Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled plans to invest 7.8 billion euros ($8.5 billion) in establishing a "sovereign cloud" center in Germany.
This move comes amidst the European Union's (EU) efforts to enhance data protection by ensuring that European data remains on domestic servers.
Amazon Set to Establish EU Sovereign Cloud in Germany
The inaugural sovereign cloud complex will be established in the German state of Brandenburg and is expected to commence operations by the conclusion of 2025.
The AWS European Sovereign Cloud, designed for public sector organizations and customers in highly regulated industries, aims to provide additional options to meet unique sovereignty requirements. This initiative aligns with AWS's ethos of offering customers diverse choices and a familiar architecture.
One key feature of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud is its planned launch of the first AWS Region in Brandenburg by the end of 2025.
The AWS European Sovereign Cloud's cloud infrastructure will leverage AWS's full capabilities, encompassing a comprehensive suite of services such as databases, computing, storage, analytics, machine learning, AI, networking, mobile, developer tools, IoT, security, and enterprise applications.
Once the first region becomes operational, customers are expected to seamlessly transition applications from existing regions to the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.
Moreover, over 130,000 AWS partners within the AWS Partner Network will be able to deploy applications seamlessly on the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.
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The AWS Nitro System
The AWS Nitro System, renowned for its security and performance attributes, is central to the AWS European Sovereign Cloud's architecture.
According to Amazon, the Nitro System, validated by the NCC Group, offers robust safeguards to ensure that customer workloads and data remain inaccessible to unauthorized entities, including AWS personnel.
AWS's approach to cloud security is underscored by its commitment to data residency requirements, particularly within the EU. Customers seeking stringent operational autonomy and data residency can leverage AWS Dedicated Local Zones or AWS Outposts to deploy infrastructure within preferred locations.
AWS's extensive global footprint, comprising 33 regions worldwide, including eight within Europe, underscores its commitment to providing secure cloud solutions tailored to diverse customer needs.
By introducing the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, AWS aims to empower customers with additional options to address the EU's stringent isolation and in-country data residency requirements.
"High-performing, reliable, and secure infrastructure is the most important prerequisite for an increasingly digitalized economy and society. Brandenburg is making progress here. In recent years, we have set on a course to invest in modern and sustainable data center infrastructure in our state, strengthening Brandenburg as a business location," Brandenburg's Minister of Economic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Jörg Steinbach, said in a press release.
"State-of-the-art data centers for secure cloud computing are the basis for a strong digital economy. I am pleased Amazon Web Services (AWS) has chosen Brandenburg for a long-term investment in its cloud computing infrastructure for the AWS European Sovereign Cloud."
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