GCP – Deliver sovereign cloud solutions with the new Google Distributed Cloud initiative

Digital sovereignty remains top-of-mind for organizations across the public, finance, and manufacturing sectors. As they adopt cloud technologies, they face the challenge of balancing innovation while adhering to stringent regulatory requirements. To achieve this, they seek cloud solutions that not only offer the flexibility and scalability they need, but also prioritize compliance with local and industry-specific regulations.

Google Sovereign Cloud provides comprehensive and flexible solutions to confidently meet data, operational, and software sovereignty requirements. These solutions include Google Distributed Cloud (GDC), which brings Google Cloud capabilities closer to where data is generated and used, helping customers overcome challenges related to data location, latency, and connectivity. GDC lets organizations deploy and manage cloud services across various environments — on-premises, at the edge, or in remote locations — while helping to provide optimal performance and adherence to regulatory compliance mandates.

Introducing the Managed Google Distributed Cloud Provider initiative

Deploying applications at the edge or on-premises can be a complex process, requiring specialized skills and technologies that many organizations lack. At Google Cloud, we recognize this challenge and are collaborating with leading industry partners to provide them expertise and create customized solutions for their specific industries and clients. Today, we are pleased to introduce the Managed GDC Provider (MGP) initiative. This program simplifies the deployment of solutions in various environments by authorizing and empowering select partners to deploy, operate, and manage Google Distributed Cloud services as a fully managed offering. This reduces the technical complexity of deploying cloud services for customers with high sovereignty needs, accelerating adoption. Current partners operating GDC air-gapped include Clarence (a joint venture between Luxembourg state-owned company LuxConnect, and Proximus Luxembourg) operating from Luxembourg, Gulf Energy operating from Thailand, T-Systems operating from Germany, and World Wide Technology (WWT) operating from North America. As members of the Managed GDC Provider initiative, these partners are already delivering AI-enabled sovereign cloud solutions to their customers. We look forward to adding more partners to the initiative in the coming months.

“Clarence is meeting a growing demand for true digital sovereignty, stimulated by today’s complex geopolitical context, combined with ever-increasing cyber threats and cyber terrorism risks, and AI needs.” says Pascal Rogiest, General Manager of Clarence S.A. “Clarence represents a unique and cutting-edge bundled solution, leveraging Google’s exceptional portfolio of cloud-based applications from GDC air-gapped.” “

“We chose Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) based on its unique ability to isolate operations from the public internet while providing powerful AI capabilities. The successful delivery of GDC in Thailand, with Gulf as Google Cloud’s Managed GDC Provider (MGP), is a strategic imperative, as its adoption across regulated industries will not only boost our country’s digital competitiveness but also create new revenue opportunities for our company.” – Sarath Ratanavadi, CEO, Gulf Energy Development

“At T-Systems, we are very pleased to be a provider of Google Distributed Cloud in Germany. This valuable addition to our cloud portfolio lets us deliver Google Cloud’s powerful cloud solutions to our customers, combined with the very highest security and data-residency requirements. This underscores our commitment to providing truly hybrid cloud landscapes, tailored to the individual needs of each customer.” – Greg Hyttenrauch, Senior Vice President for Cloud Services at T-Systems

“At WWT, we are privileged to partner with Google Distributed Cloud. Through this MGP initiative, we have tailored a cloud solution specifically for the unique requirements of our public sector customers This solution ensures the security of sensitive data and upholds their digital sovereignty. This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that empower our customers in the public sector.” – Scot Gagnon, VP of Federal Sales at WWT

The Managed GDC Provider initiative program helps customers harness the power of Google Cloud technology within a private, secure, and isolated environment operated by trusted local partners. This approach provides numerous advantages, including full control over data residency and adherence to local regulations, helping to ensure data sovereignty and compliance. Additionally, by running workloads closer to users and applications, customers experience reduced latency and improved performance. These trusted partners’ air-gapped configurations and expert management enhance security and control, while the flexibility of the program allows for tailored solutions to meet specific needs and requirements. Furthermore, customers gain access to the latest Google Cloud technologies and services within a sovereign environment, so they remain at the forefront of innovation.

Becoming a Managed GDC Provider unlocks a world of opportunities for partners. They can expand their service offerings and tap into new revenue streams by becoming cloud service providers with GDC. Partners take control and customize the commercial and customer experience of GDC, tailoring solutions to meet specific market needs. And by leveraging Google’s cutting-edge AI-ready infrastructure, partners position themselves as trusted cloud service providers in their region, with expertise in deploying and managing sovereign cloud solutions. They gain access to Google Cloud’s latest innovations and robust infrastructure, so they can deliver superior cloud services. Finally, Managed GDC Providers are part of a thriving ecosystem of partners, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

Join the Managed GDC Provider initiative

We invite partners to explore the Managed GDC Provider initiative, and show that you are a trusted expert in operating air-gapped and connected instances of GDC. To express your interest and begin the qualification process, please contact your account team or email gdc-partners@google.com.