Sovereignty and SaaS-based Observability

Why Sovereignty and Observability are becoming inseparable

Digital transformation is no longer a project: it is now a constant reality that has profoundly changed the way companies design, deploy and operate their information systems. IT systems are evolving in an environment where infrastructures are hybrid, applications are distributed, threats are more sophisticated and regulatory requirements are stricter. This evolution is accompanied by a dual imperative that has become strategic: preserving data sovereignty and maintaining complete observability of complex IT environments.

SaaS has established itself as an essential model for accelerating software implementation, reducing operating costs and simplifying tool management. But for European organizations the question is no longer just “which tool to choose?” but “what are the risks of using this software?” or “under what conditions are data processed, stored and protected?” .

This article explores why sovereignty and observability when using SaaS must now be considered together and how ServicePilot addresses this complex equation to maintain control of the IT environment.

Sovereignty, a strategic challenge that goes far beyond GDPR

In a world where cyber threats are multiplying and software supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, companies must ensure that their observability data, which is often critical, remains protected, accessible and usable in all circumstances.

Digital sovereignty is often reduced to data localization. In reality, it encompasses a much broader set of requirements.

Regulatory compliance: an ever-changing landscape

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was a first milestone, applicable to all organizations processing personal data in the European Union, enabling stakeholders to be held accountable for the protection of the Information Systems, data and individual rights.

Several regulations now reinforce these obligations:

• Network and Information Security 2 (NIS2), applicable to companies in 18 essential and important sectors (energy, health, water, transport, etc.) with increased obligations to strengthen cybersecurity and harmonize European practices.
• Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) applies to all European financial players and critical ICT providers (banks, insurance companies, fin-tech, etc.) with digital operational resilience requirements.
• French directives and regulations: healthcare (HDS - Health Data Host and PGSSI-S - General Health IT Security Policy), defense (IGI No. 1300/SGDSN/PSE/PSD - protection of national defense secrets and LPM - Military Programming Law), local authorities (RGS - General Security Reference Framework), etc.
• Other regulations will come into force in the near future in Europe, such as Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, more commonly known as the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

These regulatory compliance requirements impose clear governance and total control over data, from storage to processing, including auditability.

Reducing technological dependencies

Sovereignty also means the ability to limit dependencies with actors subject to extraterritorial legislation (Cloud Act, FISA 702, EAR, OFAC, FCPA…).

For European companies, this means favoring solutions that are:

• Hosted in Europe
• Operated by European actors
• Independent of non-European capital
• Not subject to foreign laws that may impose access to data

Control over the data processing chain

Observability data is among the most sensitive data types in the IT system. It may contain:

• Internal structure of the information system
• Application flows and queries
• User behavior
• Security incidents
• Potential vulnerabilities
• Passwords for accessing monitored resources

Losing control over this data is tantamount to exposing the very heart of the organization.

Observability: The key to understanding and controlling distributed IT

Observability has become essential for controlling increasingly complex, dynamic and fragmented environments.

Today, a typical IT system combines public cloud, private cloud, containers, microservices, databases, legacy environments, multi-site networks, multiple layers of security, SaaS and on-premise applications, connected objects, etc.

Without observability (Metrics + Traces + Logs), it is impossible to understand what is really happening. It provides complete visibility to reduce risk and enables you to:

• Identify anomalies before they impact users
• Correlate events to speed up diagnosis
• Detect suspicious behavior
• Improve application performance
• Strengthen operational security

It is a pillar of digital resilience.

SaaS-based observability provides:

• Fast implementation
• Simplified maintenance
• Continuous updates
• Immediate scalability
• Reduced operating costs

But it also comes with one requirement: trust in the provider.

The challenge: Reconciling SaaS observability and sovereignty

At first glance, SaaS and sovereignty seem contradictory. SaaS involves outsourcing, sharing and automation. Sovereignty implies control, mastery and transparency. However, organizations today demand:

• Sovereign SaaS, hosted in Europe, compliant with local regulations
• Total control of observability data, with no transfer outside the EU
• Transparency of flows, processing and security mechanisms
• The ability to integrate sensitive environments (defense, healthcare, finance, local authorities...)

The real challenge is therefore to offer modern, high-performance, automated observability while guaranteeing a sovereign and controlled framework.

How ServicePilot SaaS meets this challenge

ServicePilot SaaS is positioned precisely at the intersection of these two requirements.

✔️ A sovereign SaaS platform
Hosting in France or Europe.
GDPR compliance and sector requirements with independence from extraterritorial injunctions.
Observability data stored and processed within a strictly European framework.
Architecture and processes designed to avoid any uncontrolled transfer.

✔️ Unified observability
Centralized collection of logs, metrics, traces and events.
Network, application, cloud and security monitoring in a single interface.
Intelligent correlation and advanced alerting to accelerate incident detection and resolution.

✔️ Architecture designed for security
Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
Isolation of customer environments.
Granular and auditable access controls.
Zero Trust architecture.

✔️ A high-performance solution adapted to hybrid environments
Lightweight agents and multi-technology packages.
Compatibility with cloud, on-premise, containers, virtualization and IoT.
Rapid deployment without operational complexity.

SaaS Observability + Sovereignty = Competitive advantage

Sovereignty is not only a constraint, it is now also an accelerator of digital transformation and a lever for performance. Organizations that adopt sovereign observability gain:

• Increased trust from customers, partners and authorities
• Reduced legal and operational risks
• Greater resilience to cyber threats
• Ability to modernize IT systems without compromising compliance
• Strategic control over critical data

In a world where IT infrastructure is becoming more complex, cyber attacks more frequent and regulatory requirements more stringent, companies can no longer choose between performance and compliance. They need SaaS that guarantees visibility, security and sovereignty.

Sovereign observability is not a trend: It is an essential pillar for building a modern, reliable and resilient IT system. And that is precisely the mission that ServicePilot has set itself.