Hosting

Provider

Our service is hosted in the cloud with Microsoft Azure between two data centres based in the UK.

Carbon Neutral

Since 2012, Microsoft's global operations have been 100 percent carbon neutral - a commitment spanning operations in more than 100 countries.

Microsoft pledged to reduce its operational carbon emissions 75 percent by 2030 and is on target to achieve this goal.

Further information can be found at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/environment/carbon

Renewable Energy

Microsoft is committed to building a clean and responsible cloud. In 2018, Microsoft met their goal to power their data centres with 50% renewable energy, ahead of schedule, and are propelling us toward our next 60% renewable milestone

Further information can be found at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/environment/energy

Redundancy

Dual power feeds for ultimate redundancy.

Bypass/isolation panels are in place so that each element can be isolated from the system for replacement or repair without interrupting supply. Dedicated bypass for the main auto changeover panel for 'true' Tier 4 resilience.

Standby generator with an automatic changeover panel which automatically and seamlessly switches the power source from the mains to the generator in the event of a power failure and then back to mains supply once stable power is restored. Sufficient fuel is available for at least 32 hours service (24/7-4hr fuel supplier is on contract).

Multiple diversely routed dedicated fibre connections linked directly to the adjacent switch facilities.

Physical Security

Microsoft designs, builds, and operates data centres in a way that strictly controls physical access to the areas where your data is stored. Microsoft understands the importance of protecting your data, and is committed to helping secure the data centres that contain your data. Microsoft have an entire division devoted to designing, building, and operating the physical facilities supporting Azure. This team is invested in maintaining state-of-the-art physical security.

Microsoft takes a layered approach to physical security, to reduce the risk of unauthorised users gaining physical access to data and the data centre resources. Data centres managed by Microsoft have extensive layers of protection: access approval at the facility's perimeter, at the building's perimeter, inside the building, and on the data centre floor. Layers of physical security are:

• Access request and approval.you must request access prior to arriving at the data centre. You're required to provide a valid business justification for your visit, such as compliance or auditing purposes. All requests are approved on a need-to-access basis by Microsoft employees. A need-to-access basis helps keep the number of individuals needed to complete a task in the data centres to the bare minimum. After Microsoft grants permission, an individual only has access to the discrete area of the data centre required, based on the approved business justification. Permissions are limited to a certain period of time, and then expire.
• Facility's perimeter.When you arrive at a data centre, you're required to go through a well-defined access point. Typically, tall fences made of steel and concrete encompass every inch of the perimeter. There are cameras around the data centres, with a security team monitoring their videos at all times.
• Building entrance.The data centre entrance is staffed with professional security officers who have undergone rigorous training and background checks. These security officers also routinely patrol the data centre, and monitor the videos of cameras inside the data centre at all times.
• Inside the building.After you enter the building, you must pass two-factor authentication with biometrics to continue moving through the data centre. If your identity is validated, you can enter only the portion of the data centre that you have approved access to. You can stay there only for the duration of the time approved.
• Data centre floor.You are only allowed onto the floor that you're approved to enter. You are required to pass a full body metal detection screening. To reduce the risk of unauthorised data entering or leaving the data centre without our knowledge, only approved devices can make their way into the data centre floor. Additionally, video cameras monitor the front and back of every server rack. When you exit the data centre floor, you again must pass through full body metal detection screening. To leave the data centre, you're required to pass through an additional security scan.

Physical Security Reviews

Periodically, Microsoft conduct physical security reviews of the facilities, to ensure the data centres properly address Azure security requirements. The data centre hosting provider personnel do not provide Azure service management. Personnel can't sign in to Azure systems and don't have physical access to the Azure collocation room and cages.

Equipment Disposal

Upon a system's end-of-life, Microsoft operational personnel follow rigorous data handling and hardware disposal procedures to assure that hardware containing your data is not made available to untrusted parties. Microsoft use a secure erase approach for hard drives that support it. For hard drives that can't be wiped, Microsoft use a destruction process that destroys the drive and renders the recovery of information impossible. This destruction process can be to disintegrate, shred, pulverize, or incinerate. Microsoft determine the means of disposal according to the asset type and retain records of the destruction. All Azure services use approved media storage and disposal management services.

Risk Assessment

Risk assessments completed on a regular basis.

No fuel storage depots, direct low flight paths or other risks have been identified in the vicinity.

Both data centres are not in a flood risk area nor are we located near any rivers or flood plains or areas that have experienced flooding which may present a problem in the foreseeable future.

Nearest major river: Not known

Distance: >4 miles.

Fire Prevention

Fire risk assessments completed on a regular basis.

Detection and fire suppression units are tested and in place.

An early warning fire detection system linked to the fire station is also in place as well as VESDA - very early detection apparatus monitors within the data centre.

Nearest fire station: ~1.5 miles with an estimated response time of 4 minutes.