Oracle Launches Fusion Applications in EU Cloud for GDPR Compliance

Oracle Corporation has announced the deployment of its Fusion Cloud Applications Suite within its EU Sovereign Cloud, enabling organizations in Europe to utilize these cloud-based services in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This move addresses the growing demand for digital sovereignty and compliance with stringent data protection laws.

As highlighted by Oracle, the integration of Fusion Applications--spanning Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Human Capital Management (HCM), Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM), and Customer Experience (CX)--will allow European organizations to operate these tools while ensuring that their data remains within the European Union. This is particularly crucial for public sector entities and regulated industries that must guarantee that their data does not leave the country or region.

Steve Miranda, Oracle's Executive Vice President of Application Development, emphasized the importance of this offering for European customers. He noted that the dedicated nature of the EU Cloud allows for a clear separation from Oracle's other global data centers, thus providing enhanced security and compliance options for users.

The EU Sovereign Cloud is designed with a robust infrastructure that is segmented into two regions, each featuring three fault domains. This architecture aims to distribute workloads effectively and minimize service disruptions caused by maintenance or hardware failures.

Oracle's initiative is part of a broader trend towards ensuring digital independence in Europe, responding not only to regulatory demands but also to the desire of businesses to maintain control over their data in an increasingly AI-driven technological landscape. Ashok Patel, a Research Manager at the International Data Corporation, noted that this movement extends beyond mere compliance; it reflects a fundamental shift towards establishing trust in data management practices.

In addition to Oracle, other tech giants are also investing in sovereign cloud infrastructures within Europe. Amazon, for instance, plans to invest nearly EUR8 billion in a German sovereign cloud by 2040, with its AWS data center in Brandenburg set to go live by the end of this year. Public initiatives, such as the Gaia-X project, aim to foster a competitive data infrastructure across the continent, highlighting the collaborative effort towards achieving digital sovereignty.

Despite the focus on sovereign solutions, it is worth noting that six German federal states are currently utilizing a modified version of Microsoft Cloud services, showcasing the ongoing evolution of cloud computing solutions within the region.