We live in an always-on world of 24/7 websites, servers, help desks and internet connectivity—that is, until it’s not connected. The Ukrainian crisis shows that IT and security admins of Microsoft environments need to be aware of geographic and other risks they might not have considered yet.
As we move servers to the cloud, have we considered the impact of geographic and geopolitical issues and boundaries? Cases in point:
Microsoft’s Brad Smith recently announced it would shut down new sales of Microsoft services to Russia.
Apple and Google announced similar positions halting product and advertising sales, respectively.
VMWare has announced an immediate suspension of all business operations in Russia and Belarus.
Any international business must think about local security and privacy policies and regulations they must follow to be compliant everywhere they operate. If you do business in Germany, you must abide by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs how personal data of individuals in the EU may be processed and transferred. Have customers in California? You are subject to security and privacy laws of both the United States and California.