System and method for securing cache boards of an enterprise network data storage system

A system for securing data storage devices in an information technology (IT) network storage system, the IT network storage system including, a plurality of data storage devices mounted in slots in a cabinet and being in data communication with a computing device of the IT network, the system comprising:

• electronic locks, each electronic lock being mounted in the cabinet in physical relation to a respective slot among the slots and being configured to be transitioned between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein in the locked state a respective electronic lock among the electronic locks physically prevents insertion or removal of a data storage device from a respective slot, and wherein in the unlocked state the respective electronic lock allows insertion or removal of the data storage device from the respective slot;
• a security controller computing device including:
• a processor, a communication interface, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and one or more software modules stored in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium and executable by the processor, wherein the processor is in data communication with the electronic locks, and wherein the one or more software modules include:
• a software-key generation module that configures the processor to generate one or more keys including a first key that is provisioned for an administrator of the IT network storage system and a second key that is provisioned for an engineer of the IT network storage system,
• a communication module that configures the processor to be in data communication with the electronic locks, a computing device of the IT network storage system, an on-site computing terminal at the location of the cabinet that is useable by the engineer, and an administrator computing terminal that is useable by the administrator, wherein the communication module configures the processor to receive a command that is input via the administrator computing terminal, wherein the command includes an identification of a particular data storage device among the data storage devices and is accompanied by the first key and wherein the command comprises one or more of a lock command or an unlock command,
• an authorization module that configures the processor to, in response to receiving the command and the first key, verify the first key,
• a cache management module that configures the processor to, in response to the unlock command and verification of the first key, initiate a software-based unlocking operation on the particular data storage device,
• wherein the communication module further configures the processor to receive the second key from the on-site terminal,
• wherein the authorization module further configures the processor to, verify the second key in regard to the first key, and
• wherein the processor is further configured to, after completion of the software-based unlocking operation on the particular data storage device and verification of the second key, transition a particular electronic lock among the electronic locks that is mounted to the cabinet and corresponds to the particular data storage device to the unlocked state.