Cloud company has introduced a new, state-of-the-art data centre primarily aimed at catering to the needs of government and public sector clients.
The British hosting provider experienced a 43 per cent organic growth in public sector revenue in the first half of 2018, compared to the same period the previous year. This significant increase is partly driven by the rapid expansion in public sector cloud sales, which saw a 100 per cent rise over six months.
The new Tier 3 data centre, identified as MaNOC 9, represents a substantial financial investment and is outfitted with advanced security measures, including multi-factor access security, CCTV systems, razor-wire fencing, and high-security entry systems. To support artificial intelligence services directly from MaNOC 9, the facility is equipped with supercomputers designed to accelerate machine learning development through high-powered processing cards and technology. Located at the recently expanded campus near Manchester Science Park, MaNOC 9 offers unparalleled security and technical capabilities.
The CEO stated, “Our existing government data centre is filling up fast, and we realise that now is the time for strategic investment to meet the growing demand from the UK government and public sector. We are incredibly proud to launch this space for our government and public sector clients and any organisations in regulated sectors who require high-level security offerings. By creating this facility, we also expand our capacity to deliver replicated environments to the public sector, which is an increasingly common demand. The addition of AI technology is an exciting step; these supercomputers are purpose-built for deep learning and analytics, allowing our clients to gain a significant advantage over their competitors.”
To ensure optimised power consumption, the latest digital metering equipment is installed at MaNOC 9, guaranteeing the most efficient and cost-effective energy use. The site is concurrently maintainable, utilising separate A and B supply paths for power and cooling, permitting hardware maintenance without disruption to client services. The facility was designed and constructed in-house by the dedicated team of builders, joiners, and electricians responsible for the firm’s existing data centres and the campus redesign. The centre’s engineering team completed the technical build.
The data centre estate is linked directly to private networks, including the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) and Public Sector Network (PSN), enabling suppliers to deliver cloud services directly to the public sector. The head of the public sector division noted, “There is a clear appetite from public sector organisations to unlock new technologies like AI, big data, and machine learning. We are enabling them to do this by offering burstable cloud facilities on demand, something previously unavailable to them. This investment is the next step in enabling true digital transformation across all public services.” This move follows previous investments and acquisitions, reflecting a continuous commitment to enhancing the capabilities of digital services offered to public sector clients.
The company provides services across various sectors, including emergency services, central and local government, health and social care, education, and defence. Recently, they announced the renewal of a significant contract with the UK Cabinet Office to host its ResilienceDirect emergency response platform.
The ongoing investment in advanced data centres demonstrates a robust commitment to supporting public sector clients with state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure, enabling significant advancements in digital transformation.
