The city of Las Vegas is known as a gambling mecca, but its also getting a name for itself in the high tech world.
The city of about 580,000 people sports many data centres highlighted by the Vegas SuperNAP, a 400,000 square foot data centre owned by Switch Communications. It will now a carrier-neutral data centre.
Cobalt Data Centers, a provider of high density colocation and virtual data centres, announced the completion of both a SOC 1 (SSAE 16) Type I audit and a SOC 2 Type I audit.
Mike Ballard, the CEO of Cobalt Data Centers, said its carrier-neutral data centre in Nevada remains committed to the highest levels of compliance, including a thorough examination of controls and procedures. These audit reports provide customers a high level of confidence that extensive controls, processes and protocols, pursuant to both SOC 1 (SSAE 16) and SOC 2 audit frameworks, are in place and maintained to help ensure their mission critical assets, systems and resources are protected.
An SOC 1 audit, prepared in accordance with Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16, Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization, is specifically intended to meet the needs of customers and their auditors as they evaluate the effect of the controls at the service organization relevant to customer’s financial reporting. As Cobalt Data Centers hosts systems relevant to customer’s financial reporting, an SOC 1 (SSAE 16) audit is required by most Cobalt customers.
An SOC 2 audit, prepared under AT Section 101, Attest Engagement (AICPA, Professional Standards), follows a predefined, rigorous framework to report on the controls of service organizations, including data center providers, including the design and effectiveness of policies, communications, procedures and monitoring based on detailed criteria.
Joseph Gallagher, the CFO of Cobalt Data Centers, said as the newest data centre provider in Nevada the company wanted to be an early adopter of SOC 1 and SOC 2 audits. These audits are also a benefit to our customers and their auditors. With the retirement of SAS 70 in 2011, many customers, including publicly traded entities, require a SOC 1 (SSAE 16) audit as part of their own audit process. At the same time, SOC 2 audits benefit customers by providing detailed validation of our controls and procedures.