F E A T U R E

These facilities offer powerful computing capabilities combined with localised data handling, resulting in significantly reduced latency and faster processing speeds. By ensuring that data remains close to its point of origin, these centres support more agile, secure and compliant technological innovation.

This domestic control provides peace of mind, particularly when combined with

Put simply, the‘ stick’ element of data sovereignty lies in the serious consequences for non-compliance. The UK’ s Information Commissioner’ s Office( ICO) has made it clear that failing to properly manage the transfer of personal data, particularly to jurisdictions outside the UK that do not have adequate data protection frameworks, can result in heavy penalties.

These fines can reach up to £ 17.5 million or 4 % of a company’ s global annual turnover, whichever is greater. These are not hypothetical threats; they are actively enforced, and they highlight the very real financial and reputational risks associated with poor data governance.

Transmitting data

Cloud strategy

In parallel with this trend, UK-based private cloud platforms are gaining traction as a strategic enabler for organisations looking to maintain data sovereignty while remaining agile in a access to secure partner ecosystems and direct, high-speed interconnections to public cloud providers. For organisations, this translates into more control, better predictability around data transfer costs and simpler compliance with increasingly complex data protection regulations.

What many businesses may not fully realise is that these risks don’ t just apply to where data is stored, but also to how it moves. Data in transit when being transferred between servers, centres, or even across international boundaries falls under the same stringent scrutiny. And with the UK’ s upcoming Data

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