Issue details

To modify the current contract for Microsoft Azure APA to increase cloud storage space thus achieving the continued use of Microsoft Azure systems and to approve the budget to meet the associated costs.

Over the remaining term of the current contract, specialists from the ICT team will consider recommendations from Microsoft, and they will work to improve how our current systems are running in the cloud. This "optimisation" process involves reducing costs and making the systems more efficient. The work is already underway and will continue as part of the routine work that keeps our systems running smoothly.

The migration of the Council's ICT systems from on-premise (physical servers located at the Civic Centre) to Microsoft Azure’s cloud services is part of a larger plan to modernise our infrastructure. The main goals are to close the existing data centre and enable the Council's eventual withdrawal from the Civic Centre. Moving to the cloud also means better system reliability, ensuring our critical services have more robust backup and recovery options in case of unexpected issues.
Microsoft Azure’s cloud platform offers advanced features that help us protect our systems and improve how we manage business continuity during disruptions.