Tour Microsoft Azure UK Data Centres (Azure UK South / Azure UK West)

We at igroup are pleased to work with Azure data centres all over the world, however there are a number of advantages to using Azure UK data centres that you may not be aware of.

The benefits of an Azure UK centre

Until Microsoft relatively recently created Azure UK data centres, many sectors were restricted in terms of how they could use the cloud, especially in sectors where data needed to be retained in the UK such as local government and healthcare. (Garry Forsyth our Product Director wrote a news article about these data centres when they were launched)

Now that these data centres have been introduced, it opens up a whole new scope of collaboration and cost efficiency compared to the legacy software and allows those within the public sector the opportunity to make cost savings for both software and storage.

The benefits don’t just lay within the public sector. Using a UK based Azure data centre can be advantageous for many companies, especially those who have more complicated legal requirements in terms of where their data is maintained and stored. Using a UK data centre can also help businesses reduce the time it takes for users to access information, as well as providing additional capacity to help with growth.

Many people are unaware that different data centres and areas have varied costs and services, so it's always a good idea to compare a few different possibilities before making a decision.

What are the Azure UK data centre locations?

Microsoft are not able to provide exact locations for security reasons, however they have confirmed there are two data centres which are now available:

• Microsoft UK South Data Centre (London)
• Microsoft UK West Data Centre (Cardiff)

How to find out what Azure offers in the UK

As mentioned above, UK Azure data centres aren’t typically something you’d usually be given an invitation to. On the one hand, they’re not as exciting to see in real life as you may assume, and on the other, Microsoft keeps their locations secret. Despite this, users are now being given the opportunity to have a peek behind the curtain and find out more about what makes up a data centre and what they can offer.

Azure has recently released a virtual tour, offering users an immersive digital tour of a typical Microsoft data centre which can be carried out on a computer or mobile device. The step-by-step tour takes you through all of the integral areas, from learning about the infrastructure used to build data centres, to the software and hardware that keeps the data safe and secure.

Are you interested in taking a look around? Click here to visit Microsoft Azure’s virtual data centre tour to find out more.

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At igroup, we’re the experts when it comes to improving performance and reducing costs in the Azure cloud. We have worked with hundreds of Azure environments and are able to provide you with the insight and management you need to make the best of your cloud provider. If you’d like to find out whether you’re getting the most from your current cloud setup, book a cloud assessment with us today.