And a couple of key product changes.
From The Information, Google will no longer charge fees for customers switching their data from its cloud servers to competing clouds upon exiting their Google Cloud contracts. This move comes as regulators increasingly examine cloud providers’ business practices, although Google did not mention Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, the two largest cloud providers.
Microsoft has updated its major commercial cloud services to allow European customers to keep all their personal data within the European Union. This move responds to pressure from EU regulators and exceeds the EU’s data sovereignty requirements. Microsoft also plans to fully transition the processing and storage of data required during technical support interactions to the EU.
Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 has reached the end of mainstream support but will continue to receive patches for security issues. Two cumulative updates, CU14 and CU15, are scheduled for release in 2024. Microsoft has not provided guidance on the future of Exchange Server but will share more details soon. Admins are advised to migrate to Exchange 2019 (until October 2025) or Microsoft’s hosted Exchange Online for continued support.
Exchange itself has a pretty uncertain path, and I have no idea why you’d still be using it. You do you, I guess.
Google’s lack of fees comes with many terms and conditions. That said, it’s a power move when one is looking to create competitive differentiation. It also can be seen as a response to the growing scrutiny of cloud providers’ business practices. This move could make Google Cloud more attractive to potential customers concerned about vendor lock-in or those prioritizing flexibility in their cloud strategy.
Use the changes in cloud service policies to negotiate better terms with cloud providers or to offer more flexible and cost-effective solutions to clients, particularly those concerned about data sovereignty and vendor lock-in.