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Digital sovereignty: maintaining the ability to act in an interconnected world

Materna helps you to identify digital dependencies, actively manage them, and build and implement robust IT ecosystems.

Materna IT Service Provid...  |  Services  |  Digital sovereignty

Digital sovereignty for resilient organisations

Digital dependencies on cloud providers, platforms and technologies are on the rise. The demands posed by regulation, cyber risks and the use of artificial intelligence are increasing. Materna helps you to make digital dependencies transparent, identify risks, define the right level of control for your organisation, and implement robust strategies for the cloud, data, AI and operations. Together, we lay the foundations for greater agility, resilience and future-proofing. 

A selection of our references in the field of digital sovereignty

Amprion

Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation

ITZBund

Strategic capability to manage risk and ensure operational flexibility

Digital sovereignty describes the ability of companies and organisations to use digital technologies, data, platforms and operating models in a self-determined manner, to manage dependencies transparently and to remain capable of acting even in times of crisis. It means ensuring the appropriate level of control, security, portability and legal protection for every specific use case. 

Technological sovereignty

 

The ability to consciously select, combine and further develop technologies, and to reduce lock-ins

 

Data sovereignty

 

Control over storage location, access, use, data flows, encryption and data portability

 

Operational autonomy

 

The ability to operate, monitor and, where necessary, switch between digital systems in a stable, secure and independent manner

 

Legal or regulatory sovereignty

 

Operations in compliance with the law, taking into account the GDPR, NIS2, DORA, the EU AI Act, the CRA and extraterritorial access

 

Our approaches

We support you in systematically assessing, strategically planning and sustainably implementing digital sovereignty within your business context. 

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Assessment of the current situation and sovereignty check

  • Analysis of data, applications, platforms and provider dependencies 

  • Assessment of cloud, AI, service and operating models 

  • Identification of critical lock-ins, risks and regulatory requirements 

  • Maturity assessment across the dimensions of sovereignty 

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Vision and Strategy

  • Defining an appropriate level of sovereignty for each use case 

  • Cloud, data, AI and sourcing strategy 

  • Tailored profile in the context of risk appetite and tolerance 

  • Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud target architectures 

  • Governance model, roles and responsibilities 

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Operational architecture and implementation

  • Building robust cloud and platform architectures 

  • Company-specific cloud landing zones 

  • Migration, modernisation and standardisation of applications 

  • Containerisation, Kubernetes and automation 

  • Role, authorisation and access concepts 

  • Integration into existing IT and service management processes 

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Strategic Architecture, Platforms and Portability

  • Assessment of open and proprietary platforms 

  • Open source as a driver of transparency and portability 

  • Kubernetes and open standards 

  • Avoiding critical lock-ins 

  • Developing sustainable platform strategies 

Enterprise architecture, governance, operations and auditability

  • Enterprise Architecture Management 

  • Exit strategies and migration plans 

  • Evidence of compliance, security and sovereignty 

  • Enterprise Service Management 

  • End-to-end analysis of architectures and services 

  • Monitoring, auditability and reporting 

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Competence and continuous professional development

  • Workshops and training courses 

  • AI Literacy and AI Ethics 

  • Value Assessment of Sociotechnical Systems 

  • Cloud skills development 

  • Organisational embedding 

  • Ongoing reviews and optimisation 

Your benefits

Whether it’s the cloud, AI, data or operations: digital sovereignty arises where technology, governance and organisation come together. This requires a partner who understands regulatory requirements, technological developments and practical implementation in equal measure. Materna brings precisely these perspectives together. 

Ensuring legal capacity

 

You will benefit from transparency regarding critical digital dependencies, the systematic assessment of risks and the development of viable alternatives. In this way, you will lay the foundations for sustainable operational capability.

 

Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements

 

Together, we translate regulatory requirements such as the GDPR, NIS2, DORA and the EU AI Act into practical governance models, processes and technical measures.

 

Making the most of the cloud and AI

 

You benefit from cloud, data and AI strategies that drive innovation whilst ensuring control over data, processes, assets and technologies.

 

Establishing resilient operating models

 

Together, we create the conditions for stable and resilient IT ecosystems through transparent operating models, security mechanisms, portability concepts and robust governance structures.

 

Ensuring transparency regarding dependencies

 

Using methods from enterprise architecture, service management and governance, you gain transparency over data flows, applications, services, responsibilities and risks.

 

Proving sovereignty

 

As a result, you can document compliance, security and digital sovereignty in a transparent and robust manner for customers, regulatory authorities, partners and internal stakeholders. 

 

Expert opinion

“Digital sovereignty becomes a reality when companies and organisations utilise modern cloud technologies whilst retaining control over data, operations and further development. This is precisely the approach we are taking, for example, in collaboration with ITZBund, as we work to establish a sovereign cloud infrastructure.” 

Michael Hagedorn
, CEO
of Materna SE

 

That’s why Materna...

Digital sovereignty requires a partner who understands technology, regulation and operations in equal measure. For many years, Materna has been supporting companies, KRITIS organisations and public authorities in implementing business-critical digitalisation projects, combining strategic consultancy with practical implementation experience.  

Experience in sensitive and regulated environments

Materna has been working for decades with federal authorities, state administrations, KRITIS operators and companies with high standards in terms of security, compliance and availability. This understanding forms the basis for robust sovereignty strategies.  

Practical insights from successful cloud projects

Materna supports public authorities in implementing sovereign cloud architectures. This includes consultancy services for cloud migrations, multi-cloud strategies and the integration of new cloud services into existing IT landscapes. We bring precisely the experience that is crucial for forward-looking platform projects such as the Deutschland-Stack: an understanding of administrative requirements, interoperability, sovereignty and the secure operation of complex IT ecosystems. 

Independent guidance within the cloud ecosystem

As a partner to leading hyperscalers as well as independent European providers, Materna assists clients in selecting the most suitable operating and cloud models – without equating digital sovereignty with a single technology or platform.  

End-to-end expertise, from strategy to operations

Digital sovereignty does not end with an architectural decision. Materna combines governance, enterprise architecture, the cloud, enterprise service management, cyber resilience and operations into a holistic approach.  

AI – a key issue for the future – taken into account right from the start

With expertise in AI governance, AI compliance, AI ethics and the responsible use of AI, Materna supports companies and organisations in safeguarding their digital sovereignty, even in the age of generative AI and autonomous agents.  

Autonomy rather than dependence

Our aim is to enable people to use digital technologies independently. That is why we support companies and organisations in creating transparency regarding dependencies, assessing risks and safeguarding their long-term ability to act. 

This is of interest to other readers

Cloud sovereignty as a key to success for IT and enterprise service platforms 

The success of a service management platform depends not only on the software used, but also on the operating model, governance and organisational integration. 

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From ‘Cloud First’ to ‘Sovereignty First’: The rules of the cloud are changing 

Cloud technologies are driving innovation. Demands for control, compliance and digital sovereignty are growing. When it comes to service management platforms, organisations must strike a balance between the two.  

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A sovereign cloud for public authorities 

Read the white paper to find out how Materna supports organisations in selecting suitable cloud providers, setting up secure cloud landing zones, conducting workload analyses, and managing migration, modernisation and governance. 

Read more

Adobe Stock ©

AI Compliance and Ethics 

Using AI responsibly, minimising risks, meeting ethical and regulatory requirements: this white paper shows how organisations can effectively combine AI compliance and ethics. 

Read the white paper

Lünendonk Study: From Dependency to Agency 

In an interview for the Lünendonk study ‘Digital Sovereignty – From Risk to Resilience’, Materna expert Timon Schmotz explains why transparency regarding data, platforms and operating models is becoming a key factor for success. 

Read more

Let’s go into detail

Materna begins by conducting an assessment: we analyse existing applications, data flows, platforms, operating models and dependencies on service providers. This provides a clear picture of where critical dependencies lie, which regulatory requirements are relevant, and what level of autonomy makes sense for your company or organisation.

We combine methods from enterprise architecture, service management, governance and risk assessment. This makes data, applications, interfaces, service chains and responsibilities transparent. On this basis, lock-in risks, alternatives, security requirements and areas requiring action can be systematically assessed.

Materna develops cloud and platform strategies that enable innovation whilst ensuring control over data, operations and architectural decisions. These include multi-cloud and hybrid cloud roadmaps, secure landing zones, containerisation, Kubernetes, open standards, and exit and portability strategies. 

Digital sovereignty is not achieved through technology alone. Materna translates regulatory requirements such as the GDPR, NIS2, DORA and the EU AI Act into practical governance models, roles, processes and technical guidelines. This ensures that security, auditability and operational feasibility are taken into account right from the start. 

Materna regards AI as part of sovereign IT ecosystems. We provide support in establishing AI governance, AI compliance and robust operating models for AI applications. The aim is to enable companies and organisations to use AI safely and effectively – whilst retaining control over data, models, processes and operating environments. 

Materna combines strategic consultancy with technical implementation and operational experience. We develop vision statements and roadmaps, put architectural and platform decisions into practice, integrate solutions into existing IT environments, and support companies and organisations in building up their expertise and ensuring continuous development.

Please feel free to contact us

Potrait von Ansprechpartner Johannes Rosenboom

Johannes Rosenboom
Senior Vice President Sales, Business Development und Marketing, Public und KRITIS Sector

Potrait von Ansprechpartner Jens Liedtke

Jens Liedtke
Senior Vice President Sales │ Enterprise Service Management

Materna Information & Communications SE

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