American cloud services have for many years been the driving force behind IT modernization and digital innovation. Microsoft, Google, and AWS/Amazon offer the most advanced and flexible cloud solutions on the market and are used by a significant number of Norwegian businesses. Many, however, wish to have solid plans for an exit strategy or the ability to move data and solutions between cloud platforms. What risk assessments should businesses conduct, and what alternatives exist to American cloud platforms?
More recently, the need has become even more pressing due to increasingly unpredictable geopolitical conditions. The Minister of Digitization, Karianne Tung, and the Norwegian Data Protection Authority have recommended that Norwegian businesses evaluate alternative solutions if they are using American cloud services. Computas helps Norwegian organizations in both the private and public sectors conduct risk assessments and implement necessary measures in line with their specific needs.
How Computas Can Help:
- A risk analysis evaluating the organization’s exposure.
- Recommendations for short-term risk-reducing measures and potential exit strategies.
- An overview of European cloud alternatives (supplemental or contingency).
- Expertise and experience in developing cloud-based solutions that can be easily migrated.
Potential Alternatives: Supplement or a Path Forward?
Microsoft, Google and AWS/Amazon offer the most advanced and flexible cloud platforms on the market. However, European alternatives exist that can serve as a supplement or as part of a contingency plan. Computas helps clients navigate this landscape and observes increasing interest in European alternatives across three main areas:
1. Productivity Tools: Flexibility and Data Security
For organizations considering alternatives to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, European solutions like OnlyOffice (Latvia), Collabora Online (UK), and CryptPad (France) are available. These offer robust functionality for collaboration and document management while prioritizing data privacy.
2. Cloud Infrastructure: Ensuring Flexible Solutions
Organizations looking to reduce their reliance on American cloud services can consider European alternatives. In the Nordics, players like NetNordic (Norway), Elastx (Sweden), and UpCloud (Finland) are available, while larger European providers such as Scaleway (France), Hetzner (Germany), and OVHCloud (France) may also be relevant. The choice of cloud provider should be based on functionality, cost, scalability, and security requirements.
3. AI and Large Language Models: Alternatives with a Focus on Data Privacy
Within the field of artificial intelligence, European alternatives exist for organizations with stringent requirements for data storage and privacy. Scaleway (France) provides GPU infrastructure for hosting large language models, while Mistral AI is developing European AI models with a strong focus on security and control.
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