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Feb 23 2024

Belgian Ambassador visits NCI Agency data centre at NATO Headquarters


On 23 February 2024, NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) leadership met with Ambassador H.E. Ariadne Petridis, the Permanent Representative of Belgium to NATO. The NCI Agency's General Manager, Ludwig Decamps and the Head of CIS Support Unit (CSU) Brussels, showed the data centre facilities, based at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.


The data centre, owned and managed by the NCI Agency, runs the networks which facilitate the daily work of the Alliance. There are several networks in place for different purposes. The highest security level network is used by NATO to ensure close collaboration and secure production and processing of classified information.

Belgian Ambassador visits NCI Agency data centre at NATO Headquarters

The principal work of the data centre is to host all IT infrastructure that supports the networks at NATO Headquarters, which enable and secure the daily operations of staff based across the location. In addition, it is used by the battlefield information collection and exploitation system (BICES) for hosting their IT infrastructure. In the near future, it will also be used to modernize NATO's technological infrastructure.

The networks in place make it possible for NCI Agency staff to work from home and communicate through the internet and mobile phone usage. They also manage the security systems in place, such as the cameras, fence monitoring and gate controls. The data centre is, therefore, an indispensable pillar in supporting the essential work of NATO staff and NATO's mission to protect nearly one billion citizens.

"It is always a positive whenever there is a personal visit to our facilities," said David Jenkins, Head of CSU Brussels. "It gives us the opportunity to showcase how the CSU enables the services that make NATO operational, but more importantly, it gives us the chance to explain the Agency-wide programmes and objectives of the General Manager. This results in better outcomes for everyone throughout the Agency."

The NCI Agency, as the managing body of the data centre, is responsible for managing and assigning the space available in the data centre. CSU Brussels plays the leading role in the data centre management and works close with the NATO International Staff to maintain the power, cooling and security of this facility.