The focus of the boardroom has long been data availability, necessary for powering the development of cloud computing and more recently the global race for AI innovation.
But we are undergoing a critical shift in which data confidentiality and sovereignty has become more pertinent. With data-intensive technologies core to sustaining national security and economic growth, data is a strategic asset, ensuring a balance is struck between the benefits of free data flows and national sovereignty imperatives.
Rethinking cloud as we know it As organisations balance the need for global connectivity with the desire to protect domestic interests digitally, sovereign cloud frameworks set a new foundation. This is a fundamental reimagining of cloud infrastructure as we know it, facilitating digital cooperation and fostering innovation. What makes sovereign cloud distinct is its ability to protect local data and proprietary software, while aligning with local, national, and European-wide jurisdictions.
The sovereign cloud approach is already having a significant impact across the European bloc due to evolving regulatory requirements. Not only is it helping nations to leverage collective data resources to gain economic advantage in the global marketplace, but also enabling them to assert control over their digital destinies.
The success of sovereign cloud depends on the involved Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) across the region, who have the opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation. However, getting sovereign cloud ‘right’ can be challenging – especially when faced with dynamic residency and sovereignty requirements, strict budgets, siloed infrastructures, and different access to skills.
Ultimately, success with sovereign cloud cannot come without a clear vision, commitment to collaboration and willingness to adapt – three considerations of which I detail here.
Creating your own vision for sovereign cloud GigaOm’s Jon Collins stated at the European Sovereign Cloud Day event in Brussels last year that understanding the key drivers of sovereignty from an organisational point of view – including societal, regulatory, and architectural factors – is crucial to set your own vision for sovereign cloud success.
Therefore, beyond the more obvious pillars of sovereign cloud security, privacy, and interoperability, sovereign ‘success’ should really be defined by your data, operations, and infrastructure. Setting your own parameters allows you to guide customers on the fundamental principles of sovereignty, and how they match up with their own needs. The process should involve assessing current practices, identifying areas for improvement, and developing a strategic plan to achieve and maintain data sovereignty. It’s an important first step, because it ensures organisations can protect their data while leveraging it effectively for business purposes, staying compliant with regulations, and meeting societal expectations.
Standardisation and collaboration
Demanding the highest possible standards well beyond regulatory compliance can help to define your competitive differentiation. So it’s important to review your own framework against other frameworks to give yourself the best chance of adhering to your cloud principles. We can draw some parallels here with road safety. Indeed, it’s comparatively easy to do the minimum as a driver to comply with the law – obtain a driving license and adhere to traffic safety. But that license doesn’t prevent you from ever having an accident! True road safety relies on sticking to
well-maintained roads, driving in a safe way, and expecting others to adhere to follow suit. The same principles should apply in a sovereign cloud context, with CSPs working towards common frameworks and standards that allow for a common European data space for innovation.
In the same vein, engaging with local and regional partners to build truly robust sovereign frameworks for data sharing can be hugely beneficial. Interoperability and portability will be crucial to our shared success; working together to test, iterate and elevate our frameworks to new heights. The most successful initiatives are those developing and implementing sovereign cloud solutions at national and European levels, for instance, showing the marked difference between what European Union and non-native frameworks can deliver, which are crucial to fostering innovation.
Readiness to adapt
While settings parameters for success, it’s important to note that the principles of sovereign clouds are not set in stone. They need to be flexible and kept on top of as regulatory and business environments continue to evolve, so strategies can be adjusted accordingly.
Critically, don’t miss the opportunity to highlight your strategic differentiation. We’re not here to say we are the bad guys or the good guys – but rather, to show organisations that sovereign cloud allows them to handle critical, confidential and sensitive data in the way they need to achieve competitiveness in the long run.
There’s no need to talk in transactional language anymore when it comes to sovereign cloud. Rather, we can talk about strategic partnerships and long-term investment that breeds consistent excellence. We’re working with the same stack and the same software, but it’s your ability to deliver services on top of your own sovereign cloud that will put you on a pedestal.
Seize the opportunity
We are in the midst of a pivotal shift in the digital landscape in the form of sovereign cloud. It meets the growing need to support global connectivity while adhering with national and regional data control and security requirements.
There’s an opportunity for CSPs to build long-term, strategic partnerships with their customers through sovereign cloud, as long as they are prepared to define their own vision for success, collaborate with partners on sovereign frameworks and ultimately adapt to the fluid regulatory environment. It’s a journey that’s just beginning, but to remain competitive in an increasingly data-driven world is well worth the wait.
About the Author
Martin Hosken is Field CTO, Cloud Providers at Broadcom. A global infrastructure technology leader built on more than 60 years of innovation, collaboration and engineering excellence.
