Why European Businesses Are Choosing Self-Managed Identity Solutions

• Emerging European regulations are driving businesses to seek more resilient and flexible identity security solutions.
• Highly-regulated industries dealing with complex compliance demands need customizations that go beyond one-size-fits-all solutions.
• Self-managed systems like VIP Authentication Hub, give businesses greater control over data sovereignty to stay compliant with evolving regulations. 

As Europe’s digital ecosystem continues to evolve, businesses are facing a critical decision for their IT infrastructures: whether to adopt Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, rely on public cloud platforms or manage their own solutions hosted on private or hybrid cloud environments. Increasingly, more European-based organizations are favoring self-managed modern-architecture applications to meet their needs—especially when it comes to new regulatory trends and compliance demands.

A new wave of data sovereignty laws approaches 

Data sovereignty remains a cornerstone of European Union (EU) regulatory frameworks, reinforced by laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). But emerging trends point to even stricter requirements for infrastructure sovereignty.

Proposed regulations like the EU Data Act and EU Cybersecurity Act are calling businesses to gain greater control over where and how their data is stored and processed. Meanwhile, initiatives like GAIA-X—a European project aiming to establish a secure, federated cloud ecosystem—signal a shift toward European digital independence.

These changes may send your stress levels skyrocketing, but self-managed applications make it easier for your business to stay compliant by ensuring:

• Localized data storage
• Full control over encryption keys
• Transparent audit trails

Trusting your cloud services provider or SaaS vendor isn’t enough anymore—tightened regulations are increasingly pulling data closer, making localized control a must for compliance with privacy regulations.

Self-managed identity your way

Because these enterprises want more control and customization capabilities in their identity solutions, self-managed applications are coming out on top. Unlike SaaS solutions, which provide standardized environments, self-managed systems allow you to tailor your security to fit your business’ unique operations.  

A self-managed application offers unmatched control over IT infrastructures, allowing businesses to nimbly react to shifts in the market, regulations and customer demands. This level of agility and innovation is ideal for industries like financial services (FinServ), healthcare or manufacturing—where a one-size-fits-all won’t cut it. 

Symantec VIP Authentication Hub offers just that: a flexible, multi-tenant system optimized for self-hosted deployments with Kubernetes and microservices. 

How VIP Authentication Hub helps industries stay compliant  

Different industries face unique compliance requirements, making self-managed applications like VIP Authentication Hub a strong choice for businesses wanting to stay compliant. From financial services to healthcare and manufacturing, these sectors need systems that offer flexibility without sacrificing security. 

Financial Services (PSD2, Basel III, DORA)

As a highly regulated industry, FinServ has a lot to keep up with. For instance, Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) requires secure, real-time handling of sensitive customer data and Basel III mandates rigorous risk management. VIP Authentication Hub helps meet these complex demands (and more) by delivering tailored security measures and performance optimization.

Then there’s the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), a robust framework against ICT disruptions that calls for, risk management, resilience testing, incident reporting and third-party oversight.

With VIP Authentication Hub in your compliance corner, you’re getting help with that, such as:

• Full control over resilience testing and risk assessments
• Reduced dependency on third-party providers, minimizing supply chain risks
• Customizable tools for monitoring, reporting, and incident response

Healthcare (GDPR, EHR Directives)

With such sensitive data in their hands, healthcare providers must adhere to strict confidentiality and data retention laws, especially when managing electronic health records (EHRs). VIP Authentication Hub drives compliance with GDPR and other regional healthcare directives, by giving providers full control over sensitive patient data and securing EHR management .

Manufacturing (Export Controls, Supply Chain Security) 

For manufacturers, concerns around supply chain transparency and export controls don’t need to become a headache. With VIP Authentication Hub, manufacturers stay in control of security measures, keeping their intellectual property secure and auditable.

Public Sector (EU Cloud Strategy)

Governments and public institutions must prioritize data sovereignty and security at all times. By promoting the use of local infrastructure and secure, sovereign environments, VIP Authentication Hub aligns with EU directives and supports a cloud-native architecture for sovereign and private cloud environments. 

Future regulations

Europe’s regulatory landscape is shifting fast, with new laws and standards reshaping security, privacy and technological sovereignty. Well aware of a dynamic future ahead, VIP Authentication Hub prepares businesses to: 

• Adapt quickly to new requirements like the NIS2 Directive updates, which aim to improve critical infrastructure security, requiring robust critical management and incident reporting systems.
• Meet upcoming updates to the ePrivacy Regulation with comprehensive data tracking and analytics, tightening control over application level configurations. 

Backed by VIP Application Hub, your business stays compliant and ready for the next emerging regulation without relying on external providers to implement compliance measures.

Go beyond compliance

While SaaS and public cloud solutions often market themselves as cost-efficient, businesses with predictable or high workloads frequently find that self-managed systems offer better long-term ROI. Private clouds, in particular, eliminate unpredictable billing tied to data egress fees or rapid scaling, common in public cloud services—and that’s exactly where VIP Authentication Hub makes a difference.

Self-managed applications like VIP Authentication Hub outperform SaaS and public cloud solutions when hosted in private or hybrid clouds, as these environments provide: 

• Isolation from shared infrastructure. Unlike public clouds, private clouds eliminate multi-tenancy risks.
• Customizable security protocols. Tailor encryption, access controls and monitoring to your exact needs.
• Greater control over incident response. Respond to threats quickly without relying on third-party vendors.

Self-managed systems ensure businesses maintain high performance and resilience, particularly for mission-critical applications. Modern, private cloud infrastructures support:

• Geographic proximity. Deploy workloads closer to end-users, reducing latency.
• Hybrid cloud models. Balance local data control with the scalability of public cloud when needed.
• Advanced disaster recovery: Customize backup and failover strategies for maximum data resilience.

Opt out of compromise 

As regulatory frameworks evolve, organizations that prioritize control and customization will be better positioned to thrive in Europe’s competitive and highly regulated digital landscape. While SaaS and public cloud platforms might seem convenient, they come with trade-offs in security, compliance and cost predictability. That’s why more organizations are opting out of compromise—and choosing self-managed identity solutions like VIP Authentication Hub that give them control, flexibility and resilience.