A new data era begins – and mandatory cloud adoption becomes a strategic question

What is the Data Act?

The Data Act (Regulation (EU) 2023/2854) is a key element of the European data strategy. Its goal: to make industrial data more accessible for companies, ensure portability, and reduce dependence on individual cloud providers (vendor lock-in).

The Data Act obliges cloud providers to, among other things:

• Provide interoperable formats and interfaces

• Enable a cloud exit without artificial barriers

• Strengthen the rights of data users

The regulation will come into effect gradually from September 2025, with transition periods for complex technical adjustments.

Cloud Exit: Expectation vs. Reality

The idea sounds simple: a company should be able to transfer its data from one cloud provider to another – or back to its own infrastructure – without difficulty. In practice, however, it is a major project. Three key challenges:

1. Data portability and interoperability
   Different database technologies, proprietary APIs, and incompatible formats complicate the migration – especially for transaction-heavy systems.

2. Data security and compliance
   During migration, the integrity of sensitive data – e.g., personal data or quality-critical production data – must always be ensured.

3. Audit-proof archiving
   Deleted or inaccessible database content not only threatens productivity but also product liability, documentation requirements, and auditability.

CHRONOS as a Strategic Tool for Cloud Exit

CHRONOS is more than just an archive. It is a system-independent middleware for long-term archiving that prepares companies specifically for the cloud exit – while providing lasting added value.

CHRONOS supports companies concretely by:

• Vendor-independent data archiving
  Production and quality data from databases are archived in open, standardized formats – regardless of the original system or cloud provider.

• Audit compliance and long-term availability
  Archived data meets applicable regulations (e.g., GoBD, GDPR, product liability) and remains structured and traceable.

• Migration as a structured process
  Data selection, conversion, validation, and documentation enable a controlled, legally compliant transition – without operational risks.

Practical Example: Cloud Exit at a Machinery Manufacturer

A mid-sized manufacturing company had used cloud-based services to manage its production database for years. When re-tendering its IT infrastructure, a provider change became necessary – along with the challenge of migrating hundreds of millions of records securely, without compliance risks or production downtime.

The solution: CHRONOS.

The company used CHRONOS to:

• Selectively archive inactive database content

• Harmonize current data formats

• Create an audit-proof data foundation for traceability and product liability

The result: The migration succeeded without data loss. Archiving costs decreased significantly – and the company is now more cloud-flexible and future-ready.

Data Sovereignty Starts with Strategy – and a Strong Partner

The Data Act is not just an IT issue. It affects value creation, innovation, and legal security. Companies that act now can not only master the cloud exit but also actively leverage new opportunities in the data economy.

CHRONOS is the key to data independence. As a proven solution for:

• Secure decommissioning of legacy systems

• Compliant archiving of production-relevant database content

• Strategic protection of your IT architecture

… CHRONOS provides not only technological security but real entrepreneurial freedom.

Want to know how CHRONOS can secure your cloud strategy?

Book your free initial consultation now and discover how to archive your data independently of systems, securely, and future-proof.

Schedule your appointment now