Reddit Post: Server Room Next to Classroom

[Bedders]

Saw this thread on Reddit and I thought it would be appreciated here:

 

 

I have been fighting senior management for years about this issue. For some ridiculous reason, our server room is only accessible by going through another room. In the building plans, this room is designated as a classroom however I managed to convince SM that it is a security risk and it became the IT store room.

Today however I find out that they are going to turn that room into a classroom again. Someone with malicious intent could smash the glass panel in the door and unlock the door to the server room. The SM team is already difficult to reason with, the last time I made a point of pointing out the physical access risk I was told we don't have students that are crazy...

Any advice on how I could block this stupidity? We're based in the UK so maybe some legal pointers from someone with experience? Note that they already ignore anything I mention to do with GDPR as is, they think GDPR no longer applies to us due to Brexit.

[paulkerton]

Saw this thread on Reddit and I thought it would be appreciated here:

 

Of course, he could cite Data Protection Act 2018.

[Danp]

At my last school the server room was in an area sectioned off in an IT suite. It never caused any issues. On the very rare occasion we needed exclusive access (AC failed) we would close those classrooms.

[Koldov]

Got to say I feel it might be a bit of an overreaction if I'm honest... but I don't know the school or the probability of a student (or intruder) smashing windows to unlock the door...

 

Get the site guys to put a better lock on (also one that only opens with a key from both sides), put a blind on the glass panel and a sign up saying 'History Resources' or similar outside...?

[3s-gtech]

Ours is off a classroom, in a separate room.

 

No glass panel in the door to smash, but if there was I'd hope the usual double glazed and wire reinforced glass would be a pretty major impediment. As much as a mortise lock anyway.

[clareq]

If a student is given enough time in a classroom to smash a window, I'd say they have bigger problems than where the server room is.

[mikeprice]

If a student is given enough time in a classroom to smash a window, I'd say they have bigger problems than where the server room is.

 

Yup

 

but in a world where kids can remove a desktop from its shelf below the table-top, take the casing off, remove the memory and put it all back

IN a lesson

 

then.......

 

But anyway - does seem a bit over the top - but a key operated lock fixes it quickly

Unless they smash the whole door in of course

 

As an aside - at least half of the server rooms I have worked in have been off a classroom (i.e. it is a cupboard) - you get used to working with it as long as it is big enough and cool enough

[HarryMonkey]

Yup

 

but in a world where kids can remove a desktop from its shelf below the table-top, take the casing off, remove the memory and put it all back

IN a lesson

 

 

Had that here, except they took the cpu as well!

Edited June 28, 2022 by HarryMonkey

[FN-GM]

Ours is off a classroom, in a separate room.

 

This is how I understood the post to be as well.

 

School wants to use a room with the access door to the server room as a classroom

 

our server room is only accessible by going through another room

 

Unless I have missed something?

[TechMonkey]

In this day and age, how often do you actually need to visit the server room? So not that big a deal. If there is an emergency, then teaching staff will have to accept that. If the outer room is big enough to be a classroom then that is a heck of a big store room and wasted space really. Annoying having resources taken away from you, but if the resources are not put to best use then I can understand.

 

There is also the issue that we are only one part of the picture. Could the classroom be full with hoarded printers, monitors and copies of Windows 95, when a good clear out could condense the room down to a single row of shelves? What other room do they have? Schools are always after space for more offices or classrooms and we have to be accommodating unless it is not practical.

[Scifigirl]

Today however I find out that they are going to turn that room into a classroom again. Someone with malicious intent could smash the glass panel in the door and unlock the door to the server room. The SM team is already difficult to reason with, the last time I made a point of pointing out the physical access risk I was told we don't have students that are crazy...

 

Ummmm - replace with a fire door- without a window?? and a keylock only you have access to?

[mikeprice]

Some places sill have the server room as the technician's office

at least in smaller schools anyway - but it isn't that long since I worked in a big school with 2 IT offices - one was also the server room

[LeMarchand]

Some places sill have the server room as the technician's office

 

That's my main two schools. *Pats server* It's in a cupboard in the Head's office at the other.

 

It's the last sentence in @Bedder's quote that shocks me most.

[jthompson]

Crying GDPR seems like a bit of a stretch, and pretty easy to brush off. Better to have been more supportive whilst at the same time negotiating for some storage space elsewhere, maybe? I very much doubt any school needs a whole classroom-sized room for IT equipment storage anyway.

[PotNoodleTech]

I'm old enough to remember when the 2 x old RM servers were under the classroom desks so the students could kick them every lesson. (servers still lasted 10 years)