SUSE launches EU-based support to meet digital sovereignty needs
SUSE has launched a new European Union-based support service designed to help organisations across Europe meet digital sovereignty and regulatory requirements.
Support model
The new offering, called SUSE Sovereign Premium Support, is positioned to support both public and private sector customers that require stringent control over their data, operations, and IT infrastructure. The service is structured to offer sovereign, personalised, and proactive support specifically within the EU jurisdiction.
Recent research indicates a shift in European enterprise strategy, with more than 80% of organisations in the region now using or planning to adopt sovereign cloud solutions in the coming year, according to IDC's EMEA Cloud Survey from September 2024. The new SUSE service aims to respond directly to this trend, assisting firms in navigating evolving regulations, managing geopolitical risks, and bolstering their IT resilience.
Data handling and privacy
SUSE Sovereign Premium Support is designed to address various digital sovereignty concerns. It includes provisions such as named EU-based Premium Support Engineers (PSEs) and Service Delivery Managers (SDMs), with customer support data stored exclusively on EU-based networks and servers. The package also emphasises enhanced data privacy, ensuring that only EU-based personnel handle data, and contains SUSE's commitment to encrypting all data required for troubleshooting purposes.
The company notes that its customer base spans numerous sectors with strict compliance obligations, including defence, government, and law enforcement agencies across multiple regions. According to SUSE, these organisations have relied on tailored support to meet such requirements for many years.
Focus on control and resilience
"Our expertise in the field, coupled with our deep European roots and global capabilities, uniquely positions us to deliver the level of control and resilience our customers need over their data, operations and technology. Our new SUSE Sovereign Premium Support reinforces our commitment to empower customers and partners who choose true digital independence and operational resilience with a future-proof IT infrastructure," says Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen, CEO of SUSE. "While this is a net new offering for us, it is a natural extension of our open by design, sovereign by choice philosophy developed over three decades and more."
Market interest and analyst perspectives
Analysts have observed an increasing demand for digital sovereignty solutions such as sovereign cloud, not only in traditionally regulated industries but broadly across all sectors and geographies. This growing interest reflects a larger trend as more organisations begin their transition to cloud-based infrastructure and review their requirements from the outset.
"We have seen rising interest in digital sovereignty solutions, such as sovereign cloud, for several years now. This interest is not just confined to regulated industries but across all sectors and also globally, especially as many organisations are still at the start of their cloud journeys and considering what they will need from the outset. 2025 looks set to be a watershed year as the growing geopolitical and economic uncertainties so far seen are shining a brighter spotlight on the need for digital sovereignty." – Rahiel Nasir, Research Director, European Cloud Strategies, and Lead Analyst for Worldwide Digital Sovereignty, IDC.
The establishment of SUSE Sovereign Premium Support is intended to help organisations align proactively with EU regulatory and compliance goals from the start of their digital transformation processes.
