoS attacks.
  3. Regulatory compliance – Cloud providers are required to follow the industry and governmental regulations that oversee their sectors. This includes guarantees and restitutions for your data in the event of a breach.
  4. Reduced in-house data costs – Migrating all of your data to a cloud server will allow you to reduce the size and cost of your on-site location. For example, you will be able to remove servers, lower your software costs and potentially reduce IT staff without compromising the integrity or security of your data. Most cloud storage is paid on an as-needed basis, so you will only pay for the amount of server and infrastructure capacity that your business needs, and you can change that amount at any time.
  5. Constant availability – Cloud providers are exceptionally reliable. The connection is on 99.99 percent of the time, only going down for maintenance, and you will have access to your applications and data at all times and from practically anywhere.
  6. Improved mobility and collaboration – Cloud storage is available to those who need it no matter where they are located. With today’s internet connections via tablets and smartphones, you will be able to access your data and your applications no matter what you are doing. You can also share your information and conduct collaborations via shared storage capabilities offered by cloud providers.

Choosing the Right Data Center & Cloud Provider

Once you have decided that storing your information on the cloud is the right decision for your business, you will need to find the right provider. You are placing all of your important data in the hands of this provider, so you must make sure that you choose the right one.

The best way to find the right cloud provider is to begin by talking to some of the provider’s current clients. These are the people who have already made the decision to trust the provider, and they will have the best insight into how the provider works and what it can offer. Try some of these questions to discover more about the service that you are considering:

  • Did you find the on-boarding process relatively easy to accomplish?
  • Did the service provide education and training about the new technology for your staff?
  • What is the technical support like when you encounter problems with the service?
  • Have you personally experienced any serious security concerns or incidents?
  • How have your security concerns been handled by the provider?

If you are dissatisfied with any of the responses to these questions, you do not have to use that particular provider. Keep looking and asking questions until you find a cloud service that meets your needs and that makes you feel comfortable.

Your Security and Peace of Mind

Technology is constantly changing and improving, and you need to be able to trust that your data center provider will keep up with the evolution of security needs. For any cloud service, find out whether there are security protocols in place, including:

  • Physical security of the data center
  • Environmental controls
  • Back-up measures for power and internet
  • Back-up measures for your data
  • Technical support when you need it

Frequent system audits are also necessary in order to ensure that all servers meet or exceed industry standards for data security.

When you are searching for a cloud provider, ask potential candidates about their compliance to SSAE 18/SOC. This set of standards measures the amount of control that a service organization maintains over your sensitive data and financial information. An audit will report any flaws in data flow.

You should also inquire about compliance to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This regulation ensures the security and privacy of private health information that is stored on cloud services. A HIPAA audit will demonstrate holes in the security of such specific and sensitive data.

If your cloud provider choice is compliant with both of these standards, you can rest assured that your sensitive data will be monitored and its integrity will be maintained at your data center.

TurnKey Internet’s Data Center

TurnKey Internet owns and operates its own private data center located in New York’s Tech Valley region. Our SSAE-18 SOC certified, HIPAA compliant data center was a former U.S. Government building that was purchased by TurnKey in 2010. It is made to U.S. Federal Government standards, with 1-foot thick concrete along the perimeter, plus additional reinforced walls and security enhancements. We have installed advanced security systems, and infrared based surveillance monitoring cameras. Employees all undergo background screening, and clients are not permitted within the facility except with photo ID and escorted by trained security personnel at all times.

Owning our data center, we have been able to design, build and maintain every aspect of its construction to provide an ideal hosted server environment. This allows us to provide our clients fast, secure and reliable performance at all times.

Choosing to put your business information in a cloud service rather than housing it on-site is an important decision that requires careful vetting of your potential provider. Once you have chosen a service, you can trust that your data center will keep your important information safe and secure.

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Written by David Maurer on August 3rd, 2021

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What is Colocation?   1 comment

Posted at Mar 16, 2021 @ 9:00am colocation,Web hosting

Colocation POD

Colocation or ‘Colo’ is a solution offered by major data centers that provides businesses and organizations a place to host their servers and other IT hardware in a secure, high-tech facility. Whether it’s a small business that doesn’t want to hire an entire tech department, a large company that wants the stability and security of a data center, or somewhere in between, Colocation offers benefits to all types of businesses.

Security & Protection

Most data centers that offer colocation have high levels of physical security. Features such as security cameras, 24×7 on-site staff, individual cages or cabinets have locks, as well as biometric scanning at all access points and more! If the proper security is in place, a data center may also be SSAE-18 certified. This allows businesses to colocate their equipment and benefit from the SSAE-18 compliance already in place to avoid costly and time-consuming auditing of your company’s office or facility.

With Colocation, businesses own their equipment. Since they own the equipment, only their staff has access to it and the data it holds. Unlike typical web hosting solutions, where data may me stored on a shared server, they will be the only ones with access to their data.

Uptime

Most businesses run 24×7. Even after ‘store hours’ a business needs to be online and connected, especially if they operate an online store or website. Being down for minutes or an hour can spell disaster. Imagine an organization’s IT infrastructure down for a day or a week while the power’s down due to a storm.  This disrupts potential clients from accessing their servers! In a colocation facility like TurnKey Internet’s Data Center, your company’s IT infrastructure is housed in our redundant, high-speed Internet-connected facility, with continuous power provided by industrial UPS battery systems and on-site diesel generators for emergency backups.

Room To Grow

In a typical office IT environment, if a company quickly needs to increase bandwidth or add physical space to the office, they could wait weeks or even months. When their infrastructure is located in a colocation facility, they can provide huge amounts of additional bandwidth within minutes or hours. A typical data center can have a bandwidth capacity 10,000 times that of a typical office cable Internet connection.

Cost Savings

Businesses that build their own on-site IT infrastructure can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, to have the same bandwidth capabilities and enterprise grade power and cooling systems featured at a colocation facility. Fiber optic lines, connecting to major internet hubs across the world are not purchased for pennies either! Add in redundancy to their office, and businesses are paying tens of thousands of dollars a year. On the other hand, if they instead chose to utilize a colocation facility, it might have cost them less than $100 a month.

Colocation is the ideal solution for companies, service providers, small businesses and IT resellers who want a stable environment in which to completely control their assets. It provides complete control of your hardware, software and networking to match your needs without worrying about the supporting infrastructure. By colocating with TurnKey Internet, you are able to focus on your business and not on office networking, power or server issues that plague localized installations and office infrastructure. We provide redundant networking, power and cooling to ensure your services remain online and accessible at all time.

To learn more and receive a FREE consultation, visit www.TurnKeyInternet.net/myplan

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Written by David Maurer on March 16th, 2021

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Data Centers: Better Protection For Your Company’s Data   no comments

Posted at Mar 3, 2020 @ 9:00am data center

Data Center Security

The question of where to store data and sensitive information continues to concern many businesses. If you are like most companies, you worry about the security of your data. You may be thinking that you need to keep the data as close to you as possible, storing it at your own office server room where you can “keep an eye on everything.” How could you possible know what is happening with your data at servers far away from your office space?

The fact of the matter is, however, that your data is much more secure at a data center than on your in-house servers. A data center is able to offer you many more security features and guarantees for your data than you have in your own space. A quick look at the many benefits of cloud storage may help convince you.

  1. Data security – One of the main priorities of a data center is security. With some high-profile companies becoming the victims of data breaches in the last couple of years, data centers have upped their investments in access control, identity management, intrusion prevention and protection. These improvements have resulted in increased security protocols and more protection for communication between users and servers.
  2. DDoS protection – Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are designed to overwhelm servers, flooding them with requests until the security breaks down and actual user needs are ignored. Such an attack can derail a business quickly, losing revenue, customer trust and authority. Data centers are now providing services that monitor and protect against DDoS attacks.
  3. Reduced in-house data costs – Migrating all of your IT infrastructure to a data center will allow you to reduce the size and cost of your on-site location. For example, you will be able to remove servers, lower your software costs and potentially reduce IT staff without compromising the integrity or security of your data. Most data center solutions are paid on an as-needed basis, so you will only pay for the amount of server and infrastructure capacity that your business needs, and you can change that amount at any time.
  4. Constant availability – Data centers are exceptionally reliable. The connection is on 99.99 percent of the time, only going down for maintenance, and you will have access to your applications and data at all times and from practically anywhere.
  5. Improved mobility and collaboration – Cloud storage is available to those who need it no matter where they are located. With today’s internet connections via tablets and smartphones, you will be able to access your data and your applications no matter what you are doing. You can also share your information and conduct collaborations via shared storage capabilities offered by data center providers

Once you have decided that moving your IT infrastructure to a data center is the right decision for your business, you will need to find the right provider. You are placing all of your important data in the hands of this provider, so you must make sure that you choose the right one. Technology is constantly changing and improving, and you need to be able to trust that the data center you choose will keep up with the evolution of security needs. Find out whether there are security protocols in place, including:

  • Physical security of the data center
  • Environmental controls
  • Back-up measures for power and internet
  • Back-up measures for your data
  • Technical support when you need it

Frequent system audits are also necessary in order to ensure that all servers meet or exceed industry standards for data security. When you are searching for a data center, ask potential candidates about their compliance to SSAE-16/18 SOC 1 and SOC 2. This set of standards measures the amount of control that a service organization maintains over your sensitive data and financial information. An audit will report any flaws in data flow.

You should also inquire about compliance to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This regulation ensures the security and privacy of private health information that is stored on cloud services.

If your data center choice is compliant with both of these standards, you can rest assured that your sensitive data will be monitored and its integrity will be maintained.

TurnKey Internet owns and operates its own private, SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certified, HIPAA compliant, data center located in Albany, NY. Owning our data center, we have been able to design, build and maintain every aspect of its construction to provide an ideal hosted server environment. This allows us to provide our clients fast, secure and reliable performance at all times. We’ve also been able to leverage the state-of-the-art in green technologies, making our data center among the most energy-efficient world-wide. For more information about TurnKey Internet’s Green Data Center, visit: https://www.turnkeyinternet.net/datacenter

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Written by David Maurer on March 3rd, 2020

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TurnKey Internet, Inc receives SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 Certification   no comments

Posted at Sep 10, 2019 @ 9:00am Press Release

TurnKey Internet

LATHAM, NEW YORK (September 10, 2019) – Leading Data Center and Cloud Hosting Solutions provider TurnKey Internet, Inc. announced today that their flagship data center in New York’s Tech Valley has received SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certification. After a thorough audit, TurnKey Internet was deemed compliant with the regulations required to attain certification. The examination was conducted by SOC audit specialists The Moore Group CPA, LLC.

SSAE 18, previously known as SSAE 16 or SAS 70, contains the rules for a CPA firm conducting an attestation of a service organization’s internal controls and issuing a System and Organization Controls’ (SOC) report. The SOC certification audit investigates several core areas: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. It verifies that TurnKey Internet’s data center is of the utmost security, integrity, and reliability. It confirms that TurnKey Internet has procedures and safety precautions of the highest certification standard in place to ensure the security of the facility and its clients’ data within.

In addition to the SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certifications, TurnKey’s data center also achieved HIPAA compliance. This demonstrates the facility’s compliance with U.S. federal and state government HIPAA regulations, standards and frameworks, regarding the security and protection of electronic personal healthcare information. This achievement places TurnKey Internet in an elite group of organizations worldwide that have earned and maintain a HIPAA compliant data center.

“Attaining the SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certification was a significant goal and milestone for us,” remarked Adam Wills, President and CEO of TurnKey Internet. “We pride ourselves on our unparalleled reliability, security, quality of service, and—most importantly—customer satisfaction. This certification not only proves that we are excelling in those areas, but also assures our new and existing clients that they are receiving the best possible service and data protection available.”

For more information about TurnKey Internet’s Albany Data Center, or to speak with a Cloud Hosting Solutions expert, visit turnkeyinternet.net/datacenters/new-york/albany

About TurnKey Internet

Founded in 1999, TurnKey Internet, Inc. is a full-service Cloud Hosting Solutions provider with data centers in New York and California specializing in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to clients in more than 150 countries. Services offered in both East Coast and West Coast, USA – include Public Cloud, Private Cloud, Dedicated & Bare Metal Servers, Backup & Disaster Recovery, Online Storage, Web Hosting, Managed Hosting, Hybrid Solutions and Enterprise Colocation. Headquartered in New York’s Tech Valley Region, TurnKey Internet’s Flagship company owned data center is SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certified, as well as HIPAA compliant. The facility is powered exclusively by on-site solar and hydroelectric sources to provide a 100% renewable energy footprint and in 2013 was designated the 39th ENERGY STAR® certified data center in the United States. For more information, please call (518) 618-0999 or visit www.turnkeyinternet.net

 

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Written by David Maurer on September 10th, 2019

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What is the Difference Between SSAE 18 and SSAE 16 vs SAS 70 Standards?   no comments

Posted at Sep 20, 2018 @ 9:00am datacenter

SSAE-18The Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements, or SSAE, was developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). CPA firms must follow the rules set forth by the AICPA when conducting an audit of a company’s financial statements or attestation of a company’s internal controls.

SSAE 18 (previously known as SSAE 16 or SAS 70) contains the rules for conducting an attestation of a service organization’s internal controls and issuing a System and Organization Controls’ (SOC) report. Service auditors are required to follow these rules when conducting an SSAE 18 engagement. The primary objective of the SOC report is to provide information about the internal controls and security practices at a service organization. The role of the service auditor is to perform tests in order to provide independent assurance about the accuracy and adequacy of that description of controls.

In April 2010, the AICPA introduced SSAE 16. It replaced SAS 70 and was designed to closely mirror international accounting standards. It provides improved assurance about the reliability of controls throughout the report.

In April 2016, the AICPA introduced SSAE 18. The intent was to standardize attestation criteria. It replaced SSAE 16 and required service auditors to enhance their risk assessment procedures. Service organizations are required to take more control and ownership of their internal controls around the identification and classification of risk and appropriate management of third party relationships.

TurnKey owns and operates its own private, SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certified, HIPAA compliant, datacenter located in New York’s Tech Valley region. Owning our datacenter, we have been able to design, build and maintain every aspect of its construction to provide an ideal hosted server environment. This allows us to provide our clients fast, secure and reliable performance at all times. We’ve also been able to leverage the state-of-the-art in green technologies, making our datacenter among the most energy-efficient world-wide.

 

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Written by David Maurer on September 20th, 2018

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TurnKey Internet, Inc receives SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 Certification with HIPAA Compliant Mapping   no comments

Posted at Jul 17, 2018 @ 9:34am Press Release

TurnKey Internet

LATHAM, NEW YORK (July 17, 2018) – Leading Data Center and Cloud Hosting Solutions provider TurnKey Internet, Inc. announced today that their flagship Data Center in New York’s Tech Valley has received SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certification with HIPAA compliant mapping. After a thorough audit, TurnKey Internet was deemed compliant with the regulations required to attain certification. The examination was conducted by SOC audit specialists The Moore Group CPA, LLC.

SSAE 18, previously known as SSAE 16 or SAS 70, contains the rules for a CPA firm conducting an attestation of a service organization’s internal controls and issuing a System and Organization Controls’ (SOC) report. The SOC certification audit investigates several core areas: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. It verifies that TurnKey Internet’s Data Center is of the utmost security, integrity, and reliability. It confirms that TurnKey Internet has procedures and safety precautions of the highest certification standard in place to ensure the security of the facility and its clients’ data within.

In addition to the SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certifications, TurnKey also achieved HIPAA compliant mapping. This demonstrates TurnKey’s compliance with U.S. federal and state government HIPAA regulations, standards and frameworks, regarding the security and protection of electronic personal healthcare information.

“Attaining the SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certification with HIPAA compliant mapping was a significant goal and milestone for us,” remarked Adam Wills, President and CEO of TurnKey Internet. “We pride ourselves on our unparalleled reliability, security, quality of service, and—most importantly—customer satisfaction. This certification not only proves that we are excelling in those areas, but also assures our new and existing clients that they are receiving the best possible service and data protection available.”

For more information about TurnKey Internet’s Albany Data Center, or to speak with a Cloud Hosting Solutions expert, visit https://www.turnkeyinternet.net/datacenters/new-york/albany/

About TurnKey Internet
Founded in 1999, TurnKey Internet, Inc. is a full-service Cloud Hosting Solutions provider with Data Centers in New York and California specializing in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to clients in more than 150 countries. Services offered in both East Coast and West Coast, USA – include Public Cloud, Private Cloud, Dedicated & Bare Metal Servers, Backup & Disaster Recovery, Online Storage, Web Hosting, Managed Hosting, Hybrid Solutions and Enterprise Colocation. Headquartered in New York’s Tech Valley Region, TurnKey Internet’s Flagship company owned Datacenter is SSAE 18 SOC 1 & SOC 2 certified, as well as HIPAA compliant. The facility is powered exclusively by on-site Solar and Hydroelectric sources to provide a 100% renewable energy footprint and in 2013 was designated as the 39th ENERGY STAR® Certified Data Center in the United States. For more information, please call (518) 618-0999 or visit www.turnkeyinternet.net/media

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Written by David Maurer on July 17th, 2018

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An Angry Bird attacks TurnKey Internet’s super secure data center:   2 comments

Posted at Jun 18, 2013 @ 2:57pm New York Datacenter,News,Story Time at TurnKey

BirdAt approximately 12:53PM on June 18, 2013, a cardinal was captured on security film trying to break into TurnKey Internet’s highly secure, green data center in New York’s Tech Valley Region.

Neighbors called in after tweets (audible, non-Twitter) were heard at the Latham data center. Luckily, TurnKey Internet’s facility contains a state-of-the-art security system that safeguards their SSAE-16 Type 2 certified building.

“The bird just swooped in, tried to knock over all the security cameras so he could sneak inside! Then realized how secure the buildin’ was,” local resident Emily Wegener said of the incident. “He flew away and disappeared in some bush-tower-tree-thing and I never done seen that creature again!”

The bird stands about three inches in height, is red in color and has a white belly. The culprit was last seen fleeing the scene to a nearby maple tree. If you have seen this bird, have any additional information, or have any suggestions for when birds attack, please contact your local authorities or email birdpatrol@turnkeyinternet.net.

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Written by Dylan on June 18th, 2013

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