Microsoft has launched the German Cloud

Modern cloud services offer many advantages to enterprises: They are flexible and easy to scale, every time up to date and they reduce implementation and maintenance expenses, though one of the most significant aspects remains data security. To strengthen security, Microsoft now presents the German Cloud ensuring that customer and business data are not only virtually, but physically stored in Germany, inaccessible for non-authorized parties – including Microsoft itself.

To implement the data security concept of Germany Cloud Microsoft had to ensure two things: Firstly it was essential to provide cloud access by a German data trustee organization. Secondly all data were to be physically stored in Germany. The data trustee model of Germany Cloud was achieved together with German Telekom subsidiary T-Systems which exclusively relies to German legislation and excludes data access of foreign institutions. To provide the second requirement two new datacenters in Frankfurt and Magdeburg have been set into operation.

The offerings of Germany Cloud are not restricted to German business clients though – companies from all of the EU and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with high standards of security, data protection, compliance and transparence requirements are addressed, too. Also strongly regulated businesses like finance and health care will now profit from the option of using cutting-edge digital technologies via cloud services.

With Germany Cloud Microsoft claims to provide the same technical, service level and security standards as they do with their international offerings, like for example multi-factor authentication, biometric scans, smart cards, data encryption via SSL/TLS and physical security measures including disaster and power failure protections. As an extra, D-Trust encrypted data are permanently synchronized between the two German datacenters, thus reducing the possibility of system failures or data loss to a minimum.

“The Microsoft Germany Cloud is our answer to the increasing demand for Microsoft cloud services in Germany and Europe,” states Sabine Bendiek, head of Microsoft Germany. “With Microsoft Germany Cloud we enable our customers and partners developing new business models and as pioneers advancing the digital transformation in their particular industries.”