Atlas Communications help businesses keep their Data #CloseToHome

What Atlas Communications did

Atlas has heavily invested in a network of locally-based data centres across both Belfast and Derry/Londonderry to create a key infrastructure that enables data to be 100% locally hosted, with full remote backup between the Atlas data centres.  Traditionally, data centres such as these have extremely high-energy usage, due to the necessity for air-conditioning to manage the overheating of servers.  However, Atlas identified an opportunity to bring core infrastructure that was environmentally friendly by installing a sophisticated climate-management system.  As a team, Atlas have also achieved ISO 27001 accreditation across these sites highlighting the commitment to high Information Security Standards.

Impacts

• Air-conditioning accounts for 40% of energy usage in data centres
• Our use of free air cooling for part of the year helps to massively reduce our data centre emissions
• Businesses know exactly where their data is, including any potential backups, and can pass this reassurance onto their customers
• Promotes positive and secure data storage within the Northern Ireland business community
• Ensures GDPR compliance by minimising jurisdiction concerns

Previously, organisations had to rely on connections to and from data centres based in Dublin, but these locally-based data centres mean that data is not affected post-Brexit.

Testimonial

“The requirement for more and more of our data to be held remotely and in the Cloud has created a large demand for data centres, but the statistics on their energy usage and carbon emissions are worrying. This is why we spotted an opportunity to benefit from the traditionally cooler Northern Irish climate and to build a network of green data centres that work on free air cooling rather than constant air conditioning.”

Richard Simpson, Managing Director, Atlas Communications