European cloud providers launch Structura-X initiative for concrete implementation of Gaia-X compatible services
European cloud providers have launched a joint initiative to create a common infrastructure service that meets Gaia-X requirements. A total of 28 players, between companies and organizations, including OpenNebula Systems, have agreed to make their cloud services and technologies Gaia-X compliant. The Lighthouse Structura-X project complements the previous, industry-specific lighthouse initiatives for the automotive (Catena X), the agriculture (AgriGaia) and finance sector (EuroDat). Initial certified offerings are expected to be ready by the half of 2022.
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The initiative emerged on the sidelines of the recent Gaia-X Summit in Milan last November. There, the German Economics Minister Peter Altmaier emphasized the urge of building a Gaia-X-compatible European infrastructure alongside other industry services. In coordination with the Gaia-X foundation AISBL, seven European providers initially agreed to the common goal: Atos, Aruba.it, DeCix, Deutsche Telekom, Engineering, Noovle and TOP-IX.
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In the meantime, additional companies from all over Europe have joined. Today, these add to the other 28 Structura-X members from 10 countries: AssoSoftware, City Network, Cloud&Heat Technologies, CS Group, CSI, EBRC, Elmec, Fabasoft, International Dataspaces, IONOS SE, KPN, Luxinnovation, Mainstream, next layer, OSISM, ThreeFold Tech, Tietoevry, United Group, Vivacom. The members do not just bring infrastructure services to the table, they also agree to use open source technology to make the cloud federation services viable. This includes interoperability, respecting security and privacy-enabling by design.
“We very much welcome the initiative of the infrastructure providers,” said Max Ahrens, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gaia-X. “The industrial implementation of the Gaia-X standards by cloud and infrastructure providers is an essential building block for functioning data sovereignty in Europe.”