Microsoft's recent announcement that it will open its first UK-based data centres should be seen in a positive light and demonstrates an understanding that some organisations, especially those in the public sector, need to keep their data in the UK, says Cloud Services Provider Outsourcery. The move will boost the cloud industry in the UK, giving customers the flexibility of being able to store their data closer to home, governed by UK data residency regulations and laws.
The new data centres are set to open in 2016, with the news coming at the same time as Microsoft's announcement of plans to open similar local centres in Germany. As the EU Safe Harbour ruling may have made companies nervous about what it means for the cloud services they receive from various suppliers, this decision serves to make UK home-based data hosting more straightforward for many businesses.
Jon Seddon, Head of Product at UK-based Cloud Services Provider Outsourcery, said: "Microsoft's decision to open its first UK-based data centres marks a positive step for cloud in this country, for customers and partners alike. In the wake of the Safe Harbour ruling, many cloud customers will be acutely aware of where their data is being stored, and what the consequences of that might be.
"This is summed up in recent research by the Cloud Industry Forum, which found that 30 per cent of businesses consider data sovereignty an issue when adopting cloud. Knowing that their data is being kept closer to home can serve to bring peace of mind to businesses, and provide them with additional options when formulating or updating their cloud strategies."
Microsoft's announcement will serve to enhance Outsourcery's cloud portfolio, making it one of a small number of companies able to offer organisations a truly hybrid cloud model delivered from the UK. As a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider, Outsourcery is able to support organisations migrating from physical infrastructure to the cloud and deliver a comprehensive, flexible mix of cloud services to meet customer needs. These range from Azure and Skype for Business provision, through to PSN Protect (formerly IL3), providing assistance to help customers manage different workloads on different clouds, delivered from the UK.
Seddon concluded: "Microsoft's decision to expand the locations of its data centres shows that cloud adoption is reaching a critical mass, which supports the huge investment required for hyper-scale cloud providers, that only providers of Microsoft's size can afford. The move will give the entire cloud industry in the UK and Europe a boost, which will in turn lower the cost of adoption for businesses considering migrating to the cloud in the future."
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