Amazon Web Services opens Swiss cloud region: AWS Europe (Zurich)
SMEs, start-ups and entrepreneurs are targeted; AWS complements Swiss cloud offerings with a wide range of services: data center, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) and application development and management. The data centers are now on Swiss soil, and the data located in Switzerland.
AWS already has 10,000 customers in Switzerland, and plans to invest $5.9 billion between now and 2036 in data center construction, operational expenditure on utilities and facility costs, and the purchase of goods and services from regional companies. The economic impact would be significant: according to AWS Europe (Zurich), 2,500 jobs a year would be created during this period. Two offices are currently open: Zurich (2016) and Geneva (2017).
Encouraging entrepreneurship
AWS aims to support SMEs and help startups grow by offering comprehensive programs, including interviews with AWS experts, online training and access to service credits of up to $100,000. AWS also works with venture capitalists, start-up gas pedals and incubators to help young entrepreneurs grow in the cloud.
Local training and skills in the cloud
AWS continues to invest in developing local developers, students and the next generation of IT managers in Switzerland through training programs to start or develop a career in the cloud.
32 Swiss institutions have taken part in the AWS Academy program, and several universities are already offering these courses as part of their curricula. AWS is also reaching out to people who are unemployed or have no technical experience, with programs that prepare them for careers in cloud computing and put them in touch with potential employers.
AWS has partnered with the ICT Berufsbildung Schweiz association for several years to provide professional training for Swiss workers. In 2020, AWS supported the ICT Berufsbildung Schweiz association in its efforts to overhaul the national IT curriculum by helping to develop new cloud modules that are taught to every Swiss IT apprentice, 3,000 a year from 2021.
The aim is to enable the development of local technical skills to help Swiss organizations create tailored cloud applications and services, powered of course by the AWS cloud. The new jobs include technical experts, solution architects, technical account managers, partner managers, systems engineers and pro service experts.
Commitment to sustainable development
Amazon is committed to becoming a more sustainable company and achieving a net zero carbon footprint in all its operations by 2040, as part of The Climate Pledge initiative. According to the release, Amazon is on track to power its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025, five years ahead of the original 2030 target. Amazon is said to be the world's largest purchaser of renewable energy; by the end of 2021, the company had achieved 85% renewable energy across its operations. Compared with the IT resources of an average European company, the AWS infrastructure would be up to five times more energy-efficient.
To sum up:
- AWS Switzerland now allows you to be hosted in Switzerland;
- 5.9 billion expected investment by 2036;
- 2,500 jobs to be created per year during the investment period ;
- 2 offices in Switzerland: Zurich and Geneva;
- A support program for SMEs and start-ups: coaching, training and loans of up to $100,000;
- Training programs in cloud skills development for students, career changers and IT apprentices.
AWS Switzerland's services and programs offer advantages for the Swiss digital economy and for the development of cloud skills. It would be perilous to ignore this American hyperscaler.
AWS, and the digital sector in general, must now respond to environmental challenges. Although AWS is very attentive to this issue, and committed to ambitious goals in favor of sustainable development, the question of digital sobriety arises.
What is the cloud adoption rate in Switzerland?
In a study published in July 2022 by ISG Research, increased digitization, coupled with the need for security, regulatory compliance and the ability to innovate quickly were identified as the main reasons why cloud adoption in Switzerland is experiencing unprecedented growth.
This growth is being driven by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are striving to improve employee productivity and keep pace with changing demands. The SME segment accounts for 99% of companies and over two-thirds of jobs in Switzerland.
Cloud adoption is high in key Swiss industries - such as financial services, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, media and manufacturing - where companies are working with a combination of cloud providers and partners to outsource their IT services and infrastructure.
Swiss companies cited access to advanced technologies, such as automation and machine learning (ML), as well as competitive service prices and energy-efficient data centers as important criteria in their cloud service purchasing decisions. In addition, security remains a top priority for Swiss companies, who focus on compliance, local data residency and comprehensive security solutions when moving to the cloud.