Businesses must invest in bulk data handling - IT expert

Kampala. Investing in bulk data handling must be every business’ priority as the world moves away from analogue to digital operations, Mr Raymond Ayebazibwe Karamagi, an ICT infrastructure, networks and security specialist, has said.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Karamagi said the digital transformation journey has touched critical business domains such as approach to innovation, technology and customer engagement, which calls for efficiency and effectiveness.
“Confidentiality, integrity and availability of data must be the biggest resource for any business,” he said, noting that achieving this will involve substantial technology capital investment in terms of computing resources, especially reliable networks, servers, storage solutions, applications, disaster recovery procedures and hiring technical human resource.
Companies such as Raxio, among others, he said, have been putting up bulk data centre services as Uganda enters the technological take off stage in which businesses are finding it essential to automate their operations onto digital platforms.
Raxio recently announced the construction of a data centre in Namanve, Mukono District, which will, at full capacity, house up to 400 racks, delivering 1.5 megawats of IT power.
Mr Karamagi said data centres will take the burden off companies to allow them concentrate on their core businesses.
Most businesses in Uganda, apart from banks, outsource data handling services outside Uganda. However, the trend is expected to change as companies continue to invest in data centre services.
This will also open a window for financial institutions that have been struggling to find reliable and efficient data centres.
“I believe data centres will have a solution to the current regulatory restrictions on financial institutions that are required to host their systems in-country,” Mr Karamagi said.
Bank are required to host their business systems in-country data centres to mitigate risks.
Ugandan businesses have been reluctant to invest in bulk data handing, therefore, there is need to interrogate why such services have not been fully embraced despite the risk exposure.