Security Concept of Microsoft Azure: Data copies, recovery, geo-distribution, GDPR and ISO compliance

Microsoft Azure follows a multi-layered security and resilience concept designed specifically for mission-critical and regulated workloads. This is a key reason why platforms like AIRdBASE operate on Azure.

1. Data and document copies (redundancy)

In Azure, data is never stored only once. Depending on configuration, multiple redundant copies are created automatically:

• Locally Redundant Storage (LRS) Multiple physical copies within a single data center
• Zone-Redundant Storage (ZRS) Synchronous replication across several independent availability zones within one region
• Geo-Redundant Storage (GRS / GZRS) Additional replication to a second, geographically separated region (e.g. West Europe ↔ North Europe)

Benefit:

Hardware failures, power outages, fires, or even the loss of an entire data center do not lead to data loss.

2. Backup and recovery (disaster recovery)

Azure clearly separates productive operation from recoverability:

• Automated backups with defined retention policies
• Versioning of data and documents
• Point-in-time recovery for databases
• Backups stored in logically and physically separate locations
• Failover and recovery using secondary regions

Objective:

Business continuity and rapid service restoration, even in severe incident scenarios.

3. Distribution across multiple data centers

Azure uses a region and availability zone model:

• Each region consists of multiple physically separated data centers
• Independent power supply, cooling, and network infrastructure
• Automatic failover mechanisms

For European customers, this enables:

• Data processing within the EU
• Clear control over data residency and location

4. Data protection and GDPR (GDPR compliance)

Azure supports full compliance with the GDPR:

• Data Processing Agreement (DPA) according to Art. 28 GDPR
• Data processing in clearly defined regions (e.g. EU regions)
• Encryption:
  • At rest (stored data)
  • In transit (data transmission)
• Strict access control and logging
• Support for:
  • Right of access
  • Deletion concepts
  • Data minimization

Microsoft acts as the data processor, while AIRdBASE acts as the data controller towards its customers.

5. ISO certifications and compliance frameworks

Azure is certified against a wide range of international standards, including:

• ISO/IEC 27001 – Information Security Management
• ISO/IEC 27017 – Cloud security controls
• ISO/IEC 27018 – Protection of personal data in the cloud
• ISO 22301 – Business Continuity Management
• SOC 1 / SOC 2 / SOC 3

These certifications are regularly audited by independent third parties.

6. What this means for AIRdBASE and its customers

The Azure security model enables AIRdBASE to provide:

• No uncontrolled local file copies
• No unmanaged document duplication
• Centralized, versioned, and auditable data storage
• High availability across regions
• A robust foundation for:
  • Digital Product Passports
  • Smart IDs
  • Collaboration with external service providers
  • Regulatory and audit requirements

Conclusion

Microsoft Azure combines technical redundancy, organizational security processes, and formal certifications into a cloud infrastructure built for high availability and regulatory compliance.

For AIRdBASE, Azure is not just hosting infrastructure—it is a core pillar for security, resilience, and long-term regulatory readiness.