Dialog Enterprise, the corporate ICT-solution arm of Dialog Axiata PLC has become a VMware Sovereign Cloud Provider in South Asia.
This was recorded at an event at Shangri-La Hotel recently. Many ICT professionals from major corporations across various industries that fuel Sri Lanka›s economy were present.
A sovereign cloud ensures jurisdictional control, data access, integrity, security, compliance, independence, and mobility for customers. It distinguishes itself from hyper-scale cloud providers that host data outside the borders of Sri Lanka by guaranteeing that data remains subject to the laws, controls, and authority of the region where it is collected and stored.
“We are primed for delivering a national capability for the digital economy that we envision in the country. Our sovereign cloud offering helps secure data with audited security controls in compliance with data privacy laws here in Sri Lanka, thereby improving control of data by providing both data residency and data sovereignty with full jurisdictional control,” said Group Chief Officer, Dialog Enterprise, Dialog Axiata, Navin Pieris.
“Dialog Enterprise›s attainment of VMware Sovereign Cloud Provider status brings significant benefits to Sri Lankan industries amidst the country›s dollar crisis. This achievement enables businesses to rely on a world-class cloud infrastructure certified with sovereign cloud status, ensuring data sovereignty, security, and compliance with local regulations. “With the recent implementation of Sri Lanka›s data protection act, Enterprises now aims to safeguard the rights of individuals and ensure consumer trust in information privacy in online transactions and information networks resulting from the growth and innovation in the digital economy. Furthermore, Dialog Enterprise empowers organisations to effectively invest their resources in meeting their cloud requirements and achieve continuous compliance faster and more efficiently,” he said.
General Manager and Country Leader, Nascent Markets and Vietnam, VMware Venkatesh Murali said, “With the rise of multi-cloud comes the increasing importance of sovereign cloud, especially for businesses in highly regulated industries,” said. “We look forward to working closely with Dialog Enterprise to deliver critical sovereign capabilities to enable Sri Lankan enterprises to unlock the full benefits and potential of the cloud while ensuring their data is protected, compliant and resident within Sri Lanka.”
The highlight of the event was a panel discussion that emphasised the importance of sovereign cloud status for local cloud service providers such as Dialog Enterprise.
The panel featured industry experts, including, Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Sri Lanka Personal Data Protection Act and Digital Law Specialist, Jayantha Fernando, CEO of LankaPay, Channa De Silva, CIO of Seylan Bank, Harsha Wanigatunga and General Counsel and Vice President, Group Legal and Regulatory of Dialog Axiata, Trinesh Fernando.
They shed light on how sovereign cloud status enables better control over sensitive data and creates a conducive environment for digitisation across various industries.
Customers can avail themselves of the advantages offered by the sovereign cloud through their current systems integrator (SI), who possesses knowledge about the customers› pre-existing infrastructure and application landscape. Dialog Enterprise›s introduction of the ‹Partner Program› has facilitated close collaboration between Dialog Enterprise and local systems integrators. This collaboration leverages a substantial talent pool within the Systems Integrator community, which possesses the ability to effectively use Dialog platforms and Services, thereby enhancing customer experience.