Thank you for your request for information as outlined below:

-- Please specify the O/S of VMWare

-- Please brief why the number of servers is not available for all the contracts.

Your request was received on 15th December 2022 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Response

Please specify the O/S of VMWare

The information you requested is being withheld as it falls under the exemption in sections 31(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act. In applying this exemption we have balanced the public interest in withholding the information against the public interest in disclosing the information. We have set out below the factors considered when deciding that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Factors for disclosure

It is in the public interest to know that the appropriate measures are being used to secure personal data.

Factors for withholding

Disclosure would allow would-be cyber criminals to target their attacks in a way which allow an increased chance of success.

A successful cyber-attack could lead to a loss of personal data, some of which is sensitive.

A successful cyber-attack and subsequent data loss would cause substantial damage and distress to data subjects.

Such a data loss would lead to a loss of service, which would impact on the general public.

Reasons why public interest favours withholding information

I consider that the public transparency in releasing this information is outweighed by the potential detrimental effect on the prevention or detection of crime and the increased cost to the taxpayer that this would represent.

Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/31

Please brief why the number of servers is not available for all the contracts.

Physical: This is covered by the 10 physical servers in data centres

Virtual: Same as managed infrastructure

Data Queries

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The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement:

“NHSBSA Copyright 2022” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.