Do You Know Where Your Data Is In The Cloud?

Country-specific regulations governing privacy and data protection vary greatly. To help you grasp this issue at a high level, Forrester created a privacy heat map that denotes the degree of legal strictness across a range of nations.

Click on a country in the "Map View" or choose from a directory of countries in the "List View" to learn more about country-specific data protection and privacy regulations.

Interactive Data Protection Heat Map

Note: This interactive map provides information on national data protection laws that have either been enacted or are currently under consideration around the world. It does not address sectoral laws, local laws, criminal/civil code provisions, or constitutional provisions that may address data protection. It is intended for information only and is not an authoritative statement or summary of the actual laws in these countries, and it may not reflect all recent changes and legislative updates.

Read The Research

Interested in how Data Protection Regulations affect IT operations? Read Forrester's research on the significance of data protection regulations in the cloud:

Infrastructure-As-A-Service (IaaS) Clouds Are Local And So Are Their Implications
Know Where Your Cloud Is Before Deploying
by James Staten and Onica King

While IaaS clouds definitely deliver fast access to resources and can be an escape valve for rapid deployment of new applications that speed and dynamic scaling can come at substantial legal risks. I&O professionals should keep in mind that:

• Where your customers are determines what rules apply.
• Disparate regulatory environments complicate compliance management.
• Cross-border data flow further increases complexity.
• Some countries are a worse place to be than others.

As IaaS Cloud Adoption Goes Global, Tech Vendors Must Address Local Concerns
Infrastructure-As-A-Service Clouds Are Local, And So Are Their Implications
by Jennifer Belissent, Ph.D.

Local data protection requirements do have implications for cloud computing. But requirements are not always as onerous as claimed. Tech marketers must understand the implications of location, both for their own strategic decisions and to help educate potential customers as they inform their own decisions to move into the cloud, or not.

• At first blush, legislation restricts cross-border data flows . . .
• . . . but many perceive regulations as more restrictive than they actually are.
• Some countries have chosen more open data protection policies to enable outsourcing.
• Other countries without restrictions are considered worse homes for data.

View all Infrastructure & Operations research »