Private data centers to reserve 10% of capacity for use if necessary by decision of Russian authorities - decree
MOSCOW. Nov 2 (Interfax) - Non-state data centers located in Russia will have to reserve 10% of their space and capacity so that, if necessary, by decision of the authorities, it can be used to ensure and support the operation of information resources.
The corresponding decree was signed by President Vladimir Putin on November 2 and published on the official portal for the disclosure of regulatory legal acts. The reservation requirement must be met no later than ten days from that date.
According to its preamble, the decree was signed "in connection with the need to take urgent measures in response to the unfriendly actions of certain foreign states, in order to ensure support for the operation of information resources on Russian territory owned by Russian citizens and Russian legal entities."
The reserved space and capacity continue to be used by the data centers, and if there is a decision of the subcommission of the government commission on digital development and the use of information technology, they must be provided within 24 hours. The maximum amount of payment for services for providing reserved capacity will be set by the subcommission.
The temporary use of computing capacity located outside Russian territory to ensure support for the operation of information resources in Russia "is permitted on the basis of a decision of the subcommission agreed with the Federal Security Service."
The government has been instructed to form, under the government commission on digital development, a subcommission on ensuring the uninterrupted operation of facilities in the information technology and communications sector.
The Digital Development Ministry will have to carry out an inventory of free space and capacity of data centers located in Russia whose owners are not federal government bodies, government bodies of Russian constituent entities, local government bodies, state or municipal unitary enterprises, or state or municipal institutions.
The data centers of three Russian companies were attacked by drones in October. Three data centers belonging to Yandex were affected as a result, two of which were shut down. The incidents caused disruptions in the operation of both Yandex's own services and other resources on the Russian internet. Data centers of VK and Sberbank were also attacked, but the operation of their services was not disrupted.
Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev previously said that protecting IT infrastructure facilities are being addressed jointly with the Defense Ministry.
He also said that the Digital Development Ministry will work out support measures for constructing data centers by the end of the year and will adapt mechanisms for them that are already used for major infrastructure projects, including preferential lending, the project finance factory, and special investment contracts.
