HDS Data Center: V2.0-certified health data hosting
An HDS data center holds the certification required to host health data. In France, the Health Data Host (HDS) certification governs the hosting of such data on behalf of a third party. Among our certifications, our HDS version 2.0 certificate covers our two sites in the Yvelines. It covers the first activity of the standard: physical infrastructure hosting.
What does our HDS V2.0 certificate
cover for your project?
An HDS certificate specifies the host's responsibilities, the sites concerned and its period of validity. Here is what ours states.
The first activity of the standard concerns physical sites, making them available and keeping them operational. It covers the buildings, power, cooling, access control and network connectivity. On this foundation, your partners then install their servers and their services. The certificate lists our two data centers in Île-de-France.
Our HDS certificate is built on our ISO 27001 certification. Its validity follows that of ISO 27001, with an identical scope.
Six HDS activities: who certifies each layer of your project?
The HDS standard splits hosting into six activities. A healthcare project often involves several providers. Each one must hold the certification matching the activities it carries out on behalf of a third party.
A dedicated room or a rack in an HDS data center meets the physical site requirement. Then check the certification of each provider for the remaining layers.
HDS V2 standard: what changes for your health data?
The order of 26 April 2024 approves version 2.0 of the HDS standard. The Journal officiel published it on 16 May 2024. Since 16 November 2024, it has applied to every certification or renewal application. Three changes carry weight when choosing an HDS data center.
- Location: the physical hosting of health data takes place exclusively within the European Economic Area (EEA).
- Transparency: the host informs its clients of any transfers or access from a third country, then makes this information public.
- Security: the standard aligns with the ISO/IEC 27001 standard in its 2022 version.
Our two sites are located in the Yvelines: the data hosted there remains in France, within the EEA. Our sovereign data center page explains what is at stake with extraterritorial laws.
How do you check an HDS host before signing?
A logo displayed on a website is not enough. Five quick checks limit unpleasant surprises.
- Consult the list of certified hosts published by the Agence du numérique en santé (ANS) to find the host there.
- Compare the activities listed on the certificate with the services set out in your contract.
- Read through the appendix to the certificate: it details the sites included, address by address.
- Check that the certification body is accredited by COFRAC, as well as the reference to version 2.0.
- Ask for the associated ISO 27001 certificate, then check its validity date.
HDS, ISO 27001, Tier IV: what guarantees for your health data?
These standards complement each other, as each one answers a distinct question.
For the service continuity of your healthcare applications, see our tier 4 data center page.
We make our HDS V2.0 certificate and its appendix freely available for download. Does your project involve health data? Our teams will work with you to define an offer tailored to the physical site: contact us.
See also: Tier 4 data center · Sovereign data center · Secure data center: ISO 27001, ISO 50001, PCI DSS
Frequently asked questions about HDS certification
Find the answers to the most common questions about HDS certification, its scope and what our certificate covers.
What is HDS certification?
This certification is mandatory in order to host personal health data on behalf of a third party. Article L.1111-8 of the French Public Health Code governs it. An accredited body grants it for one or more of the six activities set out in the standard.
What is an HDS server?
This expression refers to a server hosted and operated by providers that are HDS certified for the activities concerned. Certification applies to a host and its activities, not to an individual machine.
Do health data have to be hosted in France?
The HDS V2 standard requires physical hosting within the European Economic Area, without restricting it to France. At Thésée Datacenter, the two sites covered are located in the Yvelines.
Is an HDS data center enough for a healthcare application?
No. Our certificate covers the first activity: the physical site. Servers, virtualization, operations and backup depend on providers certified for those activities when they act on behalf of a third party.
How long is Thésée Datacenter's HDS certificate valid?
Certificate no. 40648-1 is valid from 27 October 2025 to 1 March 2027. This validity depends on maintaining the ISO 27001 certification for the same scope.