Amazon has announced that its AWS European Sovereign Cloud – an independent cloud infrastructure with all components located within the EU – is now generally available.

The AWS European Sovereign Cloud “provides comprehensive data residency assurances so you can meet the most stringent requirements,” says Sébastien Stormacq in a related article. “As with our existing AWS Regions around the world, all your content remains within the Region you select unless you choose otherwise.”

Key capabilities of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud include:

• European operational autonomy: It is physically and logically separated from other AWS Regions.
• Complete data residency: It provides customers with full control over where their data is stored.
• Leading technical and compliance controls: It is powered by the AWS Nitro System, which provides strong physical and logical security boundaries to enforce access restrictions.
• European governance: It will operate with an independent governance structure, including a parent company locally controlled in the EU, led by EU citizens, and subject to local laws.

The first AWS Region in the AWS European Sovereign Cloud is located in Brandenburg, Germany. “The infrastructure features multiple Availability Zones with redundant power and networking, designed to operate continuously even if connectivity with the rest of the world is interrupted,” Stormacq says.

AWS also announced plans to extend the AWS European Sovereign Cloud footprint to other EU regions, starting with AWS Local Zones in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

Learn more at AWS.