INTELLIGENT CLOUD
Macquarie Telecom Group joins the VMware Sovereign Cloud initiative in Australia
M acquarie Telecom Group , has become a member of the VMware Sovereign Cloud initiative , a reflection of the company ’ s decade-long commitment to sovereign IT capability . The growing importance of data sovereignty , scrutiny of data access and control , and increasing geo-political friction is leading governments and regulated industries to closely analyse their cloud strategies and evaluate who may have access to their data .
The VMware Sovereign Cloud initiative helps customers identify and engage with trusted national or regional cloud service providers to meet their unique sovereign cloud requirements .
VMware Sovereign Cloud initiative participants offer sovereign cloud solutions for customers in highly regulated industries , such as banking and finance , healthcare , energy , government services , public sector and telecommunications .
Macquarie ’ s designation as a VMware Sovereign Cloud Provider follows the company ’ s own rigourous assessment of its data centres and cloud services in accordance with the VMware Sovereign Cloud framework .
These include protecting critical data for both private and public sector organisations with audited security controls , ensuring compliance with data privacy laws , improving control of data by providing both data residency and data sovereignty and delivering national capability for the digital economy .
“ We ’ re very pleased Macquarie Telecom has joined the VMware Sovereign Cloud initiative ,” said Mike Reddie , Senior Director of Cloud for VMware A / NZ . “ The added value of data sovereignty , jurisdictional control , and data security and compliance means that Macquarie Telecom customers are preparing for changing regulations , increased security threats and geopolitical uncertainty – all of which are growing challenges .”
Becoming a member of VMware ’ s Sovereign Cloud initiative is the latest in a string of sovereign credentials for Macquarie Telecom Group . In August 2021 it became one of the first data centre providers to be Certified Strategic by the Digital Transformation Agency ( DTA ).
Last year Macquarie also surpassed the 200-mark for staff with the AGSVA NV1 security clearance – a key requirement for managing classified government data – an increase of more than 66 % of staff with this clearance between July-August 2021 alone .
Aidan Tudehope , Managing Director , Macquarie Telecom Group , said the certification from VMware is important validation of the sovereign message his company has been championing for more than a decade .
Aidan Tudehope , Managing Director , Macquarie Telecom Group
“ Becoming a VMware Sovereign Cloud Provider is further validation of Macquarie ’ s long-term position on the importance of sovereign capability at a time when national resilience is more important than ever in Australia ,” he said .
“ In the lead up to the election the Albanese Government announced its commitment to building sovereign , domestic IT capability to cultivate local industry and keep our data safe .
“ Increasing geo-political friction has elevated this conversation , with government and regulated industries casting a closer eye over their cloud strategies and who has access to their data .
“ We ’ ve walked the talk with data sovereignty for a long time , providing customers with not just data residency through our suite of onshore data centres , but complete sovereignty , with data managed onshore and safeguarded from the whims of foreign jurisdictions .” •
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS 4343