The UK ranks as the top European country in which to locate data centres, according to a new study released by global consultancies Cushman & Wakefield and hurleypalmerflatt. The Data Centre Risk Index 2012 report evaluates risks to global data centre facilities.

Data centres house business-critical information technology systems. Any downtime has the potential to cost millions in lost revenue and threaten the viability of an organisation. The report helps companies make informed investment decisions about where to locate their data centres, to increase their efficiency and lower costs, and to develop strategies to mitigate anticipated risk. 

The index ranks countries according to the risks likely to affect the successful operation of a data centre, risk factors such as energy costs, connectivity, and the likelihood of natural disasters or political instability. Building on the inaugural report last year and reflecting the ever-changing technological and political landscape, ten new countries and two risk categories - energy security and education - have been included. The risk factors are individually weighted to reflect the different risk levels and are arranged under a three tiered system, tier 1being the most important and comprising risk factors - energy costs, international internet bandwidth capacity and ease of doing business.

The UK has moved up from fifth ranking in 2011 to second position this year. Its high international internet bandwidth capacity and ease of doing business put it above all other European locations surveyed. Germany is the second most popular location in Europe in which to locate a data centre followed by new emerging markets the Nordics - Iceland (fourth position),
Sweden (eighth) and Norway (twelfth).