For a long time it was just speculation in the media - now Microsoft's Swiss cloud is a reality. The first two data centers in Zurich and Geneva have been put into operation. What does this mean for the use of 0ffice 365 and ahead?
For companies that are subject to strict regulations and were previously unable to benefit from an intranet-as-a-service such as ahead because the data could not be located abroad, the Microsoft data center opens up new possibilities. Until now, it was virtually impossible for these companies to be in the cloud, which meant that employees were restricted in where they could work. In future, however, it will be possible to operate ahead in the Swiss data center and thus guarantee that the data remains in Switzerland. Read more about the Microsoft cloud now.
For many Swiss companies, nothing will change for the time being. The majority of companies have not yet taken the plunge into the cloud. One reason for this is that for the Swiss, the cloud has always been associated with sending data abroad. However, the introduction of Swiss data centers has removed this hurdle. Nevertheless, the Swiss economy has shown courage with regard to the cloud. In the run-up to the launch date, 30 Swiss companies decided to migrate their applications to the Swiss Microsoft Cloud as "early adopters".
It is often specific obstacles such as regulations that make the path to the cloud seem impossible. Until now, the cloud has meant that Swiss companies have had to send their data abroad. It is precisely this step that many companies have feared. This fact is often cited as the main reason why Swiss companies have not yet decided to implement a cloud strategy. Microsoft has now addressed this fear with the introduction of the Swiss Data Center. Marianne Janik, CEO of Microsoft Switzerland, says: "For us, the Microsoft Cloud Data Centers are an investment in Switzerland - for Switzerland. In discussions with our customers, it has become very clear that local data storage is extremely important to them. We are very proud that we are now in a position to guarantee this." With local data storage, Microsoft is working to make it easier for Swiss companies to enter the cloud and remove the aforementioned hurdles. According to Primo Amrein, Cloud Lead at Microsoft Switzerland, data storage in Switzerland is even contractually guaranteed. An additional measure to create more trust in the cloud.
Industries that are subject to strict regulations often draw up additional security guidelines themselves. One example of this is the financial sector. In practice, said Marc Holitscher, National Technology Officer of Microsoft Switzerland, in an interview with isolutions, the cloud service provider and the customer must work together to find a solution to implement the given and self-imposed requirements.
In the financial sector, companies come into contact with highly sensitive data on a daily basis and therefore rely on the highest possible level of security when handling data. It is therefore all the more interesting that this sector in particular, which is subject to high regulatory requirements, has ventured into the cloud. Even before the go-live in Switzerland, early adopters migrated their data to the cloud - with the blessing of FINMA. Insurance company Helsana, for example, has already stored its customer data in the cloud. In a circular, FINMA stated that professional secrecy is not compromised by cloud services. The outsourcing of IT services to cloud providers is therefore permissible in principle. However, it is essential that the usual requirements (compliance) for data security are met.
For highly regulated industries, it is important that companies adhere to the defined security standards. Where the data is ultimately stored only plays a secondary role. These industries in particular now benefit enormously from geo-redundancy via the Zurich and Geneva cloud regions. In the event of a disaster, operational continuity can be ensured.
Marc Holitscher says: "We not only see the opportunities of the cloud, we also want to take responsibility. Trust is a core Swiss value and trust is deeply rooted in the way we protect, operate and develop our platform." For example, Microsoft does not pass on business customer data to advertising-supported services, nor is business customer data analyzed for marketing or advertising purposes. Marc Holitscher states: "The data belongs to our customers and we process it according to our customers' specifications. We also work closely with supervisory authorities - in Switzerland and worldwide - to address the legal requirements of various industries."
In principle, Us Cloud Act obliges all cloud providers to disclose customer data that is in their physical possession or under their control. However, the disclosure of this data is only provided for in the context of criminal investigations and requires a court order. According to the article by David Rosenthal - himself a lawyer at the renowned Zurich law firm Homburger - this regulation corresponds to the European "Cybercrime Convention", which has also applied to Switzerland since 2012. "Switzerland has implemented it more freely. Access to the cloud generally takes place without a court order," says Rosenthal in the recently published article.
In the case of criminal investigations, a judicial authority would also have access to the data in the company's own data center. The Cloud Act goes one step further here: data may only be accessed in the course of the provider's normal and legal business activities. This rules out the illegal procurement of electronic keys or intrusion into systems.
In a recently published article, Primo Amrein, Cloud Lead at Microsoft Switzerland, reveals what the future holds for the cloud in Switzerland. According to Primo Amrein, the next phase will initially see the further expansion of Azure services. The focus here is on Azure Kubernetes Services, Azure DB for MySQL and PostgreSQL. Azure Functions, Azure Red Hat Openshift and other services will be added later. In the next stage, SaaS services such as Power BI and Office 365 will follow. The expansion of Dynamics and Power Platform is already planned for 2020.
There is already a great deal of interest. Many companies are ready to migrate their data to the cloud. The question of the capacities of the Swiss Microsoft data centers is therefore an obvious one. Primo Amrein assures us that there will be no shortage of capacity in the future, as expansion steps are already planned. The first step will be to expand the two existing data centers. In addition, further data centers are already being planned in the greater Zurich area.