Recap of the Emergency Tech Show 2024: Data Sovereignty, Cybersecurity, and ‘Sweet’ Conversations at the NEC, Birmingham
Summary
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2-day Technology Show for the Emergency Services, NEC Birmingham
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Being IT specialists, we found ourselves chatting with many great new contacts who wanted to better understand the complex, and often urgent, issue of data sovereignty
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Concerns around data sovereignty and control over datasets rise, more companies are exploring alternatives like secure private hosting and now blending on-premise solutions with public cloud
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The increasing risk of cyber-attacks. With high-profile breaches and ransomware attacks becoming more common within the public sector
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Our Pick ‘n’ Mix station was a massive hit, drawing attendees to our stand for both sugary treats and tech conversations
This year’s Emergency Tech Show at the NEC in Birmingham on the 18th and 19th of September 2024 was an exciting two-day event where we connected with a diverse group of public sector professionals, decision-makers, and tech enthusiasts. From insightful discussions about the future of data residency to tackling the increasing threat of cyber-attacks, the event was a brilliant platform for engaging conversations and networking. Not to mention, our Pick ‘n’ Mix 🍭 🍫 🍨 🥧 🧁 🍰 🍮🍦 sweet station was a massive hit!
As IT specialists, we found ourselves chatting with many great new contacts who wanted to better understand the complex, and often urgent, issue of data sovereignty. In today’s fast-evolving digital world, controlling and processing data in a secure and transparent manner is crucial. Data residency has become a pivotal topic, with businesses becoming increasingly aware of where their data is stored and, more importantly, who has access to it.
Data Sovereignty: A Hot Topic of Conversation
The conversation around data sovereignty isn’t just about where your data lives — it’s about who controls it, who processes it, and who benefits from it. One staggering statistic that came up multiple times during the event is that 92% of all UK data sits within the infrastructure of the world’s largest hyperscalers. This reality sparks several concerns about the level of access these hyperscalers have to sensitive datasets and what they might do with that data.
We discussed with attendees how hyperscalers often leverage the data they manage to train their generative AI models. This raises significant questions: How much of our data is being used without our knowledge? Take Linkedin who have recently started harvesting people’s posts for training AI without asking for opt-in? Is our intellectual property being absorbed into AI systems that could compete with us or impact our markets? It was clear that many professionals at the event were aware of this growing issue and were actively seeking solutions to ensure their data remains under their control, rather than being at the mercy of massive cloud providers.
The Importance of Secure Private Hosting
As concerns around data sovereignty and control over datasets rise, more companies are exploring alternatives like secure private hosting and now blending on-premise solutions with public cloud, according to a new report commissioned by Asanti, with 67% of IT decision makers now in favour of a hybrid hosting infrastructure over a “cloud-first” strategy and 94% of businesses using public cloud would take a different approach to migration, given the challenges they have faced when moving to the public cloud. The other interesting topic of moving to the cloud being more affordable has been truly put to bed with many now realising this isn’t the case with unexpected costs: with 77% of respondents reported that operating costs in the public cloud were higher than anticipated, with 63% stating these costs exceeded those of their previous non-public cloud models. Security and compliance concerns: Ensuring security and meeting regulatory compliance proved challenging for 62% of organisations. As a result, many are reconsidering the public cloud for their critical and sensitive data. Secure private hosting is more than just about storage—it’s about ensuring that the people who need access to the data can have it, and those who shouldn’t, can’t. This level of control is particularly important for industries with stringent regulatory requirements, such as healthcare, finance, and government.
Cybersecurity and the Role of Backup Solutions
Another major point of discussion at the event was the increasing risk of cyber attacks. With high-profile breaches and ransomware attacks becoming more common within the public sector and in an attempt to combat this, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) introduced the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF), which plays a crucial role for both public sector entities and organisations involved in supporting Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). The Cyber Assessment Framework provides a systematic method for evaluating an organisation’s cybersecurity practices, helping to identify and address areas for improvement. The need for organisations to have robust protection mechanisms in place is clearer than ever. One of the most effective strategies is ensuring that there is a secure, air-gapped, and immutable backup system in place.
We had the chance to explain how air-gapped backups—systems that are completely isolated from the internet — can provide an additional layer of security in the event of a breach. With cybercriminals constantly evolving their tactics, simply having backups isn’t enough. Those backups need to be immutable, meaning that once the data is written, it cannot be altered or deleted, making them highly resistant to ransomware and other forms of data corruption.
This level of protection is crucial not only for compliance reasons but also for business continuity. Companies that invest in secure backups are far more likely to recover quickly from attacks, minimising downtime and avoiding the catastrophic losses that can result from data theft or destruction.
Pick ‘n’ Mix and Engaging Conversations
While we were deep in discussions about tech and security, we didn’t forget to have a little fun! Our Pick ‘n’ Mix station was a massive hit, drawing attendees to our stand for both sugary treats and tech conversations. It was great to see the excitement around our offering and how it helped break the ice for many meaningful discussions. It turns out that sweets and tech are a winning combination!
Watch the Roundup Video: See Our Team in Action!
For those who couldn’t attend, or for those who want to relive the experience, we’ve put together a roundup video that captures the energy of the two days. You’ll see our team in action, talking about everything from data sovereignty and secure hosting to backup solutions and the future of IT. It’s a great way to get a sense of the fantastic conversations we had and the valuable connections we made.
We look forward to continuing these conversations and helping businesses navigate the complex world of data security and sovereignty. If you’re interested in learning more or discussing your IT challenges, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help!
