Charlton Trezevant 14 Aug, 2023
Share 
On October 29, 2024, GitHub, the leading Copilot-powered developer platform, launched GitHub Enterprise Cloud with data residency. This enables enterprises to choose precisely where their data is stored — starting with the EU and expanding globally. GitHub’s new solution addresses long-standing concerns for organizations operating under strict regulations, particularly in highly regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and industries managing sensitive intellectual property.
GitHub Enterprise Solutions
“Until now, GitHub offered its enterprise users two flavors: GitHub Enterprise Cloud (GHEC), fully managed and hosted in the US, and GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES), a self-service solution that enabled custom data hosting but also came with significant overhead and was always one step behind GHEC in terms of functionality,” Jesse Houwing, GitHub Trainer at Xebia, explains.
Jasper Gilhuis, Lead DevOps Consultant at Xebia, adds: “Our Managed GitHub Enterprise Server (MGHES) offering gave clients outside the US control over their data storage, as it allowed them to host their own GitHub servers. However, at its core, it was still a workaround to address the data residency challenge, albeit with significant benefits, like Xebia managing it for you.”
Why Data Residency Matters
GitHub Enterprise Cloud with data residency solves this challenge by allowing European enterprises to store their code and repository data in the EU, while enjoying the same features as US customers without the cost and complexity of custom solutions. Houwing adds: “Across industries, businesses (and legislators) are placing greater emphasis on where data is stored, driven by the need to protect privacy and intellectual property. The key advantage of GHEC with data residency is clear — protection. Companies just want to keep their most valuable data safe and close to home. As a by-product, it will support compliance.”
Xebia’s Partnership with GitHub
As a trusted partner of GitHub, Xebia was given early access to the new EU data residency environment, where it could test its own migration tools and those of GitHub to evaluate their performance.
Experts like Jasper Gilhuis, Jesse Houwing, and Rene van Osnabrugge worked closely with GitHub to run test migrations, providing valuable feedback that helped refine the tools and ensure seamless transitions. Gilhuis comments: “Whether you’re currently using GitLab, Atlassian Bitbucket, or other SCM tools, the migration is well supported by powerful tools like GitHub Enterprise Importer and GitHub Expert Services.” He continues: “The migration process follows the same general steps as other platform migrations. However, there are nuances to consider — particularly when setting up a GitHub instance in Europe.”
Houwing: “We successfully set up a GitHub data residency organization, migrating several complete GitHub Enterprise Cloud organizations from Xebia’s US-based GitHub instance to the EU data residency instance, and the process went very smoothly.”
Looking Ahead: Data Residency and the Future of GitHub Cloud
In GitHub’s recent news item (link: https://github.com/newsroom/press-releases/data-residency-in-the-eu), CEO Thomas Dohmke says: “The timing is crucial as organizations in the EU and across the world are racing to empower their software developers with AI at every step to get ahead and win in the global market. With the data residency feature of GitHub Enterprise Cloud, we will enable every organization in the EU with the data governance they need to embark on their AI transformation journey with our end-to-end, Copilot-powered developer platform. By doing so, we aim to accelerate digital transformation and economic growth in the EU and across the planet.”
As GitHub rolls out its data residency features to additional regions such as Australia, Asia, and Latin America, the platform is solidifying its position as the go-to cloud solution for global enterprises seeking protection, innovation, and compliance.
Ready to Make the Move?
Xebia has successfully helped US customers migrate their data to the GitHub platform for years, gaining valuable expertise. This experience makes us the ideal partner to assist your organization in transitioning to GitHub. Whether you’re migrating from another tool or moving data to a new location, Xebia’s global team of GitHub experts will ensure a secure, compliant, and seamless migration process.
Jesse is a passionate trainer and coach, helping teams improve their productivity and quality all while trying to keep work fun. He is a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) through Scrum.org, Microsoft Certified Trainer and GitHub Accredited Trainer.
Jesse regularly blogs and you'll find him on StackOverflow, he has received the Microsoft Community Contributor Award three years in a row and has been awarded the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award since 2015. He loves espresso and dark chocolate, travels a lot and takes photos everywhere he goes.
Jasper is an experienced ALM, DevOps, Continuous Delivery, and Agile Coach who is deeply passionate about process optimization and aiding individuals in achieving their goals. He excels at observing people and processes to provide tailored support and optimization strategies. Jasper finds inspiration in driven, passionate, empathetic individuals who demonstrate technical excellence. He enjoys a relaxed lifestyle, quality time with friends, and indulging in great food. His adventures with his dog not only enrich his understanding of himself but also deepen his appreciation of the world. He kickstarts his day with the energizing tune of "Everlong" by Foo Fighters, a perfect anthem for his driven and dynamic life.
As Global Consulting Director, Rene enables consultants to help organizations and leadership teams to build an engineering culture that allows them to build, deliver, and operate software in a secure and compliant way. With a focus on both the technical and cultural aspects of a company, Rene helps clients transform their work processes, operating model, and culture to become high-speed, innovative, and productive. Rene is passionate about learning new technologies and exploring the cultural and people aspects of companies. He believes that by focusing on both technical implementation and cultural development, we can drive our industry forward. He loves sharing his knowledge and insights at conferences and training events. As a frequently asked speaker at well-known industry events like GitHub Universe, NDC, Techorama, AllDayDevOps, NDC, and Visual Studio Live!, Rene is known for his expertise in Microsoft Azure, DevOps, and DevOps Culture. In addition to being a Microsoft MVP since 2012, he is also the founder of the popular community events Global DevOps Bootcamp and Global DevOps Experience.
