Microsoft Opens UK Data Centres

Microsoft have now opened three data centres in the UK. This is good news for London small business enterprises that deal with organisations such as the NHS and MoD where the security of data is paramount. The three locations are in London, Cardiff and Durham and some industry experts consider the move long overdue.

What this means

Data location has always been an issue where personal information and compliance is concerned and a while back Microsoft promised to open centres around the UK to help solve this problem. Local servers for data means a greater degree of security, allowing better compliance which was often a stumbling block for companies and organisations such as the NHS which handles a large amount of patient data that needs to be kept safe.

Who is using them

Large organisations such as the MoD and NHS are now able to use these services because of their location in the UK. This will certainly improve collaboration and innovations across industries and sectors that require access to certain sensitive data in conjunction with the secure environment of a locally hosted cloud service.

Why it is secure?

Data residency is a key issue for organisations such as government institutions and industries that follow certain, local regulations. Because core data remains in the UK, it can be managed securely and made available to those organisations that need it on a wider scale.

What does it mean for small business?

Small business will benefit from this development because they can now work more closely with organisations such as the NHS and the MoD. Now that UK residency for patient data has been addressed it will certainly lead to greater sharing and innovation in the future. For instance, companies that require better access to patient data to improve their services should be able to get it through a secure cloud environment that meets current regulations.