When migrating business systems to the cloud, one critical aspect to consider is where your SaaS provider hosts your data. Entrusting your sensitive business information to a third-party vendor means trusting them to keep it safe. That's why it's important to investigate your provider's hosting locations-even more so if you're constrained by compliance regulations.
How Data Is Stored in the Cloud
When it comes to data storage, cloud is a bit of a misnomer. Cloud solutions still run on physical servers. However, unlike on-premises solutions where these servers are hosted in your company's basement, cloud servers are located in large data centers distributed around the world. Various companies, such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, provide access to server space in their extensive data centers, which are spread across multiple locations. These data center locations can be organized into clusters, such as "Switzerland North," which includes data centers in Zurich, Winterthur, and Schaffhausen. Having multiple clusters within a single country allows solutions to be installed in clusters close to where they will be used. This proximity is critical for time-sensitive applications and provides an additional layer of security with backup clusters.
The Importance of Location for Data Privacy
The country in which the service is operated determines the applicable privacy laws. For Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the privacy laws of those countries apply. In Germany, German law and the European Union's General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) apply. For some organizations, especially those in the government or financial services sectors, the location of hosting is important, as they may need to comply with strict regulations or prefer to host the solution in their country for other reasons.
The Importance of Location for Performance
Data flows are also subject to the laws of nature and must overcome physical distances. Latency defines the time between when a signal is sent and when it is received. For time-critical applications such as stock trading, where things happen in milliseconds, kilometers can make the difference between a transaction happening on time or not.
Luware Nimbus Stores Data on the Microsoft Azure Cloud
Luware Nimbus doesn't store or handle extensive customer data. Media streams are kept within the customer's Teams tenant, meaning that Luware Nimbus merely directs Teams to call management without receiving the content. However, certain details such as caller phone numbers for CRM or IVR queries, as well as employee data and performance reports may be stored for up to 30 days if users choose to save the conversation context. Luware chose to host its Contact Center as a Service solution, Luware Nimbus, on Microsoft Azure, due to the service’s outstanding security, resiliency, and connectivity practices. It uses clusters in Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Recently, an additional cluster was added in both Germany and Switzerland to ensure optimal load distribution and availability.
FAQ
Which cluster should I choose?
If your organization is based in Switzerland, Germany or the UK, it is most logical to pick the corresponding cluster. If your organization is based in the European Union, we recommend the German cluster. If your organization is neither of the above, we recommend you pick the location that is physically the closest and applies best to the local data privacy regulations.
When do I have to decide which cluster (Switzerland, Germany, UK) I want to run my Luware Nimbus on?
This decision is offered during the first installation of Luware Nimbus into your tenant. If you’re working with one of our integration partners, they can help you with this decision. If you have one of our guided onboarding packages, then your Luware Customer Success Specialist will help you during the installation.
I am currently on the Swiss or German cluster – can I move to the UK cluster?
No, unfortunately this is not possible. We cannot move existing installations to another cluster.
I am a partner and I have customers from different countries. Which cluster should I use?
During the first service provisioning, you will be able to see all our clusters. You can pick the one you want for this installation. As a partner, if you have customers across different clusters, you will be able to switch clusters on the Luware Nimbus Admin Portal.
Why did Luware add additional Clusters in Germany and Switzerland?
We constantly strive to improve our product. In 2024, we will introduce various new options such as Multi Tenancy. Meanwhile, the call volume in Germany and Switzerland has grown significantly in 2023. To be able to offer you the usual high quality of Luware Nimbus in the future, we added the additional cluster in those regions.
What is the impact of adding new clusters in Germany or Switzerland?
The new cluster in Germany and Switzerland will be used to onboard new customers from these regions in the future. This should not affect current customers in Germany. Swiss customers who were onboarded before the new cluster was available (in March 2024) should update their URLs if needed. You can see a checklist in our Knowledge Base.
Where can I get additional information about Data security in Luware Nimbus?
To learn more about how data security is relevant for Luware Nimbus, you can check out our Security White paper.