In a world where businesses depend on uninterrupted access to data and critical applications, having a resilient and well-structured data center plan is essential. Disruptions from cyber threats, natural disasters, power outages and network failures can have serious consequences, making business continuity planning a top priority. A strong business continuity data center strategy ensures that operations continue smoothly, no matter what challenges arise.
Here’s how to create a business continuity data center plan that prioritizes security, network reliability and disaster preparedness to keep your organization running without interruption.
The Four Key Layers of a Business Continuity Data Center Plan
A truly resilient data center must incorporate multiple layers of security and redundancy to protect against both physical and digital threats. Let’s break down these essential components:
1. Physical Security: Protecting Infrastructure from Threats
Your data center’s physical security is just as critical as its digital defenses. Unauthorized access, vandalism and environmental hazards can compromise data availability and integrity.
- Controlled Access: A strong data center should have biometric authentication, security personnel and 24/7 surveillance to prevent unauthorized access.
- Redundant Power & Cooling: Business continuity depends on backup power sources (such as generators and UPS systems) and advanced cooling solutions to prevent system failures.
- Disaster-Resistant Design: Data centers should be hardened against fires, floods and other environmental risks through reinforced structures and proactive mitigation measures.
2. Cybersecurity: Defending Against Digital Threats
With cyber threats like ransomware, DDoS attacks and insider threats on the rise, a secure business continuity data center plan must include robust cybersecurity measures.
- Multi-Layered Protection: Firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS) and zero-trust security frameworks ensure that only authorized users and devices can access sensitive data.
- Data Encryption & Backups: Encrypting data in transit and at rest prevents unauthorized access. Regular off-site and cloud backups ensure recovery in case of cyber incidents.
- Disaster Recovery & Incident Response: A well-prepared incident response plan allows businesses to quickly detect, respond to and recover from cyberattacks with minimal downtime.
3. Diverse Network Connectivity: Ensuring Always-On Access
Network downtime is a major risk to business continuity. Organizations must ensure that their data centers have redundant, high-speed network connections to prevent disruptions.
- Carrier Neutrality: Partnering with a carrier-neutral data center allows businesses to choose from multiple ISPs, reducing the risk of network failures.
- Peering & Direct Cloud Connectivity: Direct connections to cloud providers, content delivery networks (CDNs), and major exchanges boost performance and lower latency.
- Low-Latency Routing: Businesses relying on real-time applications, financial transactions and edge computing need optimized network paths to ensure consistent performance.
4. Location-Based Environmental Security: Choosing the Right Data Center Site
A successful business continuity data center strategy isn’t just about technology and security measures—it’s also about where your data is physically stored. Certain regions are more prone to natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes, which can jeopardize uptime.
Why Omaha is a Safe Choice for Data Centers
- Low risk of natural disasters – Omaha sits in a geographically stable area, free from hurricanes, earthquakes, and other extreme weather risks.
- Central U.S. location – Businesses benefit from low-latency access to both coasts, making it an ideal data center hub.
- Reliable power infrastructure – Omaha’s energy grid provides stable, redundant power to support continuous operations.
At 1623 Farnam, our Tier III interconnection hub in Omaha provides an optimal blend of security, redundancy, and accessibility, making it an ideal choice for business continuity planning.
Building a Future-Ready Business Continuity Plan
A strong business continuity data center plan is about more than just reacting to disruptions—it’s about proactively building resilience, agility and scalability into your infrastructure. Here’s what businesses should consider when designing their strategy:
- Risk Assessment: Identify the most likely threats to uptime, including cyber risks, network failures and physical disasters.
- Redundant Systems: Ensure backup power, connectivity and cloud resources are in place for immediate failover in the event of an outage.
- Disaster Recovery Testing: Regularly test backup systems, failover solutions and security protocols to ensure a smooth response in case of emergencies.
- Compliance & Regulatory Standards: Data centers must comply with industry-specific security frameworks such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS and SOC 2 to meet legal and operational requirements.
By implementing a multi-layered security strategy, organizations can minimize risk, enhance operational resilience and ensure business continuity—even in the face of unexpected challenges.
Why Choose 1623 Farnam for Business Continuity?
At 1623 Farnam, we provide a secure, interconnected and strategically located edge data center that supports businesses in achieving long-term resilience. Our state-of-the-art facility in Omaha offers:
- Carrier-neutral colocation with diverse network connectivity
- Direct access to the Omaha IX for optimized performance
- Geographically stable location with low environmental risk
- Robust security, redundancy, and disaster recovery capabilities
Whether your business is looking to enhance security, improve network resilience or establish a future-proof disaster recovery plan, 1623 Farnam is your trusted partner for business continuity solutions.
Ready to strengthen your business continuity strategy? Contact us today to learn how 1623 Farnam’s data center solutions can help protect your critical operations.