What criteria must a sovereign cloud meet?

Eduard: “To understand what a sovereign cloud is, we first need to take a step back. In 2018, the GDPR and the US Cloud Act were introduced. In 2020, Gaia-X followed: a platform where data sovereignty is a key topic. Globally, 145 countries have their own data privacy laws. For a Dutch company, this means complying with Dutch legislation. This is why the sovereign cloud is gaining momentum. It is becoming a frequent topic of conversation, prompting companies to consider where their data is stored and who can access it. Geopolitical circumstances, such as the war in Ukraine, also force organizations to rethink how they handle the cloud and where data should reside. Another driver for considering a sovereign cloud is the threat of cyberattacks. You simply want to ensure your data is secure.”

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The criteria for a sovereign cloud

“The term ‘sovereign cloud’ is meaningless without specific criteria. A sovereign cloud only has value when an external authority sets measurable standards. VMware has stepped up as an authority in this area by creating the VMware Sovereign Cloud status. Fundaments is the first in the Netherlands to achieve this. The VMware Sovereign Cloud status is incredibly important because it provides certainty. You can think of it as a certification. It demonstrates the reliability of a cloud provider. It is reassuring for companies to know their data is in a VMware-certified sovereign cloud, ensuring they know exactly where it is and that it is secure.”

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When is a cloud sovereign?

“Several elements are important here. First: who has access to your data? This gives you the certainty that parties who should not have access truly do not. Second: data is stored on Dutch soil. You can specify which data center in the Netherlands you want your data to run in, so you always know exactly where it is. Finally: your data is managed by a Dutch organization with vetted Dutch personnel. The processes are designed so that data never leaves the data center.

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The VMware Sovereign Cloud status

“In addition to the elements I just mentioned, the VMware Sovereign Cloud has extra requirements that a provider must meet to obtain this status. These requirements cover three areas: people, organization, and technology. Employees are vetted, the organization must meet specific certifications (such as ISAE 3402), and the technology must comply with the VMware Cloud Verified status.”

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The benefits for Fundaments partners

“Our partners embrace the sovereign cloud status; they see the added value in being able to offer their customers and prospects the certainty that the data they manage is securely stored in the Netherlands. More broadly, the sovereign cloud allows companies to perform data classification. Through our partners, companies have the assurance that their data is safe with us and managed by vetted personnel.”

In short: you can build on and trust a sovereign cloud. Would you like to have a coffee with Eduard and discuss our sovereign cloud? Please contact him at e.keijzer@fundaments.nl.

Or watch our talk show here: Fundaments Talks - Sovereign Cloud.

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