Physical security

Theft is the physical threat of most concern and rightfully so. Keeping rooms locked is a good idea, but not always feasible. Keeping computers locked to a wall or table is a good deterrent against a casual, shoplifting style, theft but it will not deter a professional with a shopping list. We have seen a thief use a crow bar to remove a computer along with a portion of the Formica table top (they were then foolish enough to take it to a repair shop with the table top still attached). There are very loud alarms which sound when the power cable is unplugged. A combination of locks and alarms is an excellent theft prevention system for computer labs which must be publicly accessible, particularly at late hours.

Computer hardware is protected from fire damage by smoke detectors and sprinkler systems just like any other equipment. Computers are unique in that the most costly damage is the loss of data which can be prevented by storing back up tapes in remote locations.

Surge protectors and uninterruptable power supplies are a low cost investment that can save very costly equipment damage. These are particularly important if the computer must be used continuously or if your region is prone to severe thunder storms or frequent power outages. Some surge protectors have the ability to protect the phone line going to a modem also. The modem and mother board can be more readily damaged by lightning hitting a phone line than by lightning hitting the power lines because the computer power supply provides a minimal amount of protection.