Several UK data centres pre-date their CNI designation and were not originally designed to accommodate today’s regulatory, resilience or compliance obligations. Traditionally, access control, video surveillance and management platforms operated in isolation resulting in fragmented visibility and inefficient operations.

As frameworks such as the NIS Regulations and emerging CNI guidance evolve, operators are under increasing pressure to integrate systems securely, ensuring both interoperability and future compliance.

Compounding this challenge, legacy systems are often incompatible with intelligent analytics-based monitoring and automation tools, limiting the ability to proactively detect or respond to emerging threats. Meanwhile, the cyber threat landscape continues to grow in sophistication, exposing weaknesses in ageing infrastructure that was never designed for today’s interconnected risk environment.

To meet modern demands for security, compliance and resilience, data centres with legacy infrastructure need to move beyond isolated systems. Integrating physical and data security including linking video management, access control, perimeter protection, and surveillance into a unified platform is essential to achieve real-time situational awareness and operational control.

Connected technologies, when supported by secure IT/OT network architecture can leverage intelligent analytics-based monitoring to proactively detect and deter threats rather than simply react to incidents. Integration not only improves response capability but also simplifies management, reduces operational overheads, and provides audit-ready evidence to support compliance reviews.

CNI frameworks, including the Network and Information Systems Cyber Assessment Framework (NIS CAF), are increasingly driving the requirement for documented resilience and assurance strategies. Meeting these expectations is no longer about compliance alone it’s about embedding continuity, accountability, and trust across the full security lifecycle.

For legacy facilities, achieving this requires collaboration with an experienced integration partner who understands both the regulatory landscape and the technical dependencies of complex environments.

A trusted partner ensures supply-chain assurance and delivers secure-by-design solutions that align with current standards while remaining scalable for future needs. From consultation and design through delivery and lifecycle support, an end-to-end approach is fundamental to maintaining operational resilience.

Modernising legacy infrastructure is no longer a choice; it is a necessity to secure data, maintain operational uptime and ensure readiness to evolving threats. As data centres take on the responsibility of CNI, the pressure to integrate, secure and comply will increase.

For operators of facilities with legacy technology, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The complexity of upgrading ageing systems while aligning with evolving standards demands more than just technical expertise – it requires strategic guidance.

Partnering with a trusted and experienced integrator helps data centres navigate uncertainty, align upgrades, and be prepared for current and future regulations.