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Salesforce has opened a new cloud platform for EU customers to process and store their customer relationship management data.

The Hyperforce EU Operating Zone framework builds on Salesforce’s Hyperforce platform architecture. It’s customized for companies operating with EU regulations, including those that require fine-grained control over where data is stored and processed, who can access it and how it is used.

SEE: The importance of data retention policies (TechRepublic)

Applications for the new service opened through Salesforce Customer 360 on March 2, 2023.

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What is the Hyperforce EU Operating Zone?

Hyperforce is a cloud platform introduced in 2020 to deliver Salesforce Customer 360 products and services on public clouds; the Hyperforce EU Operating Zone will provide a new geographically-based data sovereignty framework for the European Union that combines local support with Salesforce’s existing security and privacy products.

The launch of the Hyperforce EU Operating Zone is part of an ongoing global expansion of the Hyperforce platform. Hyperforce provides a portal in which customers can deploy Salesforce apps and services from a public cloud. Customers in 12 countries have access to it, with a planned rollout to four more locations throughout 2023.

The framework offers security and data storage services that aim to match EU data protection and reporting requirements. The Hyperforce EU Operating Zone includes zero-trust principles and encryption keys on top of Salesforce’s existing EU-compliant products.

Salesforce continues to adapt to data security requirements

Customer and technical assistance based in the EU will be available at all hours to support the program, Salesforce said. Data on customers can also be stored and processed locally, as required by some regulations such as GDPR, with three different availability zones based on data centers situated in the EU.

“Our strategy is focused on helping customers meet their business objectives while addressing their regulatory risk,” said Ed Britan, head of global privacy at Salesforce. “The Hyperforce EU Operating Zone provides an enhanced level of data residency commitment that means our customers can have the choice and control they need to keep their data within the EU.”

Under the GDPR, any organization that targets or collects data on people residing in the EU must follow certain privacy considerations. Data can only be used for the purpose for which it was collected and only for as long as it is required for that original purpose. As the GDPR applies to EU citizens regardless of where the company which processes the data is based, organizations like Salesforce are required to take these considerations in mind.

Twenty-three percent of customers surveyed by Salesforce in 2022 listed adhering to GDPR and other data regulation compliance as their No. 1 challenge. Salesforce CEO and Chair Marc Benioff has historically been in favor of GDPR and in 2018 called for a U.S. equivalent. While some states have enacted their own data privacy laws, this has not panned out on a federal level.

Advanced encryption options such as bring-your-own-key are offered on a separate service called Salesforce Shield.

The state of Salesforce

Salesforce posted fourth quarter 2022 revenue of $8.38 billion, up 14% year-over-year. Total fiscal 2023 revenue was $31.35 billion, an increase of 18% year over year.

“We closed FY23 with operating cash flow reaching $7.1 billion — up 19% year-over-year — the highest cash flow in our company’s history and one of the highest cash flows of any enterprise software company our size,” Benioff said in a press release.

In other Salesforce news, the company recently weighed in on artificial intelligence bias and added developer tools for Tableau integrations. Today’s customer relationship management services are also vying to find the best use for AI.