As many regions are beginning to consider ongoing infection control measures this is a summary update on the current situation for all operations at Continent 8.

Operations:
• All data centres have remained in full operation throughout the pandemic; including those with limited or restricted access.

All service levels continue to be maintained and our services, global support teams and supporting staff are unaffected and continue to take additional measures to operate safely.

Physical Site Access:
UPDATE: Face coverings

• A large number of 3rd party data centres are now strongly recommending or, in a limited number of locations, mandating that visitors wear face coverings or masks during their visit. In locations where face coverings are already required by local Governmental mandates the providers require face coverings at all times.
• In the majority of locations providers are providing non-medical-grade masks for visitors where supplies allow, however we encourage visitors to bring their own face covering whenever possible. According to guidance from the CDC, a cloth face covering can include a scarf, bandana, or cloth that covers the nose and mouth. Cloth face coverings should:

o Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
o Be secured with ties or ear loops
o Allow for breathing without restriction
o Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

• Face covering requirements at Continent 8 owned data centres will follow local Governmental guidance as they are issued in each region.
• Please verify the status of specific sites when seeking / arranging any access.

General site access

• Restrictions on people movements and requirements for social distance and isolation are now well established, and continue to affect visitors to sites.
• To minimise the risk of operational impact and for the health and safety of your employees, our employees, site security and our communities, we advise:

o A small number of our 3rd party data centres remain unable to permit visitors. Where possible, all activity should be executed utilising remote hands services (see below).
o One of our 3rd party facilities in Malta is restricting visits to emergency only and requires a minimum of 72hrs notice.
o For those locations which remain accessible there is an appointment approach being taken – to manage people movements and to ensure social distancing can be achieved. Access request can be made in the usual manner via Support along with the requested days / times. Support will revert to confirm availability and that access is arranged or suggest alternatives.
o Any Data Centre access requests must be for critical works only
o The latest specific details for a particular site can be obtained from support@continent8.com

Remote Hands Services

• Remain available at all sites, however their use should continue to be restricted to business-critical operations only where possible. This is to manage demand, ensure availability and reduce length of wait in busy sites.

New installations / project work

• If there is an urgent planned installation or project delivery (non-critical) please approach and discuss with your account manager in order that this can be accommodated and managed to minimise risk for all. We would encourage you to undertake any such work utilising Remote Hands wherever possible.

Peter Williams, Managing Director for Asia Pacific, recently discussed Continent 8’s upcoming plans for the region, the adoption of new technologies and growth areas in Asia Gaming Brief.

What are your plans for Asia this year and has the coronavirus had a major impact on your projects?

Continent 8 continues globally to add new locations to meet the growing demands of our committed and growing client base. Asia is no exception with major capacity additions recently implemented in addition to new services launch and enhancements to our current service offerings.   In the last 18 months Continent 8 added an additional 12 global data centre locations in parallel to significant capacity increase to our network Total available capacity now exceeds 2Terabytes. One notable addition to our security services portfolio is the launch of Web Application Firewall (WAF, a solution we are witnessing an explosive growth in demand. Apart from some minor shipping delays we are seeing no real effect on revenue or service uptake resulting from the virus outbreak at this point.

In which Asian countries are you seeing the most growth, or potential for expansion?

Taiwan continues to be the highest growth location for network, security, dedicated and cloud services. As with operators and networks, Continent 8 continues to monitor regulation and compliance and will continue with our global strategy to serve the eGaming sector in all necessary locations.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of client preferences, or in adoption of new technologies?

Our clients continuously seek the most reliable and predictable network routes into all Asian markets, including China. They are looking for ISP services not just for low latency, but an experience that is consistent with minimal packet loss. At Continent 8 we invest in people and capacity to achieve the perfect blend enabling our clients to enjoy a true differentiator.

Which of your products are you most excited about in terms of Asia potential?

The true and unchallenged differentiator in Asia is our high performance, consistent latency and highly available network. We achieve this through investing in cutting edge technology and recruiting only the highest qualified network operations and support personnel.

Are there any further Asia-related plans you would like to share?

2020 will see the addition of new office locations and staff recruitment across Asia to support growing demand. We will also be announcing enhancements to our services portfolio in the coming months ahead in addition to new locations as client demands dictate.

Source: Asia Gaming Brief

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