GetSovereignSovereign Cloud: Definition, Providers & Requirements
A sovereign cloud is cloud infrastructure operated so that data location, control, jurisdiction and personnel meet a defined sovereignty standard. GetSovereign evaluates it across seven dimensions — never as a single yes/no label.
Sovereign cloud — definition
Cloud services where the data location, operator, applicable law, control of keys and administration, underlying technology and personnel satisfy the buyer's jurisdiction-specific requirements. Sovereignty is a spectrum: a US hyperscaler region is more sovereign than offshore hosting, but less sovereign than a nationally owned, nationally operated cloud.
The seven sovereignty dimensions
| Dimension | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Data sovereignty | Where is customer data stored? |
| Operational sovereignty | Who operates the infrastructure? |
| Legal sovereignty | Which jurisdictions can compel the provider or parent company? |
| Control sovereignty | Who controls keys, privileged access, identity, logging and updates? |
| Technology sovereignty | Does the service depend on foreign-controlled proprietary technology? |
| Personnel sovereignty | Can administration be restricted to in-jurisdiction personnel? |
| AI sovereignty | Where do models train and infer; who owns weights and prompts? |
Providers by sovereignty posture
| Provider | Type | Ownership | Key strength | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUCloud | Sovereign specialist | 🇦🇺 Australia | Full Australian ownership, operations, personnel | Read → |
| Open Telekom Cloud | Government cloud | 🇩🇪 Germany | German-controlled, classified-capable, OpenStack | Read → |
| OVHcloud | Regional (EU) | 🇫🇷 France / EU | EU-owned on own platform; SecNumCloud | Read → |
| S3NS | Sovereign specialist | 🇫🇷 France (Thales) | French control with Google technology | Read → |
| IONOS | Regional (EU) | 🇩🇪 Germany / EU | EU residency; no sovereign product | Read → |
| Oracle Cloud | Hyperscaler | 🇺🇸 US | EU Sovereign Cloud; air-gapped Alloy | Read → |
| AWS | Hyperscaler | 🇺🇸 US | EU Sovereign Cloud; dedicated/air-gap | Read → |
| Microsoft Azure | Hyperscaler | 🇺🇸 US | Sovereign Landscapes; Cloud for Sovereignty | Read → |
Procurement questions to ask
- Where does each service store data — and can I pin it to a region?
- Who holds the encryption keys, and who can override key policies?
- Which personnel can access my environment, and from which jurisdictions?
- Which foreign laws can compel the provider or its parent?
- Does the platform depend on foreign proprietary technology?
- What certifications (IRAP, C5, SecNumCloud) cover the specific offering?