Russian owners of privately operated data centres will be required to set aside 10 per cent of their capacity for government use under a new directive signed by President Vladimir Putin.
The decree, signed on Monday, November 2, gives Russian authorities the power to access available computing infrastructure at privately owned facilities whenever necessary to keep the country’s information technology systems running.
Under the directive, the Ministry of Digital Development has been instructed to conduct a nationwide inventory of privately owned data centres, including their available computing capacity and floor space. The exercise is expected to give the government a clearer picture of the resources it can access when the need arises.
A special government commission will be established to oversee the arrangement and determine when the reserved capacity should be made available to the authorities. Once the commission issues an order, data centre operators will have 24 hours to provide access to the designated resources.
The measure effectively creates a reserve of computing infrastructure that the government can call on without having to rely entirely on facilities it owns or operates.
The decree also provides for the temporary use of data centres located outside Russia, although any such arrangement must first receive approval from the Federal Security Service (FSB), the country’s security agency.
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The directive comes amid growing security concerns over attacks on Russian digital infrastructure. Data centres operated by technology companies Yandex and Sberbank were reportedly struck by Ukrainian drone attacks in October, raising concerns about the vulnerability of facilities that support the country’s digital services.
Data centres house the servers and computing equipment used to store, process and manage information for businesses, government agencies and online platforms. Their operations support a wide range of services, including cloud computing, financial transactions, communications and other digital systems.
By requiring private operators to reserve part of their capacity, the Russian government is seeking to ensure it can obtain additional computing resources quickly if existing infrastructure is disrupted or demand rises during an emergency.
The order places new obligations on private data centre operators, who will be required to make the reserved capacity available within the stipulated 24-hour period when directed by the government.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
