Data sovereignty with STACKIT

More than one in three companies in Germany are now looking for cloud solutions from Germany or Europe to keep their data in safe hands – and the trend is growing. The most important criteria when choosing a cloud solution are (GDPR) compliance, data security, access and rights control, data sovereignty and transparency. When it comes to storing and processing data, transparency and security are becoming increasingly important. Almost all providers are now writing about “digital sovereignty” – but this does not always correspond to the necessary parameters.

With the European project Gaia-X, an important initiative has already emerged: A digital infrastructure of networked data rooms on an open-source basis, in which data can be exchanged freely, but the owners of the data maintain sovereignty. As a member of Zero Hour, we have been supporting this idea since the beginning and are sustainably promoting digital sovereignty in Europe. With STACKIT, we went one step further and developed a 100% sovereign cloud. So what does that mean exactly? For us, a data-sovereign cloud means cloud infrastructure that holistically ensures that users of the cloud have full transparency and control over who stores, views, processes and deletes data and at what time. A cloud provider can only offer this in the long term if they are economically efficient and independent – such as the Schwarz Group. Our understanding is based on our own claim to data sovereignty and is consistent with the approaches of independent organizations to digital self-determination (e.g. cloudahead).

Data-sovereign clouds also rely on open source whenever possible. In this way, users become more independent and can act self-sufficiently without being “trapped” in a vendor lock-in. Europe as a location is also important: If the company headquarters and data centers are located in the EU, third-party access to data, for example by US authorities within the framework of the CLOUD Act, can be avoided. (The cloud ahead platform offers in-depth information on the subject of sovereign clouds).

Registered headquarters and data processing in the EU

Our companies, data centers and servers are located in Germany and Austria respectively. As a result, we are subject to European and German law. Your benefits:

Legally secure: You can fully comply with all EU data protection regulations, as all data is collected, stored, and processed in the EU.

Available: In geopolitical crises, your data will remain available due to the European location, as, for example, data traffic cannot be paralyzed by sanctions or shutdowns.

Confidential: You are safe from data access by unauthorized third parties (e.g. US authorities under the CLOUD Act).

Economic stability

As one of the world’s largest retailers, the Schwarz Group, to which we belong, is economically extremely powerful, stable and independent. Your benefits:

Consistent: You can rely on continuous operation and service.

Unassailable: You are secure, as we do not change ownership, through which third parties (acquirers, creditors) could gain access to your data.

Crisis-proof: Your data will remain available even in times of economic crisis, as the Schwarz Group is economically independent due to the food trade. 3.

Open Standards

Our data-sovereign cloud is based on open source. Your benefits:

Flexible: You can move the processing of your data to alternative cloud or on-premises environments. That way you can avoid a technical vendor lock-in.

Cost-effective: You can also avoid an economical vendor lock-in as data-sovereign clouds don’t generate additional costs for data export when migrating to other environments.

Multi layered Security

We don’t just use simple, but also multi-layered security parameters to optimally protect your data. Your benefits:

Georedundant: Thanks to data storage in multiple data centers, your data remains secure and available even in the event of malfunctions.

Certified: Our infrastructure is constantly audited and certified by independent bodies. This way, no one can access your data without your permission, and it remains under your control.

Top-tier-protected: Our certifications are “Best of the Best”: With the C5 certificate from the BSI, you enjoy one of the highest security standards on the German market; we are also one of the few that offer confidential computing and are certified by the backup provider VERITAS. We guarantee compliance with ISAE 3000 (SOC 2) and ISAE 3402. Last but not least, our information security management system has been audited according to ISO 27001 and our IT service management has been audited according to ISO 2000. In short: With us, your data is doubly and triply secure.

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