As DCNN reported yesterday, the UK government has designated data centres as critical infrastructure. However, global internet exchange operator, DE-CIX, is calling for the protection of wider connectivity infrastructure – not just data centres.
Dr. Thomas King, CTO of DE-CIX, explains, “The UK’s decision to designate data centres as critical infrastructure is in line with the European framework and underscores a global recognition of their essential role in today’s digital age. As we move deeper into an era defined by AI and cloud services – not only for businesses, but for society as a whole – the need for robust security and resilience for data centres has become more pressing.
“However, data centres on their own are of little value. Interconnection between data centres – therefore robust networks and interconnection platforms – is essential to enable the data and applications housed in data centres to create value for society and business, and these also require recognition as critical infrastructure. This is not just a local issue; it’s a framework that can and should be replicated by other nations to safeguard their digital economies.”
Thomas continues, “This is likely to be an important topic in the upcoming presidential election in the US. The recently issued Roadmap to Enhancing Internet Routing Security is clear evidence of the importance of secure interconnection to the country’s data sovereignty. America is rapidly moving toward the European model of neutral interconnection, where Internet Exchanges that are carrier and data-centre neutral are deployed to eliminate vendor lock-in and create more opportunities for resilient, low-latency connectivity.
“Indeed, more than 80% of Internet Exchanges in the US are now neutral, meaning that the flow of data – and connectivity more generally – is often dependent on multiple data centres as well as meshed network infrastructure. In an interconnected world, where global communication and commerce depend on the seamless exchange of data, securing these data centres and all digital infrastructure is a critical step to maintaining not just national security but also economic stability.”
For more feedback and reaction to the news of data centres being designed as Critical National Infrastructure, read our full story containing a mix of industry figureheads here.
For more from DE-CIX, click here.
The post Protecting data centres is not enough, DE-CIX claims appeared first on Data Centre & Network News.
As DCNN reported yesterday, the UK government has designated data centres as critical infrastructure. However, global internet exchange operator, DE-CIX, is calling for the protection of wider connectivity infrastructure – not just data centres.
Dr. Thomas King, CTO of DE-CIX, explains, “The UK’s decision to designate data centres as critical infrastructure is in line with the European framework and underscores a global recognition of their essential role in today’s digital age. As we move deeper into an era defined by AI and cloud services – not only for businesses, but for society as a whole – the need for robust security and resilience for data centres has become more pressing.
“However, data centres on their own are of little value. Interconnection between data centres – therefore robust networks and interconnection platforms – is essential to enable the data and applications housed in data centres to create value for society and business, and these also require recognition as critical infrastructure. This is not just a local issue; it’s a framework that can and should be replicated by other nations to safeguard their digital economies.”
Thomas continues, “This is likely to be an important topic in the upcoming presidential election in the US. The recently issued Roadmap to Enhancing Internet Routing Security is clear evidence of the importance of secure interconnection to the country’s data sovereignty. America is rapidly moving toward the European model of neutral interconnection, where Internet Exchanges that are carrier and data-centre neutral are deployed to eliminate vendor lock-in and create more opportunities for resilient, low-latency connectivity.
“Indeed, more than 80% of Internet Exchanges in the US are now neutral, meaning that the flow of data – and connectivity more generally – is often dependent on multiple data centres as well as meshed network infrastructure. In an interconnected world, where global communication and commerce depend on the seamless exchange of data, securing these data centres and all digital infrastructure is a critical step to maintaining not just national security but also economic stability.”
For more feedback and reaction to the news of data centres being designed as Critical National Infrastructure, read our full story containing a mix of industry figureheads here.
For more from DE-CIX, click here.
The post Protecting data centres is not enough, DE-CIX claims appeared first on Data Centre & Network News.