As digital transformation accelerates across industries, organizations increasingly demand cloud solutions that prioritize sovereignty, security, and flexibility. Google Cloud has responded by evolving a robust portfolio of sovereign cloud offerings, designed to give customers greater control, choice, and security—without sacrificing the advanced functionality they expect.

Over the past decade, Google Cloud has collaborated extensively with customers, partners, and policymakers to develop and refine digital sovereignty solutions. Today, the company is unveiling a series of significant technical and commercial enhancements to its sovereign cloud portfolio, making it easier than ever for organizations to operate in compliance with local regulations and security standards.

Expanding Infrastructure for Global Sovereignty

Google Cloud’s global infrastructure is now more extensive and resilient than ever before. With over 42 cloud regions, 127 zones, 202 network edge locations, and 33 subsea cable investments, the company provides a robust foundation for sovereign cloud deployments. This infrastructure is complemented by strategic partnerships with leading technology providers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.

Key partners include Schwarz Group and T-Systems in Germany, S3NS in France, Minsait in Spain, Telecom Italia in Italy, Clarence in Belgium and Luxembourg, CNTXT in Saudi Arabia, KDDI in Japan, and World Wide Technology in the United States. These collaborations enable Google Cloud to deliver tailored sovereign solutions that meet the unique requirements of each market.

Customer Choice at the Core of Sovereign Cloud

Digital sovereignty is about more than just data encryption and key management. It is fundamentally about empowering customers with the flexibility they need to operate across multiple clouds, while ensuring their data remains secure and compliant with local regulations.

Google Cloud’s approach to sovereignty is not one-size-fits-all. The company offers a diverse portfolio of solutions, allowing customers to select the options that best align with their business needs, regulatory requirements, and risk profiles. This commitment to choice is backed by strong contractual commitments and robust sovereign controls, all of which are available today.

Innovative Solutions for Sovereign Data Management

The updated Google Cloud sovereign solution portfolio includes several groundbreaking offerings:

Google Cloud Data Boundary

Google Cloud Data Boundary enables customers to establish a sovereign data boundary, controlling where their content is stored and processed. This solution also allows customers to manage encryption keys outside Google’s infrastructure, meeting specific data access and control requirements in any market.

Customers using Google Cloud Data Boundary gain access to a wide range of Google Cloud products, including advanced AI services. They can leverage capabilities such as Confidential Computing and External Key Management with Key Access Justifications, ensuring tight control over data access and the ability to deny access for any reason.

Sovereign Controls for Google Workspace

Google Workspace customers can now take advantage of Google Cloud Data Boundary’s sovereign controls. These include the ability to limit content processing to the United States or the European Union, choose a country for local data storage, and use client-side encryption to prevent unauthorized access—even by Google—to their most sensitive content.

User Data Shield: Enhanced Security Validation

Google Cloud is also introducing User Data Shield, a new solution that integrates Mandiant services to validate the security of customer applications built on Google Cloud Data Boundary. User Data Shield provides recurring security testing, ensuring that customer applications maintain robust sovereignty postures over time.

Google Cloud Dedicated: Localized Sovereignty

Google Cloud Dedicated delivers solutions tailored to meet local sovereignty requirements, enabled by independent regional partners. For example, Google Cloud has partnered with Thales since 2021 to develop the Trusted Cloud by S3NS for Europe. This offering provides a comprehensive suite of Google Cloud services, including GPU support for AI workloads, and is operated by S3NS, a standalone French entity.

Currently in preview, the S3NS solution is designed to meet France’s stringent SecNumCloud standards for security and operational resilience. Google Cloud is expanding its Dedicated footprint, with plans to launch next in Germany.

Google Cloud Air-Gapped: Maximum Isolation

For organizations with the most stringent security and data residency requirements—such as those in intelligence and defense—Google Cloud Air-Gapped offers a fully standalone, air-gapped solution. This option does not require connectivity to external networks and can be deployed and operated by Google, the customer, or a trusted partner.

Built with open-source components, Google Cloud Air-Gapped provides a targeted set of AI, database, and infrastructure services. This approach ensures business continuity and survivability in the event of service disruptions. In 2024, Google Cloud Air-Gapped received authorization to host U.S. government Top Secret and Secret-level data.

Security and Sovereignty: A Unified Approach

Security and sovereignty are inextricably linked. Local control of data and operations enhances customer confidence, but true sovereignty also requires protection against vulnerabilities in legacy infrastructure. The global cyber threat landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with malicious actors leveraging AI-powered tools to exploit outdated systems.

Google Cloud addresses these challenges by combining sovereign solutions with leading security capabilities. The company’s secure-by-design technology, combined with expertise from the Google Threat Intelligence Group and Mandiant Consulting, provides customers with a robust defense against evolving threats.

Google Cloud CyberShield delivers AI and intelligence-driven cyber defense at a national scale, while Mandiant Managed Defense services enable organizations to extend their security teams with Google’s expertise. Customers also benefit from advanced security features such as Confidential Computing, Zero Trust, post-quantum cryptography, and AI-powered platform defenses.

Empowering Organizations Worldwide

Google Cloud remains committed to fostering trust and control for its customers, empowering organizations around the world to navigate the complexities of digital sovereignty with confidence. By continuing to collaborate with customers, partners, and policymakers, Google Cloud is refining its sovereign cloud offerings and delivering technologies that address the evolving needs of global enterprises.

With its advanced infrastructure, innovative solutions, and unwavering focus on security, Google Cloud is setting a new standard for sovereign cloud computing—enabling organizations to achieve their digital transformation goals while maintaining the highest levels of control, choice, and security.

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