In light of increased geopolitical tensions and data privacy laws, the demand for U.S. based, sovereign cloud solutions that protect personal, corporate, and national data and operations is more critical than ever before. At SAP NS2, we have seen this growth in demand directly through our customers. Regulated customers have an inherent need for SAP cloud solutions that adhere to FedRAMP® and other critical regulatory requirements.
To fully understand why a sovereign cloud has become so important, we must first break down the sovereignty challenges that customers face and why a sovereign cloud, maintained within the continental U.S., should be an integral part of your enterprise cloud strategy.
Cloud Sovereignty Challenges
Cloud sovereignty is an overarching term which includes cloud operations and data. This means that sovereignty doesn’t only concern your data, but it also applies to the security and compliance of your enterprise-wide operations—for example, your digital architectures, processes, and support model. This includes the data your organization analyzes, the hardware and software you use to operate, and the people managing and maintaining your cloud operations.
We consider three main factors to create a U.S. based, sovereign cloud strategy:
- Sovereignty – Are the laws governing your cloud data and operations based on U.S. standards (such as FedRAMP® or ITAR)?
- Access – Is your cloud data and infrastructure managed by U.S. persons who have been vetted and cleared?
- Residency – Are your cloud data and operations physically stored and maintained within the continental U.S.?
Navigating Data Security & Compliance Standards
As regulated organizations conduct global business, a critical success factor is maintaining compliance within their host country. Data travelling internationally creates an inherent risk of cybersecurity threats, vulnerabilities, and exposure. When data is in transit, organizations need to avoid their data succumbing to the varying, inconsistent data regulation laws in the countries they conduct business with.
Data sovereignty is the practice that instills protection by regulating data according to the rules put in place by local jurisdiction. In other words, no matter what global entities you conduct business with, your data remains compliant.
SAP NS2 is addressing the challenge of data sovereignty by ensuring that our customers’ sensitive data, such as supply chain, financials, and personally identifiable information (PII), is protected according to their standards. At SAP NS2, our cloud experts have a deep understanding of varying security authorizations, such as National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-53, International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), and Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP®). Each of these compliance regulations address a security pain point around the data and operations within a cloud solution. For example, FedRAMP® is a compliance standard put in place to regulate how US government agencies can adopt and deploy cloud solutions.
Before they can adopt the innovation of SAP, our customers have placed an increased importance on their cloud applications adhering to FedRAMP® moderate controls and ITAR compliance. We build and deploy our cloud solutions through secure environments that adhere to these government-attested security authorizations to ensure data, whether at rest or in transit, resides in country and complies with local policies and regulations.
Our U.S. based, SAP cloud portfolio is comprised of:
- S/4HANA Cloud
- HANA Enterprise Cloud (HEC)
- SAP SuccessFactors
- Business Technology Platform (BTP)
- SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC)
- Integrated Business Planning (IBP)
- Asset Intelligence Network (AIN)
- SAP Asset Manager (SAM)
- SAP Fieldglass
- Ariba
We adhere to the following compliance standards:
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-53
- International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR)
- Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP® Moderate)
- Department of Defense Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (DoD CC SRG)
- Protected B
A growing need for local support and local deployment
Regulated industries, government agencies, and public sector organizations are storing more and more data in cloud-based applications. As they move their operations from on-premise infrastructure to the cloud, they need highly responsive, trustworthy support. They need a team of skilled, IT personnel with a deep understanding of both security and regulatory requirements for their industry and infrastructure.
At SAP NS2, we provide local support – from the solution application to the infrastructure level. Each of our customers are provided with a dedicated customer support lead from the SAP NS2 organization, and every employee at SAP NS2 is a US person on US soil to ensure our support remains in country. We deploy our solutions on government-attested infrastructure that can only be accessed by US persons. These security parameters allow our customers to adopt SAP cloud applications with confidence that their operations will remain within the country.
A provider who embodies each facet of cloud sovereignty
It’s critical to partner with a secure cloud provider that understands the trifecta of cloud sovereignty: access (who manages and handles your data and operations), residency (where your data and operations are deployed and maintained), and data sovereignty (what laws govern your data and operations) to protect and secure your organization.
SAP NS2 is the U.S.-based sovereign cloud deployment arm of SAP. When you partner with us, you’re investing in security, innovation, and continuous digital transformation. We help you operate with U.S. sovereign cloud capabilities and deliver SAP cloud solutions for customers that require enhanced compliance for their industry. All our SAP cloud solutions are managed on US soil and are built to achieve the most stringent security compliance standards. 1 These strategies allow us to provide customers with the secure adoption of SAP cloud solutions that adhere to ITAR and comply with the FedRAMP® moderate baseline.
Does your agency need assistance with navigating its digital transformation? Learn more about our approved services on the FedRAMP® Marketplace.
