Thinking systematically about digital sovereignty – how the adesso Index provides guidance in the cloud debate

Digital sovereignty has long been more than just an abstract concept. It has become a key factor in IT strategy decisions – and at the same time a term that is interpreted in very different ways. With its Digital Sovereignty Index, adesso is setting a thought leadership trend that takes the topic out of the purely political or emotional discussion and transforms it into a structured, assessable and practical basis for decision-making.

The Digital Sovereignty Index does not view digital sovereignty as a binary state, but as a gradual, context-dependent target. Along clearly defined dimensions – including technological control, legal framework conditions, organisational capabilities and economic dependencies – the index reveals where organisations stand, what risks actually exist and where targeted measures make sense.

This perspective is particularly valuable in the current cloud debate. We are currently seeing many companies and public sector clients fundamentally questioning existing supplier relationships – often without taking into account individual workloads, protection requirements or control options. Decisions are then often influenced by uncertainty or political pressure rather than a fact-based assessment.

Digital sovereignty is not an either/or proposition

A key finding from the Digital Sovereignty Index is that sovereignty does not mean renunciation, but rather conscious design. Complete technological self-sufficiency is hardly realistic. What's more, it makes little economic sense for most organisations. It is much more important to be aware of dependencies, assess risks and actively use control mechanisms.

We apply precisely this logic to public cloud platforms. Sweeping statements such as ‘the public cloud is inherently not sovereign’ fall short. They ignore the considerable progress that established providers have made in recent years in the areas of compliance, transparency, controllability and governance.

Fact-based cloud decisions: The Microsoft Cloud in the context of the adesso Digital Sovereignty Index

As a strategic partner of Microsoft, we translate the findings from the Digital Sovereignty Index into concrete actions in the Microsoft Cloud. Instead of taking a fundamental pro or con stance, we work with our customers to assess how sovereign individual Microsoft services or workloads can actually be operated – depending on the specific use case.

The following questions, among others, are included in the assessment:

• Which data and processes require which level of protection?
• Which technical and organisational control mechanisms are available (e.g. customer lockbox, confidential computing, operational transparency)?
• How can data residency, access control and operational responsibility be specifically designed?
• Which organisational and contractual measures complement the technical possibilities?

Microsoft now offers a wide range of features and architecture options – from hybrid models and sovereign control mechanisms to granular governance and security settings – that enable a high degree of digital sovereignty for many workloads. The index helps to view these options not in isolation, but systematically within an overall picture.

Evaluate use cases specifically instead of making blanket decisions

Another key aspect of the Digital Sovereignty Index is its consistent use case perspective. Not every application, process or data class requires the same level of sovereignty. While specialised or national solutions may be appropriate for particularly sensitive areas, many standard and specialist applications can be operated securely, compliantly and economically in the Microsoft Cloud.

We support our customers with established process models: from the initial sovereignty assessment to architecture and governance concepts to concrete implementation and ongoing operation. This results in cloud strategies that are neither ideological nor purely cost-driven, but rather risk-aware, transparent and future-proof.

Intensifying partnership, consciously shaping responsibility

Digital sovereignty does not arise automatically from the choice of a particular technology. It is the result of conscious decisions, clear responsibilities and transparent control. That is why we at adesso are intensifying our partnership with Microsoft specifically with digital sovereignty in mind – with the aim of empowering customers not only technically but also strategically.

The Digital Sovereignty Index provides the methodological framework for this. It helps to objectify discussions, classify risks realistically and make informed decisions. For many organisations, this means that they do not have to choose between innovation and sovereignty – they can combine both.