Vilamitjana (Cisco) places data management, autonomy and free choice as pillars of European sovereignty

Responsible for critical infrastructure in Europe both from the public and private sectors, repeatedly convey to their technology suppliers their concern about innovate without compromising security or trustas explained by Andreu Vilamitjana, general director of Cisco for Spain and Portugal, who places the data management, operational autonomy and free choicelike “pillars of European technological sovereignty”.

At a time when the adoption of artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies is advancing at an unprecedented speed, maintaining management and autonomy over the most sensitive data and digital systems has ceased to be a preference and has become a strategic requirement.

In statements to Europa Press, Vilamitjana explains that true sovereignty means “have the freedom to innovate, but with autonomy over data and technological infrastructure as a fundamental premise for companies and administrations” and explains that one of the most common errors in the debate on technological sovereignty is assuming that all organizations need the same thing.

From Cisco they explain that the reality is that Even within the same country and sector, needs vary significantly. Some organizations prioritize a infrastructure completely in own facilities and isolated from the network (the so-called ‘air-gapped’ environments), while others opt for agility and speed, relying on cloud services to innovate more quickly.

“This principle that there is no one-size-fits-all model is precisely what must guide any serious sovereignty strategy for critical infrastructure. Flexibility of choice is not a luxury, but a necessary condition so that strategic autonomy is real and operational”, continues the head of Cisco.

SOVEREIGNTY DOES NOT MEAN ISOLATION

Experts warn that the most successful strategies are not those that reject technology or global experience, but rather those that integrate them intelligently, respecting local needs, national regulatory frameworks and the expectations of each environment. Therefore, they urge Do not confuse sovereignty with technological autarky.

Cisco believes that this strategic autonomy is based on three pillars. The first is the control over data management: the ability to decide where they reside and who can access them, reinforced through deployments in own facilities or ‘air-gapped’ environments. The second is the operational autonomy: that the systems work without the need for internet connectivity or remote intervention, something critical in crisis, conflict or cyberattack scenarios.

The third consists of the independence from third parties: have legal use rights over the technology even in circumstances of extraordinary interruption, so that no outside decision – corporate or geopolitical – can leave the company or service operator without its data or infrastructure.

“The Trust, in this context, is the fundamental currencyand is only sustained when commitments are supported by real operational capabilities: systems that work within customer environments, within national or regional borders, and within applicable legal frameworks,” notes Vilamitjana.

A PORTFOLIO TO INNOVATE IN THE ERA OF AI

Precisely, this premise of alignment with the legal frameworks and regulations of the EU is one of the keys that define the Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio (SCI) Cisco for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), launched last April. SCI responds to organizations’ priorities to rapidly innovate in the age of AI, while maintaining greater control and autonomy over their data and digital infrastructure.

The portfolio covers the main ranges of Cisco solutionsincluding networking, security, computing, collaboration, network management, AI and Splunk. Customers can configure and operate it in their own physical environments ‘isolated’ from the network and in their own facilities (on-premise).

“But a sovereign infrastructure is not based solely on ‘hardware’ and ‘software’: it also requires specialized technical support that operates under the same rules of confidentiality and restricted access”, warn from Cisco, indicating that the National Centers for Critical Services (CNSC) of the company are already operating in several European countries, including Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy.

In this sense, Vilamitjana, points out that “Spain and Europe should not dedicate resources to building their technological infrastructure from scratch and alone” and concludes that “true sovereignty lies in the ability to integrate cutting-edge technologies with suppliers that share European values ​​and are committed to local development.”