Microsoft is expanding its cloud with three UK data centres
Microsoft has recently announced the opening of its first three UK data centres.
The microsoft-data-centres-ukmove honors the firm’s promise to enable customers to use its cloud services knowing that their data is stored in the country.
The new facilities which are located in Durham, Cardiff and London will host Microsoft Azure, Office 365 productivity suite, with Dynamics CRM to be added in the first half of 2017. Having local data centres is a great enhancement of security which will undoubtedly help the company to better target its services to the public sector and other organisations which handle sensitive data.
Not surprisingly, some major organisations, including Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the NHS have adopted Microsoft online services with a view of advancing its digital operations without having to worry about data location.
Mike Stone, the MoD’s CIO, see this as a huge opportunity for MoD to embrace new technology to improve operations.
He said: “So I’m working very closely with Microsoft as we seek to deliver a capability to defence that we haven’t had previously, which is one that fully exploits the power of the cloud and of mobility and of enterprise social media.”
“What I’m seeking to do is fundamentally transform the information capability that we provide to MoD staff.”
CIO of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Stephen Docherty, commented: “Having the option to store data locally will allow us to take advantage of new opportunities to use the Microsoft UK Azure platform, and it is reassuring to know that our Trust’s core data, that we create and manage, stays in the UK.”
“For us, Microsoft’s UK cloud region means that demonstrating regulatory and legal compliance is simpler. The bottom line is we trust Microsoft.”
Microsoft UK CEO, Cindy Rose, said that there is a demand from customers for UK-hosted services to help them with digital transformation agendas. She said: “With our trusted cloud now delivered locally, and our commitment to principles of security, privacy, transparency, compliance and availability, we are well placed to support the digital transformation of organisations throughout the country”.
