Data Sovereignty
Data sovereignty means: full control over the location, access, and usage of your data.
For developers: clarity about infrastructure and access.
For decision-makers: security in audits, compliance, and strategic control.
For us: a prerequisite for trustworthy hosting.
What does data sovereignty mean?
Also known as data sovereignty, this term describes a company’s ability to fully control its data at all times:
- Where is the data stored?
- Who can access it (legally and technically)?
- How can I retain control – even with outsourcing or cloud services?
Unlike data protection, sovereignty is not about what is in the data – it’s about who controls it.
Why does it matter?
- Legal frameworks require clear responsibility and access control
- Data in third countries (e.g. USA) is subject to laws like the CLOUD Act
- Many services permit third-party access – technically or legally
- Only those with full control over storage and access can assume true responsibility
Data sovereignty is not just a technical matter – it's a strategic decision.
Technical and Organizational Aspects
You can enforce sovereignty technically through:
- On-premises hosting or European data centers
- Encryption with key ownership by the customer
- Monitoring & logging under your own control
- Self-hosted infrastructure for container registry, Git & CI/CD, and DNS & VPN
- Access policies for secure operations
Organizational measures include:
- Clear legal agreements (e.g. data processing contracts)
- Exit strategies
- Technical and legal audits
How RiKuWe handles it
Data sovereignty is not an optional feature – it’s the foundation of our hosting approach:
- Guaranteed hosting location (e.g. Austria, Germany)
- Hosting on customer hardware or RiKuWe’s own infrastructure
- Avoidance of US-based cloud providers for critical components
- Access control & auditing
- Updates & maintenance
You stay in control – we operate the systems.
Services with data sovereignty
- Managed Kubernetes clusters
- Self-hosted Git & CI/CD
- Container registry with access control
- Monitoring & logging without black boxes
- DNS, VPN & backup under your control
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between data sovereignty and data protection?
Data protection governs how personal data may be used. Data sovereignty refers to who can access the data and where it is physically stored – regardless of its content.
Is data sovereignty possible with cloud providers?
Partially. Many public clouds are subject to US laws like the CLOUD Act. European data centers and encryption can reduce risk – but full sovereignty is rare in such setups.
How important is encryption for data sovereignty?
Very important: only if you control the encryption keys do you truly control the data. Hosting providers should not have access to unencrypted information.
How can I ensure data sovereignty?
By hosting in trusted data centers, using open systems, avoiding US services, and applying measures like encryption, auditing, and strict access controls.
