Oracle Introduces 'EU Sovereign Cloud' for European Customers

Technology giant Oracle has announced the introduction of sovereign cloud regions specifically tailored for its customers in the European Union (EU).

In response to the growing need to protect sensitive data and comply with national regulations, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) will establish these new regions to meet the demand for secure and controlled data storage within EU borders.

Cloud Regions for European Customers

Oracle is known for providing secure cloud regions for customers with regulated workloads. With established government regions in the UK and North America, as well as the pioneering OCI Dedicated Region, Oracle caters to highly-regulated companies and governments worldwide.

Now, Oracle is extending its services to European customers by introducing new sovereign cloud regions dedicated to the EU in 2023.

Private enterprises and governmental bodies across the EU will be able to use of the sovereign cloud regions to host critical data and applications that require sensitivity, regulation, or strategic importance.

The introduction of these sovereign cloud regions will result in OCI imposing stricter limitations on operations and customer support, specifically catering to EU residents, thereby ensuring compliance with applicable EU regulations.

Oracle intends to transfer customers who are presently utilizing Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications in the EU Restricted Access cloud service to the forthcoming OCI sovereign cloud regions.

This transition will grant these customers access to advanced operational functionalities and complete native access to OCI's extensive array of cloud services.

First Two Sovereign Cloud Regions

Germany and Spain have been designated as the initial sites for the first two sovereign cloud regions within the EU.

These regions will be distinctly separated in both a logical and physical sense from OCI's current public regions in the EU, which encompass locations such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Marseille, Milan, and Stockholm.

The sovereign cloud regions will provide an identical suite of over 100 OCI services that are presently available in Oracle's public cloud regions. Moreover, customers will also have access to European Union Restricted Access (EURA) application services.

Pricing for OCI services will remain consistent with the existing regions, while EURA pricing will remain unchanged. These offerings will be accompanied by the same levels of support and service level agreements (SLAs) that are financially backed.

Customers will retain the option to utilize Oracle Universal Credits for procuring services and participate in OCI programs, including Support Rewards.

By integrating the sovereign cloud regions into OCI's distributed cloud model, Oracle can deliver cloud services to various locations while accommodating specific performance, security, compliance, and operational requirements.

Oracle's announcement of the sovereign cloud regions has garnered support from various customers and partners. Accenture, through its Sovereign Cloud Practice, sees this as an opportunity to facilitate compliance with EU data privacy regulations for their clients.

Atos, on the other hand, views Oracle's offering as a way to provide customers with enhanced control over their data through localized services and cybersecurity measures.

Public sector enterprises, such as DICTU, also express interest in leveraging the EU sovereign cloud regions to ensure compliance and data security.