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In September of last year, Peter Kyle, the Technology Secretary announced that UK data centres would now be clased as Critical National Infrastructure. This move, the first new designation in almost a decade categorises data in the same category as water and energy systems and will mean data centres can benefit from greater government support in both anticipating critical incidents and recovering from them. This data can include private photos from mobile phones, medical records and other sensitive and confidential information.

With our increasing reliance on technology information and data and the rapid rise of generative AI and quantum computing taking us to new levels, it is unsurprising that demands for new Data Centres built as part of the Critical National Infrastructure will need to adopt a holistic approach to security.

SRS ARE WELL VERSED IN DELIVERING DATA CENTRE SECURITY AND RESPONDING EFFECTIVELY TO THE EVOLVING THREAT LANDSCAPE

According to Statista, in 2024 there were a reported 514 Data Centres in the UK and the majority of these facilities are located in and around London. Large carrier-neutral British Data Centres feature rich ecosystems and state-of-the-art equipment, ensuring maximum uptime and connectivity to over 4,169 service providers. The four main types of Data Centres include:

• Enterprise data centers. These are built, owned, and operated by companies and are optimised for their end users
• Managed services Data Centres
• Colocation Data Centres
• Cloud Data Centres

Most data centres house sensitive data for numerous enterprise businesses, so just one vulnerability could mean a breach for dozens of companies. Therefore, it is imperative that a Data Center be protected 24×7×365 by security personnel patrolling externally and within the building, supported by access/egress and boundary electronic solutions. An experienced, well-trained and certified security team is vital.

Increasing investment in the UK tech industry

The UK is more attractive to international investors than ever, with investment in the UK tech industry reaching £24 billion in 2022, surpassing both France and Germany. With over 3,100 AI companies, employing over 50,000 people and contributing £3.7 billion to our economy, the UK is already a world leader in AI. The UK is currently ranked third in the world, behind the USA as leader and Germany second for the number of Data Centres already built. China, in comparison, is in fourth place, with 65 data centres less than the UK. 

As AI becomes an undeniable integration in our everyday lives, it’s also a major factor in driving the surge of Data Centre construction projects in the UK. 

The UK’s digital infrastructure is relying on more Data Centres to be built to store and manage data. As technology continues to evolve, with significant advancements in AI and emerging technologies, the demand for Data Centres is expected to increase much faster than ever before, with projections of future growth between 10-20% yearly.

For example:

• The UK Government’s £4 billion proposed investment in Europe’s largest Data Centre in Hertfordshire, which will support almost 14,000 jobs across the country.

• Amazon Web Services plans to invest £8 billion in building, maintaining, and operating Data Centres in the UK over the next 5 years.

• Barbour ABI’s vast project database has identified 72 Data Centre projects that are due to start in the next 12 months. 

• The 600MW London Data Centre Campus, located on East London’s green belt in Havering, is due to start in June of 2025. 

• In May 2024, Equinix Group Limited’s LD14 Data Centre project located in Slough was granted detailed approval. The project is set to see a 5-storey data centre facility with two data halls per floor on Banbury Avenue. The proposal also outlines that there will be 13 emergency diesel generators (2.8MW combined) and an on-site substation.

Slough is turning into quite the data centre Hub as Equinix’s LD7-1 and LD7-2 buildings are also on Banbury Avenue. Alongside Equinix are 40 other data centre providers, such as Kao, Virtus, Iron Mountain, CyrusOne, Digital Reality, and many others.

Security Risk Specialists at the forefront of securing these vitally important facilities

Security Risk Specialists (SRS) currently deliver multiple security solutions at highly reputable super-connected Data Centres and understand the complexities and risk profiles associated with such critical and high-stakes facilities. We are also currently in discussions with a new customer that offers a leading global standard in Data Centre services and connectivity to develop solutions to give their clients confidence that they can move their businesses forward without worrying about the safety of their digital assets.

To prevent physical attacks, SRS promotes training such as the ACT Counter Terrorism and Protect UK, our SIA licensed professional Security Guards, supported by robust CCTV security networks and electronic/biometric access points with lengthy video retention, anti-tailgating/anti-pass-back turnstile gates and other innovations to suit our customer’s budgets.

SRS are extremely sensitive to the risks posed by unauthorised access and other potential security breaches to Data Centres that can cause catastrophic damage. Therefore, our solution combines balanced and effective physical security protection with attentive and customer-driven front-of-house services that our customers and its clients can rely on.

Every point of access into a Data Centre must be secured with consistent and timely checks to the limited entry points and physical barriers to prevent forced entry.

Our customers choose SRS because of our reputation and ability to deliver highly attentive services and support from our local HQ in central London.

Designing and delivering the right tailored holistic security solution

SRS’ Senior Management Team works with our customers to understand their business offerings and complete a number of risk and vulnerability assessments to help inform the best security solution design for them. These typically include understanding the organisation’s requirements and preferences, analysing the property’s layout, neighbouring properties and access and egress points, and devising emergency/evacuation plans presented to and approved by the client. We will also scan the site location for proximity to high-risk areas, such as electricity, water and transport systems.

We will role-play potential breaches (burglary, theft, terrorism, activists or other events) and follow up evacuation plans, such as following a natural disaster (earthquake, flood, storms etc.)

This enables us to fully understand the likelihood of threats that could potentially cause damage or loss and ensure we are prepared.

Once the contract is live, SRS will regularly monitor and audit the agreed emergency/evacuation plans vigorously. In addition to the vigilance provided by our 24×7 on-site security guards to prevent any physical attacks, we can also monitor internal systems such as temperature and humidity through proper control of air conditioning and indirect cooling systems, lighting and electricity usage following reporting and escalating protocols.

Ensuring we appoint the right team that understands the importance of securing such a critical infrastructure

Working closely with our clients, we ensure we employ and deploy the most suitable candidates that uphold the company’s values of professionalism, commitment, and customer-focused security services. This is where SRS stands out for our impeccable and effective service.

We recruit our security guards and front-of-the-house staff for their positive attributes, which include maturity, motivation, discipline, decision-making, and teamwork; their orientation is in congruence with our mission statement. Our highly trained team comprises former military personnel and civilian police officers with extensive experience, skills, and knowledge.

Like our site-specific security plans, we implement equal levels of detail to deliver the highest level of concierge customer service. Immaculately dressed and trained in business etiquette, security and customer service, SRS front-of-house teams balance professionalism and friendliness without over-familiarity with a high level of security awareness to ensure a complete service beyond receiving visitors and security and dutifully assist in monitoring health and safety.

We offer an unparalleled service for securing Buildings in London due to the following three main reasons:

• Basing our HQ in EC1 and focusing on supporting the City of London clients allows us to provide a rapid response time to cater to any last-minute requirements and contingencies and provide additional support and flexibility. In addition, thanks to our extensive client base in the area, we have unrivalled local knowledge, enabling a frequent management presence readily available for clients and personnel on-site when required.
• Valuing our team is at the heart of our ethos and enables us to achieve extraordinary results by combining our strengths and talents. To that effect, we offer a generous employee package that includes competitive remuneration, life insurance, mental health support, and engagement through regular social events and reward and recognition programmes.
• Optimising the ratio between the client’s contract size and our size. Unlike multinational providers, by focusing on only working with London-based clients, we ensure that we are large enough to cope but small enough to care by listening to each client’s requirements and adapting our offering accordingly to deliver a bespoke service. Our size allows us to offer our clients an engaged, personable, professional and energetic service. It also means we know and work closely with every staff member, dedicating the correct time to train, motivate, encourage and support each individual.

At SRS, we pride ourselves on providing excellent service and fostering an environment where all staff highly regard respect and values. Frequent interaction between SRS personnel and their managers, excellent communication and an emphasis on training are at our heart. These methodologies ensure we can provide a professional and approachable Security-Concierge service across London, including:

• Physical security – the mere presence is perhaps the most significant deterrence to would-be offenders engaged in crime and even acts of terrorism.
• Reassurance – the ability for those working in office buildings to know that their environment has a protective firewall.
• CCTV monitoring and oversight – facilities may be capable of securing an area with numerous cameras and intelligent access control systems. Still, these do not account for the human factor of guises that arise in shaping public perception of your building.
• Fire Control Monitoring – although a legal requirement in many buildings for electronic monitoring to be installed, the ever presence of a concierge member should not be under-estimated in the ability to organise and direct staff or visitors in the event of an emergency
• Deliveries – the control and acceptance of daily and time-consuming mail movements.
• Conduit of Communications – a reliable and knowledgeable coordinator who can act as a Single Point Of Contact (SPOC).
• Ancillary Aggravations – for example, fly-tipping, drug users, vagrants, vandals or other vulnerable people can be monitored or assisted as required.
• With a ‘can do’ attitude, SRS will persist with a level of excellence in maintaining the necessary and expected standard of security and concierge services for the client in this exciting partnership, and we look forward to a successful working relationship.

For full details of our London Security and Concierge Services, go to https://srslondon.co.uk/portfolio/security-guards-london/

or call us at 020 3004 4189.