SCEC Class B and Class C Security Racks: A Practical Guide

Gov­ern­ment agencies, defence or­gan­i­sa­tions and their con­trac­tors often need to house ICT equipment in security-rated en­clo­sures. In Australia, that usually means equipment evaluated by the Security Con­struc­tion and Equipment Committee (SCEC). This guide covers the practical points buyers should un­der­stand. It doesn't replace advice from your agency security adviser or the relevant pro­tec­tive security policy.

What SCEC is

The Security Con­struc­tion and Equipment Committee evaluates security equipment for use by Aus­tralian gov­ern­ment agencies. Endorsed products are listed on the Security Equipment Evaluated Products List (SEPL). Agencies and their con­trac­tors refer to the list, alongside their security policies and risk as­sess­ments, when selecting equipment.

Class B and Class C: the basics

SCEC classes describe levels of security per­for­mance. Broadly, Class B products provide a higher level of pro­tec­tion than Class C. The class you need depends on the in­for­ma­tion or assets being protected, the zone the equipment sits in and your agency's re­quire­ments. Your security adviser should confirm the class for each ap­pli­ca­tion.

Argent offers both. The Argent 50 Series security racks cover SCEC Class B and Class C (details), and the C Class wall-mount cabinet suits smaller secure spaces (details).

What makes a SCEC rack different

Con­struc­tion

Security racks need robust con­struc­tion that resists forced entry. Argent 50 Series racks use a fully welded zinc anneal steel frame. They're available as wall-mount units in 6, 12 and 18RU, as free­stand­ing racks from 18 to 46RU, and in depths from 700 to 1200mm. Dual and triple com­part­ment versions are available where different security domains share a footprint.

Locking

SCEC racks use endorsed locking hardware. On the 50 Series, Class B racks use KABA X10 com­bi­na­tion locks, and Class C racks use Bi-Lock handles. The C Class wall-mount cabinet uses a concealed three-point SCEC-endorsed locking system with an SCEC-endorsed Bi-Lock.

Cable entries

Cables have to enter a security rack without creating a weakness. That's why you can't simply drill extra holes in a SCEC rack on site. Entries use compliant designs, such as baffles. Argent provides options guides for cable entries during the design stage. In one project, Argent designed a SCEC-compliant baffle system giving 18 cable entry ports for a rack used for patching (case study).

Se­ri­al­i­sa­tion and records

Each Argent 50 Series rack is in­di­vid­u­al­ly se­ri­alised and name-plated, with a registry record, sup­port­ing asset man­age­ment and audit.

Choosing the right rack

1. Confirm the class with your security adviser.
2. List the equipment, with sizes, weights, power and heat.
3. Plan cable entries early: number, location and type.
4. Consider com­part­ments if multiple domains share a rack.
5. Plan ven­ti­la­tion that keeps security intact.
6. Allow time for sign-off. Drawings and 3D models help stake­hold­ers approve designs before man­u­fac­ture.

Common mistakes

• Under-spec­i­fy­ing cable entries, then trying to add them on site
• Ordering before the class is confirmed
• Ignoring weight and floor loading for fully populated racks
• Leaving security sign-off until delivery

Argent's SCEC ex­pe­ri­ence

Argent describes itself as an approved security equipment man­u­fac­tur­er, holding approval for SCEC Class B and C security server racks. The 50 Series was SCEC endorsed in June 2016, and Argent pioneered some of the first SCEC-endorsed C Class cabinets in Australia, starting in 2002. Argent racks are made in Sydney at OPIE Man­u­fac­tur­ing Group's Emu Heights facility, under ISO 9001:2015 quality cer­ti­fi­ca­tion.

Fre­quent­ly asked questions

Can I modify a SCEC rack on site? Generally no. Mod­i­fi­ca­tions can affect com­pli­ance. Talk to Argent and your security adviser before any change.

Do SCEC racks need special delivery or in­stal­la­tion? Delivery and in­stal­la­tion should follow your agency's security pro­ce­dures. Argent can co­or­di­nate delivery and placement.

Can a SCEC rack have multiple com­part­ments? Yes. Argent offers dual and triple com­part­ment racks, which can be useful where different domains share a footprint.

How do I know which class I need? Your agency security adviser de­ter­mines the required class based on your security policy and risk as­sess­ment.

Explore Argent's security range, read Building your data security with Argent 50 B&C Class racks, or contact our team.