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At the end of 2023 , the UAE had 235MW of data centre capacity with plans to expand capacity by 343MW . Furthermore , Saudi Arabia wants to add 467MW of capacity over the next few years .

Due to their high value , data centre sites are treated as critical infrastructure and , therefore , carry a threat level that demands an informed and comprehensive security strategy . Protecting data centres needs more than a CCTV camera system hooked up to a monitor in a back room . From the perimeter fence of a site to the individual server racks , operators need to take a layered approach to security and surveillance .

Layer 1 : Outside the barriers

Data centres have targets on their back . Threat actors are incessant on infiltrating where they can , which is why the infrastructure ecosystem must be secure both inside and out , says Sienna Cacan , Global Enterprise Segment Marketing Manager at Axis Communications . She shares the multifaceted approach operators should acknowledge for a comprehensive security strategy .

Site security does not start at the front gate . Instead , site security starts a good distance from it . Detecting , verifying and deterring any unwanted visitors or activities taking place in proximity to the property is the first step in executing a comprehensive security strategy . Using a combination of visual and thermal cameras , radar technology and drone detection , facility operators can wield a bird ’ s eye view of the area that surrounds the facility .

As local governments and institutions leverage drones for different use cases – as demonstrated in Saudi Arabia , where

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