Data Centres Recognised as Critical National Infrastructure

The UK government has taken a pivotal step by recognising data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). This landmark decision highlights the essential role data centres play in driving our digital economy and ensuring national security. This recognition comes alongside a proposed investment of nearly £4 billion in Europe’s largest data centre, set to create almost 14,000 jobs across the UK.
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Why Data Centres Matter

Data centres are the backbone of the modern digital world, housing everything from personal photos to critical NHS patient records and sensitive financial data. Their designation as CNI elevates their status to the same level of importance as energy, water, and emergency services. This move is not just a formal acknowledgment but a commitment to provide enhanced support and protection to the sector.
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Government Support and Coordination

With this new CNI status, data centres will benefit from several key measures:

• Dedicated CNI Data Infrastructure Team: A team of senior government officials will now monitor and anticipate potential threats, ensuring prioritised access to security agencies, including the National Cyber Security Centre.
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• Coordinated Emergency Response: In the event of an incident, data centres will have coordinated access to emergency services to minimise disruption.
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• Greater Protection Against Cyber Attacks: The new status will help deter cybercriminals, particularly those targeting vital health and financial data.
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Economic and Industry Impact

The CNI designation is a significant vote of confidence in the data centre industry, enhancing investor and business confidence. The proposed £3.75 billion investment in Hertfordshire’s data centre is a testament to this new level of trust.

This investment is expected to:

• Create Jobs: Directly generate over 700 local jobs and support 13,740 data and tech jobs nationwide.
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• Drive Economic Growth: Strengthen the resilience of the data centre sector, helping the UK maintain its position as a global leader in data security and digital infrastructure.
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• Boost Business Confidence: Encourage further investment in the UK’s data centre industry, contributing to sustained economic growth.
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What This Means for Lunar Digital and Its Customers

At Lunar Digital, we welcome this development with enthusiasm. Our state-of-the-art data centres are designed to provide the highest levels of security, reliability, and performance.

The new CNI status aligns perfectly with our mission to empower UK businesses with sustainable, innovative, and reliable data centre solutions.
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Benefits for Lunar Digital Customers

• Enhanced Security: With increased government support, our facilities will be better protected against cyber threats and physical incidents.
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• Uninterrupted Service: The designation ensures that our data centres can recover swiftly from any disruptions, maintaining our perfect track record of 100% uptime.
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• Increased Investment: This recognition is likely to attract more investment into the sector, enabling us to continually upgrade our facilities and services.
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Conclusion

This marks a new era for the digital economy in the UK. It reflects the government's commitment to protecting the data that underpins our daily lives and economic activities. We are excited about the opportunities this brings and are committed to leveraging these advancements to deliver even better services to our clients.

To learn more about how our data centre solutions can benefit your business, enquire today or book a tour of our facilities.

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