Date Created: 11 June 2012
A new report has shown that the UK is the top European country in which to locate a data centre.
The Data Centre Risk Index 2012 by global consultancy firm, Cushman and Wakefield, evaluates risk to data centre facilities worldwide.
The report found that the UK is a low risk location in terms of energy costs, connectivity, likelihood of natural disaster and political instability.
Keith Inglis, from Cushman & Wakefield, said: "The UK, closely followed by Germany, is the safest location in EMEA.”
This year the UK ranked number two in the world - which is three places up from 2011’s position in the Data Centre Risk Index.
The UK has jumped up to second place in the index thanks to the country’s high international bandwith capacity and the ease of doing business.
Availability of green energy is another factor that puts the UK ahead of other European competitors.
Scotland has many leading data centre specialists including Pulsant, iomart and Scolocate as well as being home to some of the UK’s major data centres for giant worldwide companies such as JP Morgan, IBM, RBS, Oracle and Fujitsu.
In addition it is well on track to meet its renewable energy targets of 100 percent of the country’s needs by 2020.
One major reason why big companies choose Scotland include a 20-30 percent power cost reduction thanks to the country’s naturally cooler climate.
Scottish data centres are also on the doorstep of one of the world’s top business hubs – London.
Companies that wish to locate their data centres in Scotland can receive funding and business support from Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise. Find out more about the support available to data centre companies.
Find out more reasons why Scotland is a top data centre location in Europe