Sovereign Cloud Comparison: AWS, Microsoft, SAP, OVHcloud
Compare sovereign cloud providers: AWS European Sovereign Cloud, Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, OVHcloud. Certification, CLOUD Act immunity and how to choose.
Not every "sovereign cloud" is equal. The real dividing line is two criteria: independent certification, and genuine immunity to the US CLOUD Act, which depends on the provider's ownership and technology.
The criteria that actually matter
- Is it independently certified (e.g. SecNumCloud, ISO 27001)?
- Is the technology owned outright, or licensed from a non-European player?
- Does its ownership structure put it beyond US law?
- Does it guarantee reversibility with no proprietary lock-in?
- Does it cover your sector obligations (healthcare, NIS2, GDPR)?
The main providers
| Provider | Positioning | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| OVHcloud | Independent European player, SecNumCloud-qualified on some ranges | Confirm the chosen range is qualified |
| AWS European Sovereign Cloud | EU-operated AWS region | US parent — legal sovereignty debated |
| Microsoft / SAP sovereign cloud | Sovereign offers on their stacks | Technology under US licence |
| Oracle / Google sovereign | EU sovereign regions | Scope of sovereignty varies by offer |
Which is the best sovereign cloud?
There is no universal answer: the right choice depends on your data, obligations and technical constraints. The strongest guarantee comes from a provider certified on fully owned technology. For a very broad service catalogue you sometimes trade breadth against the level of sovereignty — decided data by data, not in one block.
Is AWS European Sovereign Cloud really sovereign?
It is operated in the EU, but the US parent keeps the question of legal sovereignty open. The same applies to Microsoft and SAP offers built on US-licensed technology — hence the need for a case-by-case review rather than trust in the label alone.
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Frequently asked questions
Which is the best sovereign cloud?
The one certified on owned technology and matched to your data — chosen case by case.
Is AWS European Sovereign Cloud sovereign?
It is EU-operated, but its US parent leaves legal-sovereignty questions open.