What is a sovereign cloud?
A sovereign cloud is a cloud infrastructure that ensures complete control over data, access, and operations within a specific country or jurisdiction. It is designed to meet national laws, compliance standards, and regulatory requirements, keeping data local, secure, and governed by the organization, not a foreign provider.
What is data residency versus data sovereignty?
Data residency refers to where data is physically stored. Data sovereignty goes further—it means the data is subject only to the laws and governance of the country where it resides. Residency is about location; sovereignty is about control and legal jurisdiction.
Do public clouds provide data sovereignty?
Not fully. While public clouds may offer data residency options, they are often controlled by foreign entities and can be subject to external regulations. This limits true data sovereignty, especially for governments and regulated industries that require local control and compliance assurance.
How are sovereign clouds different from public clouds?
Sovereign clouds are built with national control, compliance, and security at their core. Unlike public clouds—which may store data globally and be governed by foreign laws—a sovereign cloud ensures your data, infrastructure, and operations stay under your direct control and within your legal jurisdiction.
How can I ensure a cloud provider meets sovereign cloud requirements?
Look for these key indicators: Data is stored and processed within the country, the provider is locally owned or operates under national legal jurisdiction, full compliance with industry and government regulations, no foreign access or extraterritorial control, transparent governance, auditability, and security controls.
