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Microsoft Office 365 is now available for all organizations from Switzerland and Liechtenstein from the Swiss cloud datacenter regions. As part of Office 365, the collaboration platform Teams from the Swiss datacenter regions with local customer data storage is also available with immediate effect.
Microsoft Office 365 is generally available from the Microsoft cloud datacenter regions in Switzerland with local customer data storage for security and control as well as geo-redundancy within Switzerland for increased operational security. Organizations from the Principality of Liechtenstein are also able to obtain Office 365 from the Swiss datacenter regions. The first customers of Office 365 from the Swiss datacenter regions include Alpiq, Wincasa, WWF Switzerland and the City of Zug.
Shift in mindset towards cloud solutions noticeable in the Swiss market
Primo Amrein, Cloud Lead of Microsoft Switzerland, is very satisfied with the launch of the Microsoft Cloud in Switzerland: «We are very pleased about the strong demand for the Microsoft Cloud in Switzerland. Since its launch 100 days ago, we have been able to migrate more than 150 large Swiss companies, SMEs and start-ups from all industries and public sector organizations to our cloud datacenter regions.» Primo Amrein perceives a clear shift in mindset when it comes to the use of cloud solutions: «For most companies and organizations, the question is no longer whether they use the cloud. Instead, companies are looking at how they can use the cloud to increase their efficiency, productivity, agility, security and to drive innovation. That’s why I’m convinced that the availability of Office 365 from the Swiss datacenter regions comes at just the right time for many Swiss companies and organizations.»
Teams also available with local data storage
In addition to Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business, Microsoft Teams, the communication and collaboration solution, is also available as part of the Microsoft cloud services delivered from Switzerland with local customer data storage. Also available is Teams for Education with local customer data storage, which meets the needs of the Swiss education system, from classroom notebooks to video conferencing to collaborative work on documents.
Strong demand for the Microsoft Cloud in Switzerland
Microsoft Azure from the Swiss regions are used by over 150 organizations in Switzerland after the first 100 days. The range of Azure services has been continuously expanded as planned since launch at the end of August. At the same time, the Swiss datacenter locations received important certifications, including C5, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3 and CSA Star. After an Early Adopter phase with a managed process to enable access («Switzerland first»), Microsoft Azure in Switzerland will be generally available to all organizations from the Switzerland North region in the coming weeks.
Zurich Insurance Group also uses Microsoft data centers in Switzerland
In addition to UBS, Swiss Re and die Mobiliar, Zurich Insurance Group is also using Azure services from the Swiss regions. Daniel Aepli, Strategic IT Asset Manager, Enterprise Transformation of Zurich Insurance Group, says: “Our industry is undergoing profound change. We are embracing a customer-led technology-enabled transformation that will redefine how we create value for our customers, shareholders, employees and society in general.” Simplifying the business is one of the company’s strategic goals. “Many processes are now being digitized and made available to employees and customers through easy-to-use tools”, says Daniel Aepli. “Thanks to the use of cloud technology, we are able to develop and provide tools very quickly and flexibly.” Zurich has recently moved an internal application to the Microsoft data centers in Switzerland. Daniel Aepli: “Of course, security and data protection are our top priorities. The storage of confidential data exclusively within national borders complements our worldwide use of the Microsoft Cloud very well.”
Swiss organizations of all sizes modernize their workplace
Swiss organizations of all sizes across all industries are currently investing in the new way of working and empowering their employees with modern working tools that enable secure, flexible and mobile working and foster collaboration. That is why Office 365 from the Microsoft cloud in Switzerland is enjoying very strong demand, especially with the new opportunity to store customer data at rest locally within national borders. The first customers in the Swiss data centers include Alpiq, Wincasa, WWF Switzerland and the City of Zug.
Alpiq
Alpiq offers comprehensive and efficient services in the fields of energy production and marketing as well as energy optimization and electromobility throughout Europe. Dietmar Bettio, Head Group IT at Alpiq, says: «Alpiq is committed to transparent and responsible corporate governance. As an operator of critical infrastructure in Switzerland, the security of our IT and the protection of our data are of course absolutely central to us. By using the Microsoft data centers in Switzerland with customer data storage within national borders, we will further advance the digitalization of the company and use the latest cloud technologies to the benefit of our employees, partners and customers». As a first step, Alpiq is implementing the workplace of the future with Office 365 from the Microsoft cloud in Switzerland. «Our employees work agile and flexible. With the introduction of the collaboration platform Microsoft Teams, we offer them an innovative yet familiar environment that makes project-related and decentralized collaboration even easier and more efficient.»
Wincasa
Wincasa, the leading integrated real estate service provider in Switzerland with currently around 920 employees and 28 branches, is on its way to a new, more modern working environment. Sandro Principe, Head of Transformation at Wincasa, says: «With the weworksmart initiative, we are introducing time- and location-independent working, flexible working models and modern workplaces, thus promoting an open culture.” Important success factors are the latest tools and applications, such as Microsoft Teams, which promote internal and external collaboration. «With the introduction of Office 365 from the Microsoft cloud in Switzerland, we are enabling our employees to work together in a more flexible and efficient way. Thanks to the Microsoft datacenter regions in Switzerland, we can ensure that we also work with absolute professionalism when it comes to reliability, security and data protection. This is what our employees and our customers expect from us. As a recognized market leader, we stand for the highest quality and security.»
WWF Schweiz
WWF has been committed to nature for 58 years and initiates and supports projects to protect the environment and shape a future worth living in. Efficiency, productivity and security are also decisive success factors for NGOs. Günther Fehlmann, Head of IT at WWF Switzerland, therefore, relies on Microsoft Office 365 based on the local Microsoft cloud: «WWF Switzerland works in an international network in over 100 countries on 6 continents. Office 365 enables us to work efficiently with our network and external partners. In addition, we are pleased to be able to use Office 365 from the Swiss datacenter regions at fair, non-profit conditions, because the security and reliability of our IT and the protection of donator data are absolute priorities for us. With Office 365, we offer our employees a modern working environment that enables them to work in a collaborative, flexible and secure way.»
City of Zug
The City of Zug plans to deploy Office 365 from the Microsoft cloud. “The city administration of Zug wants to offer its employees a modern, flexible and secure working environment,” says Daniel Truttmann, CIO of the city administration of Zug, confirming the decision. The Microsoft cloud regions in Switzerland ensures that customer data will be stored within the Swiss national borders, which is a central requirement for the city administration. “Thanks to the local customer data storage in the two Swiss datacenter regions, we will be able to use the modern collaboration functions of Office 365 from the cloud, which will make the internal collaboration of employees easier and the operation of the infrastructure much more efficient.”
