Microsoft Building Data Centers in Germany

Microsoft Building Data Centers in Germany That US Government Can’t Touch

Microsoft will then hand the keys over to a local "data trustee."

Glyn Moody | November 12, 2015

Microsoft has launched a new kind of cloud service in Germany where user data is controlled by a "data trustee" operating under German law. Microsoft is unable to access user data without the permission of the data trustee or the customer, even if it is instructed to do so by the US government. If permission is granted by the data trustee, Microsoft will still only do so under its supervision. The idea behind the new data trustee-based cloud services is presumably to address European concerns that the NSA and other US agencies could demand access to any user data stored using Microsoft's current cloud services.

Microsoft's main distribution center near Munich, Germany. Source: http://www.dw.com/en/tech-companies-wage-patent-wars-in-germany/a-15859226

<more at http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/11/microsoft-is-building-data-centres-in-germany-that-the-us-government-cant-touch/; related links: http://news.microsoft.com/europe/2015/11/11/45283/ (Microsoft Announces Plans to Offer Cloud Services from German Datacenters. November 11, 2015) and http://arstechnica.co.uk/information-technology/2015/11/microsoft-to-offer-uk-based-azure-office-365-from-late-2016/ (Microsoft to offer UK-based Azure, Office 365 from late 2016. Comes as part of £1.3 billion European investment. November 11, 2015)>