Physical Security During Construction?

["Michael J. Wheeler" <mwheeler () PITTSTATE EDU>]

We will be undertaking a construction project in our datacenter. The doors
to the data center are currently protected by PROX-locks.  Walls will be
built, new A/C system installed, as well as new electrical wiring.
Obviously, this will be a project that runs over a relatively long period
of time -- especially with the requirement that we maintain operations
during the construction.

Has anyone gone through a similar project while keeping the data center up
and running? How do you handle the physical security while construction
workers are coming in and out?

We had planned on issuing them PROX-cards that were only good during
business hours and making them swipe every time they came in. But, what
about while they are in there working? We do not have cameras in the data
center, and I can't imagine having an FTE dedicated to sitting in there and
'babysitting' them for the duration of the project.

Do you just intrinsically trust your contractors, their sub-contractors,
and sometimes their sub-contractors? General security practices say "heck
no!", but I was wondering what others have done in this scenario.

--
Michael J. Wheeler
Assistant Director, Systems and Networking
Pittsburg State University
Phone:  620-235-4610
E-mail: mwheeler () pittstate edu