Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - AWS European Sovereign Cloud: A closer look (SEC216)

Summary

• Addy, a principal product manager, and Luis Wang, who leads the EC2 core product management team, discuss digital sovereignty and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.
• Digital sovereignty is a fragmented concept with no single definition, but generally involves data residency, operator access restrictions, resiliency and survivability, and operational autonomy.
• AWS has responded to these concerns with the AWS Digital Sovereignty Pledge, which includes fine-grained data location controls, verifiable control over data access, encryption options, and enhanced cloud resilience.
• AWS has launched several initiatives, such as the AWS KMS external key store, AWS Nitro system attestation, dedicated local zones, and AWS Control Tower enhancements.
• AWS European Sovereign Cloud is a new, independent infrastructure offering designed to meet the sovereign requirements of European customers, with the first region planned in Germany.
• The European Sovereign Cloud will be operated by EU residents and will offer enhanced data residency and operational autonomy.
• AWS partners with regulators, policymakers, and customers to ensure the European Sovereign Cloud meets current and future regulations.
• AWS provides a continuum of offerings to meet various sovereignty needs, including commercial regions, local zones, outposts, and the European Sovereign Cloud.
• AWS encourages customers to start building in the cloud now, leveraging existing skills and tools that will be compatible with the European Sovereign Cloud.

Insights

• The concept of digital sovereignty is becoming increasingly important for governments and organizations, particularly in Europe, due to geopolitical uncertainties and the desire to protect critical data and infrastructure.
• AWS's approach to digital sovereignty is comprehensive, offering a range of controls and features to meet the diverse needs of customers, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.
• The AWS European Sovereign Cloud is a significant development, reflecting AWS's commitment to meeting the specific regulatory and operational requirements of European entities.
• AWS's experience with GovCloud and secret regions in the U.S. has informed the development of the European Sovereign Cloud, suggesting a mature and tested approach to sovereign cloud solutions.
• The European Sovereign Cloud is designed to be separate from AWS's global infrastructure, with its own billing, usage, and IAM systems, ensuring enhanced data residency and operational autonomy.
• AWS's collaboration with European regulators and agencies like Germany's BSI indicates a proactive approach to compliance and regulatory alignment.
• The AWS European Sovereign Cloud is not just a technical offering but also a strategic move to unlock new markets and customers who have been hesitant to adopt cloud services due to sovereignty concerns.
• AWS emphasizes the importance of starting to build in the cloud immediately, highlighting the compatibility of skills and tools between AWS's commercial regions and the European Sovereign Cloud.