AWS Reports European Sovereign Cloud Independence Exercise
Summary
AWS says a 2026 exercise switched off the European Sovereign Cloud’s links to its global network and local operational-data system. Traffic rerouted over the public internet while workloads and customer access continued without reported service impact.
Key points
- AWS says the exercise ran for several hours on October 24, 2026, using only the cloud’s own software and hardware resources and EU-resident staff.
- The team switched off the AWS Global Network backbone and a local system for controlled operational-data transfers; traffic normally using the backbone rerouted over the public internet.
- AWS reports that workloads continued running and customers retained data access, with no service availability impact to the European Sovereign Cloud or other AWS Regions.
- AWS says the exercise produced technical and operational evidence for organizations seeking to demonstrate sovereignty and continuity to regulators and boards.
Article Details
- Event Type
- AWS conducted a public technical exercise demonstrating that the AWS European Sovereign Cloud could operate independently of infrastructure outside the European Union.
- Impact
- For several hours on October 24, 2026, AWS switched off the AWS Global Network backbone and a separate system used for controlled transfers of operational AWS data. Workloads continued running and customers retained access to their data; the exercise did not affect service availability in the AWS European Sovereign Cloud or other AWS Regions, or private connectivity through AWS Direct Connect. Traffic normally carried over the AWS Global Network backbone rerouted over the public internet. AWS reported that the exercise produced technical and operational evidence of independent operation within the EU.
People
Daniel KaradzaGenesys Senior Director, Partners and Alliances, EMEA Central and Benelux; commented on the exercise and customer confidence in moving sensitive workloads to the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.Emanuele BaldassarreAccenture Managing Director; commented on the AWS European Sovereign Cloud's operational independence and Accenture's role helping clients navigate sovereignty requirements.Fernando AlvarezCapgemini Chief Strategy and Development Officer and Group Executive Board Member; commented on the exercise's significance for European organizations and business continuity.Michael KollarAtos Group Digital Sovereignty Leader and Head of Cloud & Modern Infrastructure and Digital Workplace; commented on the exercise and its operational evidence for organizations pursuing greater sovereign control.Stefan HoechbauerA Managing Director of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud who, with the article's unnamed author, called for the operational independence exercise.
Vendors
AccentureAs an early collaborator with the AWS European Sovereign Cloud team before its launch, Accenture is uniquely positioned to help clients navigate sovereignty requirements and scale with greater confidence and control.” –Amazon Web ServicesOn Saturday, October 24, 2026 we conducted a successful exercise demonstrating that the AWS European Sovereign Cloud can operate without depending on any infrastructure outside the European Union (EU).Atossince the inception of the project, and as a Launch Partner of the AWS Digital Sovereignty Competency, Atos helps customers define their sovereignty roadmaps, adopt the appropriate graduated solutions, andCapgeminiCombined with Capgemini’s European heritage, presence and AWS capabilities, we can deliver a sovereign proposition in Europe, for Europe, by Europeans, enabling clients to accelerate secure and resilient cloud and AIGenesysRunning on the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, Genesys can help European organizations deliver exactly that, with their data and operations kept in the EU.
Products
AWS Direct ConnectThe exercise did not affect service availability within the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, other AWS Regions, or private connectivity through AWS Direct Connect.AWS European Sovereign CloudOn Saturday, October 24, 2026 we conducted a successful exercise demonstrating that the AWS European Sovereign Cloud can operate without depending on any infrastructure outside the European Union (EU).
Countries
Industries
Public SectorOrganizations in regulated industries and the public sector can take this result to regulators and their boards as evidence for their compliance and assurance documents.Regulated industriesOrganizations in regulated industries and the public sector can take this result to regulators and their boards as evidence for their compliance and assurance documents.