City's 'terror-proof' data bunker

A VAST new 'terrorist-proof' emergency data back-up bunker is being set up near Heathrow to keep the City's computer systems going if a catastrophic 11 September-style attack is launched on Europe's premier financial centre.

Development of the 190,000 square foot facility by disaster recovery specialist Guardian iT has been prompted by fears that many City firms are highly vulnerable if the worst did happen.

Many companies' existing back-up systems are stored close to or within their main buildings, raising concerns that they could also be destroyed in an attack, as happened to several firms in and around in the World Trade Centre.

Guardian iT will close its existing Hitchin and Leicester data centres and consolidate the operations into a secure Heathrow-based facility.

Its Heathrow building, rendered partly redundant by the company's withdrawal from the internet computer hosting market, has been revamped to provide assault-proof communications to City clients.

The facility is connected to clients by a 55-mile high-speed fibre-optic loop provided by Colt Telecom called ScaleNet. The link effectively forms an M25-type fibre optic 'ring road' connecting the City, Docklands and the South Bank to Heathrow, allowing data transfer and retrieval even if the link is severed at one point.

Guardian iT has also changed plans to close a data centre at Bracknell after the New York attacks.

'Since September a number of high-profile institutions from the finance sector have approached us to discuss contracting space, both to relocate people and to store data at much greater distances from the City than were previously requested,' said marketing director Stephen Bean.

The Heathrow centre will complement Guardian iT data backup facilities near Waterloo, Old Street and East India Dock.