Speaker:
Rich Banta
Lifeline Data Centers

Abstract:
Protection against HEMP (High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse) and GMD (Geomagnetic Disturbance in a CME/Coronal Mass Ejection context) is a nascent science. Until recently, these have only been the concern of Department of Defense insiders, over-the-top “preppers”, and physics aficionados. Due to current events and an increasing reliance of all facets of 1st world civilization upon ICT (Information & Communications Technology), the discussion of EMP and GMD protections is moving into the mainstream. Lifeline Data Centers, LLC is nearing completion of an 84,000 square foot fully EMP & GMD-protected data center & SCIF facility in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Mr. Banta will discuss the basic physics of HEMP and GMD, the threats posed by both, and the extreme and expensive challenges of mitigating the effects of both in a data center setting. Mr. Banta presents from the perspective of designer/architect, primary financier, constructor, and owner/operator of such a facility.

About: Rich Banta - Rich is co-founder and co-owner of Lifeline Data Centers, LLC since 2001. He holds patents on data center power distribution, data center cooling, and EMP protection. Rich is a contributor to several international standards bodies and to NIST. Rich recently accepted the Chairmanship of the International Data Center Authority® Technical Standards Committee. He is a certified Data Center Authority (DCA)®?. Mr. Banta possesses decades of industry, standardization, and development experience, and is the former Chief Technology Officer of a large hospital system. He is also an ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), ISC Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), and CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Rich is currently a member of the University of Texas San Antonio DEMSO (Domestic Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations) working group.

The weekly security seminar has been held every semester since spring of 1992. We invite personnel at Purdue and visitors from outside to present on topics of particular interest to them in the areas of computer and network security, computer crime investigation, information warfare, information ethics, public policy for computing and security, the computing "underground," and other related topics. More info