Mohammad Al Jalad, CTO & Director, UKIMEA, HPE, discusses the power of hybrid cloud solutions and how they can solve the data sovereignty conundrum faced by many organisations once and for all.
The adoption of ‘cloud first’ as a business transformational strategy has many success stories, particularly when it comes to enterprises being able to work more effectively and efficiently, or when providing superior services and experiences for customers and workers alike.
It’s not all plain sailing of course. The true cost of cloud is an ongoing conversation, as is the emerging problem of data hoarding – how much data needs storing, how to pay for it, how to access and analyse it in a way that derives the most commercial value.
There’s also another discussion. This one relates to where an organisation’s data is physically stored and how it retains control and access rights to that data – whether it be with one provider by contractual choice, or in a geolocation perhaps unknown. ‘Data and digital sovereignty’ is the term most commonly used, and it needs some defining.
What is ‘digital and data’ sovereignty?
Put simply, it’s the ability for organisations to set their own digital destiny by having unimpeded and unhindered access and control over their data. ‘Impeded’ could – however unlikely – mean a provider making policy decisions to ramp up costs prohibitively, or simply restrict access through dispute. ‘Hindered’ – equally unlikely – could be a nation state refusing access to data stored within its borders. Global events could also play a part. As theoretical as these scenarios may be, there are no guarantees.
What about the possibility of nation states imposing limitations or embargos on other nations and their commercial communities from accessing their stored data? And what can recent global events tell us about other threats?
Francesco Bonfiglio, CEO, GAIA-X, a European movement to promote a federated cloud says:
“There’s a well-respected think tank*, and they have estimated that 92% of all data in the Western world is actually stored in the U.S. – not by U.S. companies, but actually physically located in the US.”
Could a country housing hyperscale data centres, either through policy decisions or internal strife, look to monetise or weaponise other nations most valuable and sensitive data? Would it be possible for national law enforcement agencies to access and analyse data held within centres located in their jurisdiction?
Why HPE GreenLake hybrid cloud is the key to answering the ‘digital and data’ sovereignty conundrum.
Hybrid cloud has emerged as a solution. Adopting this technology encourages organisations to make reasoned, informed and commercially literate decisions about when data is of such critical importance it ought not to be stored on public cloud, and ideally stored closer to home.
‘Critical importance’. ‘Closer to home’. This could include data related to Intellectual Property for example, critical to business-as-usual operational data, sensitive customer details, financial data, any data sitting within the realms of legal, regulatory, compliance and governance.
Introducing HPE GreenLake for Storage built on Alletra MP
It’s an innovation in storage that offers a cloud-like experience that provides organisations with a modern hybrid cloud environment. A solution that frees enterprises from any concerns they may have about public cloud making data prioritisation inflexible, or compromising accessibility, control, security, sustainability and cost transparency.
Liberation from data hoarding with one provider
Whilst there’s no reason to doubt the security and sanctity of public cloud – there are no hard and fast guarantees about future lock-ins, enforced price increases, or any unwelcome access to data. HPE GreenLake hybrid cloud ticks that box.
Freedom from other nation state control, or global events
Adopting hybrid cloud also means enterprises will a) have their most important and commercially valuable data under their immediate control, b) make their own decisions about data based on knowledge of the jurisdictions within which they operate. HPE GreenLake hybrid cloud ticks that box also.
They’ll see the operation benefits of greater control – directly onto the balance sheet.
And because cost is always an issue, HPE GreenLake hybrid cloud offers a range of financing options:
- Complete control and customisation. Choose the term that suits you, with an option to own the solution at the end.
- Fixed, monthly forecast and subscription. A self-managed, cost predictable, fixed monthly subscription over a one, or a three-year period.
- Traditional capex purchase. An up-front investment model featuring a fully customisable solution with your storage requirements managed by HPE specialists.
Another box ticked.
To learn more, visit: https://www.hpe.com/ae/en/storage.html
