The basic idea of cloud server hosting must have been influenced by the need to leverage as much compute and other resources as and when required by the web application irrespective of location of the underlying infrastructure. Users of such cloud infrastructure would then be spinning up the required number of virtual instances for uploading data and nothing more than that. 

Major Roadblocks of Cloud Adoption

The cloud is not a unified platform as everyone wanted it to be, actually it is made up of several pieces that are governed by sovereignty associated laws of different countries. In reality, enterprise customers have to handle a wide array of regulatory restrictions that impact the location and type of deployed storage infrastructure and data assets. 

Compliance of data sovereignty rules and related regulations can safeguard your enterprise against possible threats to business and deployment of data assets. Given the fact that every country has own set of regulations in terms of standards of privacy as well as security of data that is being deployed. These regulations are extremely varied and diverse different countries. 

Judicial jurisdictions can also play havoc because as per the latest magisterial ruling companies in US are covered by US laws even if their data is residing out of the country. So even if you are choosing the best cloud storage provider out of US, the federal authorities are free to issue legal notices. 

In addition to country-specific regulations governing use and location of data, there are sector specific compliance requirements that are again different from one country to another. Data location is therefore going to play vital role despite accelerated pace of technological advances in the domain of cloud computing. 

Dealing With Sovereignty Challenge

This has led a large number of organizations to adopt a cautious attitude while embracing cloud computing. Modern enterprises are inclined to operate in more than one country due to proliferation of internet connectivity and extensive use of smart phone devices by end users. 

Organizations need to operate with several providers of cloud server hosting to achieve their expansion plans across different countries. Thus an organization that operates from UK must choose the best cloud storage providers from India, Singapore, or Australia if it has to do business in these countries.

Although reputed cloud server hosting companies claim to comply with local data regulation guidelines, it may not be all that easy to ascertain these claims. One must also remember that compliance of data sovereignty is the responsibility of the customer and not the cloud server hosting provider.

Current Scenario

 There is not an iota of doubt that a cloud has immense potential to empower your organization by allowing you to make the entire world your playground. If you are planning to do business in overseas locations, then you must also comply with the data regulations of those countries. 

Considering a large number of different aspects of sovereignty regulations and their implications, one must be extremely cautious while operating in a foreign country. This calls for arranging several resources including sufficient budgetary provisions to adopt country-specific vendors of cloud server hosting. 

The very fact that a cloud infrastructure is designed to allow data access to users irrespective of their locations further complicates the issue. Presently governments are in no mood to compromise with their citizen’s digital information. Hopefully, this attitude may undergo a paradigm shift in near future.

Dealing With Data Security Concerns

One of the most disturbing concerns of operating in a global environment is coming to terms with loss of control in terms of the security of your data unless your cloud server hosting partner exercises total transparency. 

The most logical way to safeguard your digital assets in a globally operating business is to leverage servers that are controlled by local government’s monitoring facilities for securing the most sensitive data. Alternatively, the third party cloud hosting providers operating with local data centers can also be roped in to safeguard your confidential data. 

Transparency plays a key role while drafting agreements with cloud vendors. This must cover the very nature of data and also the processes that would be implemented to secure and also to access the volumes of digital assets of your enterprise. Clarity about these aspects is the only way to guarantee a trusted partnership that boosts confidence of cloud consumers who are sure that their valuable data is handled appropriately without any breach of compliance. 

Transparency must extend across the policies and practices for the best cloud storage initiatives by vendors. These can be data encryption related procedures to secure data in transit. Encryption by itself is an essential norm for being compliant as far as important data regulation laws are concerned. 

Prevention of unsolicited access to data by unidentified individuals must be an integral part of data protection policy of cloud server hosting provider. This is achieved by using advanced access control measures that only allow access to users with defined roles. 

Takeaway

In spite of the concerns of data sovereignty, organizations must find ways to deal with roadblocks. These concerns should not hold them back from entering new business segments and locations. This can be easily achieved with help of a reputed cloud server hosting provider that practices seamless transparency and has all resources to command cloud environment despite concerns of sovereignty.