Data Under Russian Control

From Files to Objects

Russia has developed a new hardware-software complex (HSC) for high-speed data storage. The solution is a fully domestic platform built to support modern corporate and government IT infrastructures that require high-performance information storage. The system was developed by Rostec in cooperation with IT partner Iridium JSC and the enterprise Multillect, a joint venture between Rostec and the T1 IT holding.

The HSC is positioned as a practical alternative to foreign storage systems and stands out for its architectural flexibility. It supports both traditional file-based storage with integration into server environments and virtualization platforms, as well as object storage architectures designed for large volumes of unstructured data. This versatility enables deployment across a wide range of use cases – from managing virtualized environments to real-time analytics and cloud platform workloads. Stress testing has confirmed stable, high performance across multiple modes, including support for iSCSI protocols for distributed storage systems and S3 compatibility for integration with object-based cloud services.

A key advantage of the platform is its compatibility with existing components of Russia’s IT ecosystem, including the distributed storage system Shtorm and MLT-S server hardware. All software components are listed in the registry of the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, while the hardware is included in the registry of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, ensuring compliance with national requirements for technological and information security.

Data Centers Move Closer to the Factory Floor

In recent years, demand for computing capacity in Russia has been steadily increasing. The primary driver is the large-scale adoption of artificial intelligence, big data analytics, biometric systems, and other advanced technologies across industrial production.

Russia’s cloud solutions market is relatively young and highly competitive. Despite the exit of foreign vendors and increased government oversight in information security, the market is growing at more than 30 percent per year, overcoming challenges in real time and turning them into competitive advantages

Alexander Obukhov

Product Director, Rostelecom-Data Centers

Meanwhile, edge computing is gaining momentum – processing data closer to where it is generated. This approach is particularly critical for sectors where latency is a determining factor, including manufacturing, transportation, energy, and telecommunications. As a result, smaller regional data centers are emerging across the country, complementing large federal facilities and easing the load on centralized infrastructure.

A Digital Shield for the State

Government policy has become the main catalyst behind this expansion. Russia’s “Digital Economy” program actively supports the development of modern IT infrastructure, including cloud platforms and specialized data centers. The public sector has emerged as a key customer – in 2024, government projects accounted for roughly 50 percent of total revenue from data center construction. Large-scale initiatives are underway for agencies such as Rosatom, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Tax Service, and the Ministry of Natural Resources. Particular emphasis is placed on building dedicated departmental data centers that align with national priorities in information security and technological sovereignty.

By 2023, a clear group of market leaders had formed in Russia’s IaaS and PaaS segments: Rostelecom-Data Centers, Cloud.ru, and Yandex Cloud. Together, these providers account for nearly 70 percent of the PaaS market and more than 50 percent of IaaS, reflecting both high market concentration and a maturing industry.

According to analytics firm iKS-Consulting, rack capacity grew by 20.7 percent in 2023 and more than 17 percent in 2024, with a further 11.6 percent increase projected for 2025. Experts expect Russia’s data center market to expand by more than 10 percent annually through 2028. This trajectory reinforces the sector’s role as a foundation of the digital economy and a strategic component of national IT sovereignty.

Sovereignty, Packaged in a Server Rack

Against this backdrop, Rostec’s hardware-software complex has broad application potential. It can be deployed at critical infrastructure facilities in energy, transportation, healthcare, as well as in banking and telecommunications. Thanks to its compatibility with domestic cloud and virtualization platforms, the system is positioned to become a core building block of future “Russian data centers” that operate independently of foreign hardware and software.

The project also carries notable export potential. If performance benchmarks remain competitive, the Russian storage solution could attract demand in CIS and BRICS countries, where similar trends toward IT import substitution are accelerating. In this context, the HSC represents not only a technological breakthrough but also a concrete step toward strengthening technological sovereignty and building a resilient national digital ecosystem.