As customer demands for integrated security systems grow and markets shift toward a holistic digital approach, you may consider running your ARC in the cloud. The cloud promises the agility and performance you need—but can a cloud-native Alarm Management System (AMS) truly meet the stringent EN standards? Let’s explore how this modern approach can offer both scalability and compliance.
Can cloud hosting meet EN 50518 standards?
The short answer is yes—if configured properly, the cloud can meet EN 50518 requirements. Leading cloud providers operate data centers certified under recognized standards such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, and Tier 3/4, ensuring a secure hosting environment.
A compliant cloud solution should address several key factors:
- Secure location: Your chosen cloud provider must operate data centers that meet recognized security standards. This guarantees that the physical hosting environment satisfies the “secure location” requirement.
- Data integrity and redundancy: Adopting a multi-region or multi-Availability Zone setup ensures the redundancy needed to maintain data integrity and system availability. Most cloud solutions offer robust backup and disaster recovery options.
- Redundant and encrypted transmission: Implement redundant transmission channels (DP4-compliant) using a combination of dedicated connections and secure VPNs. Encrypt data in transit and at rest with industry-standard protocols and key management services.
- Control over security policies: While the cloud provider handles physical security, you retain control over data security. This enables you to ensure compliance with your internal policies and regulatory requirements.
According to BSIA guidance on cloud hosting externalization, your cloud-based solution must meet stringent security, availability, and performance standards. This means implementing robust security measures—such as strong encryption, effective identity and access management (IAM), and continuous monitoring. Your SLAs should define uptime, maintenance schedules, and incident response protocols to guarantee operational continuity and regulatory compliance. Additionally, you must address legal and data sovereignty considerations to ensure your AMS hosting complies with data protection laws and cross-border privacy requirements.
Use case: Amazon Web Services (AWS) Public Cloud
Amazon Web Services (AWS) Public Cloud is a scalable, on-demand platform offering infrastructure, platform, and software solutions. When implemented correctly, AWS provides a strong example of compliant AMS hosting:
Secure Location: AWS data centers are globally distributed and certified under standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, and Tier 3/4. This ensures the physical hosting environment meets the “secure location” mandate of EN 50518.
Data integrity & redundancy: Multi-AZ Deployments:
AWS supports multi-Availability Zone (AZ) deployments. Distributing your AMS across multiple AZs achieves the redundancy necessary for continuous operations, so if one AZ experiences an outage, another seamlessly takes over.
Backup and disaster recovery:
AWS offers automated backup solutions and disaster recovery strategies. You can configure regular snapshots and use services like Amazon RDS or AWS Backup to maintain data integrity and support rapid recovery.
Redundant & encrypted alarm transmission:
- Secure connections:
In combination with VPN failover, AWS Direct Connect creates redundant communication links that comply with DP4 requirements under EN 50136-1. This ensures redundant and secure alarm transmissions. - Encryption protocols:
AWS supports encryption in transit using TLS and at rest with services like AWS Key Management Service (KMS), protecting your AMS communications.
Control over security policies:
While AWS manages the physical security of its data centers, you retain control over the logical security of your AMS. This includes configuring network security groups and Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles and monitoring with AWS CloudTrail and GuardDuty to quickly identify breaches or compliance issues.
Compliance and monitoring tools:
AWS offers a suite of compliance and monitoring tools, such as AWS Config, AWS Security Hub, and Amazon CloudWatch, to continuously monitor your infrastructure’s compliance with internal and external standards. These tools are crucial for demonstrating that your setup meets EN 50518 requirements.
By leveraging these AWS capabilities, you can build a cloud-based AMS that meets EN 50518 requirements while delivering high availability, robust security, and scalability.
Fully-managed cloud-based AMS providers: The safe choice for expert implementation
Choosing a fully managed cloud-based AMS provider is a reliable option for ensuring compliance with EN 50518. Since cloud hosting is not the core expertise of most ARCs, fully managed providers offer an attractive solution. They handle the complexities of managing and securing your infrastructure—including continuous security updates, patch management, and compliance audits—so you can focus on your primary operations. With clear SLAs and robust DR and failover strategies, these providers minimize risks related to non-compliance, downtime, and data breaches, ensuring your alarm management system remains secure, compliant, and continuously monitored.
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