Many new data centers are being built across the United States to support the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and digital services. As these state-of-the-art facilities come online, an important question arises: Has enough attention been given to protecting their physical perimeter? While data center operators invest heavily in protecting their facilities against cyberattacks, cybersecurity extends beyond electronic networks. It also depends on protecting the physical infrastructure that houses the servers, networking equipment, and critical systems. This article examines the unique security challenges facing modern data centers and explains why an effective security strategy must integrate both cybersecurity and layered physical perimeter security.
