University links with Microsoft Azure for data centre cloud migration project

The University of Huddersfield is moving to cloud-based Microsoft Azure in a large-scale project that will make its data centres more secure, resilient, flexible and future-proof.

Transition to the cloud will transform the way in which the University provides computer and digital services. Cloud computing fundamentally means that most of these services, which are currently provided on its own infrastructure and owned and maintained by University staff, will be moved to state of the art, energy efficient, fully maintained and supported hardware environments.

Microsoft have provided funding of $187,000 – approximately £135,000 – to the project, the largest amount it has ever given to an institution like the University. Moving its data centres and related interconnected services into the cloud will allow the University to adapt to digital trends and take advantage of improved opportunities to help in its aim to be a global university.

Migration to Azure will enhance our security posture such as ISO 27001, the international standard on managing information security, and be cloud security compliant.

This will also enable the University to take advantage of other technologies in the future such as Artificial Intelligence, enabling improved student experience. Transitioning systems to cloud will also allow for quicker recovery in case of disaster.

“This is an important project for the University and gives us the kind of first-class digital infrastructure we need to make us digitally fit for the future,” says Krish Pilicudale, Director of Digital Information for Computing and Library Services.

“Our new cloud-based system will be robust and secure, allowing us to adapt it as necessary in a scalable and agile manner. It eliminates the risks we have faced on site from issues such as fire, flood or power loss.”

“It is also a solution that is in alignment with the University’s mission regarding reducing our carbon footprint by eventually decommissioning/removing a large amount of hardware from the site.”

Huddersfield will join a small but growing number of UK universities that have moved their data centres into the cloud, while Azure is also used by the NHS, Rolls Royce and BMW among many others.