In today’s digital age, the majority of company data is dematerialised. Gone are the binders and boxes full of paper documents, stored in archive rooms. Today, all this data is stored digitally in the cloud.
According to a study by Markess by Exaegis, the French cloud market will be worth almost 16 billion euros by 2021, with growth of 15.5%. If it continues to grow, it should increase from 29% of the digital software and services market in 2021 to more than 40% in 2025.
In this article, we tell you all about the cloud and explain the benefits of opting for a secure and sovereign cloud.
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing refers to a place where computer data is stored and can now be accessed remotely via the internet. In other words, computer resources (whether files or software) are no longer installed directly on your personal or business computer, but on one or more servers located in data centres around the world.
Today, a large proportion of the services available to both professionals and individuals (instant messaging, office software, photo storage, etc.) are based on the cloud. This is known as SaaS software, or Software as a Service, as opposed to on-premise software, which is installed directly on your computer.
However, the cloud raises the issue of the sovereignty of personal data as well as corporate data. This concept of digital sovereignty means that digital data must be subject to the legislation of the country in which it is stored, in order to be protected against industrial espionage for example. Hence the need to choose a secure sovereign cloud.
And what is a sovereign cloud?
According to Archimag, “the sovereign cloud is established when the cloud service company and the company that wishes to host its data are located in the same territory. The solution, i.e. the hosting, management or infrastructure, operates only in a specific country or territory. This cloud service complies with current standards and legislation on data protection and security.”
To ensure that your data is protected by French or European legislation, and to avoid it being subject to the Cloud Act, it is essential to choose a sovereign cloud, i.e. one whose servers are hosted in France or Europe.
However, according to a study carried out by Markess by Exaegis, the three American cloud giants, Amazon, Microsoft and Google, currently hold 71% of the market share in France.
Today, to ensure your data is protected, you need to consider where it is stored, as national law applies to the servers that host your data.
To help you choose a trusted cloud provider, the ANSSI (French National Agency for Information Systems Security) has set up the SecNumCloud label.
The benefits of a secure sovereign cloud
Discover the benefits of choosing a secure sovereign cloud for your data.
Choose transparency
In order to stand out from the crowd and gain the trust of their potential customers, French or European sovereign cloud providers are generally transparent about how they operate, the location of their servers, the data storage conditions, the laws in force, etc.
Thus, you can choose your cloud provider in full transparency, thanks to the SecNumCloud label. This allows you to avoid unpleasant surprises because nothing is hidden from you.
Strengthening trust
Today, data security has become a priority for the majority of organisations in all sectors. By choosing a secure, sovereign cloud, you strengthen the trust your customers have in you. You can show them that you are in control of the location of the data and ensure that the protection of data is a priority.
Today’s customers are more aware of companies’ ethics before entrusting them with their data. Working with a national hosting company also sets you apart from the competition.
Comply with European legislation
By opting for a sovereign cloud, you comply with French and European legislation on data protection and confidentiality, in particular by respecting the RGPD (General Data Protection Regulation).
Improve the security of your data
The main objective of a sovereign cloud is to offer enhanced protection to your data. Thus, by choosing a French or European cloud solution, you ensure that your data cannot be consulted by a third party without prior authorisation from a judge.
This is not the case for American cloud giants such as Amazon’s AWS, Microsoft’s Azure and Google Cloud Platform, which are subject to the Cloud Act and the Patriot Act. Their servers can therefore be freely accessed by the FBI, CIA or any other state organisation, upon request and without informing you.
Saving time and money
Finally, one of the advantages of opting for a secure and sovereign cloud is that you don’t need to worry about the management and maintenance of physical IT infrastructures, various updates and backups. All this is delegated to a third party (either the cloud provider or a specialist company). This saves you time and money, as maintenance is often included in the price of the cloud service.
To conclude
A sovereign secure cloud works like any other cloud. It offers you the same advantages (a centralised space for all your data, access to digital resources from any connected device, easier maintenance, etc.) while strengthening the security and confidentiality of your data.
