Parliament approves million-euro loan for new cloud infrastructure
Published: Thursday, Dec 12th 2024, 12:30
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The federal government can modernize its cloud infrastructure. Following the National Council, the Council of States also approved a corresponding bill on Thursday. The "Swiss Government Cloud" is set to cost just under CHF 320 million in total.
In the overall vote, the small chamber approved a commitment credit for a partial amount by 40 votes to 0 with no abstentions. Due to two differences on minor points, the matter will return to the National Council.
Parliament has to decide on a commitment credit of CHF 246.9 million. The total cost of the project is CHF 319.4 million. This sum also includes the Federal Office of Information Technology and Telecommunication's (FOITT) own contributions and investments over the entire duration of the program as well as expenditure that will arise as early as 2024 as a result of preparatory work.
The Federal Administration has been operating its applications in its own data centers, known as private clouds, and in data centers operated by external providers, known as public clouds, for some time now, as Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter explained. The current cloud infrastructure has reached the end of its life cycle.
In future, mass business should be processed via a standardized infrastructure, according to Keller-Sutter. Data protection and information security are core requirements.
Technically, however, the data cloud should be set up in such a way that cantons, cities and municipalities could also use it.
Less controversial project
In principle, the project was not very controversial. However, Pirmin Schwander (SVP/SZ) expressed unease about what he saw as the high costs. The question arose as to whether standardized solutions could not be used to a greater extent. After all, individual solutions also increase operating costs. Schwander also considered the project duration of 2025 to 2032 to be very long.
The conditions for the use of the cloud by cantons and municipalities also gave rise to discussion.
The National Council wants to stipulate in the federal decree that the cloud is available to cantons and municipalities. The majority of the Finance Committee of the Council of States, on the other hand, wanted an optional formulation according to which the federal government can provide services to cantons and municipalities at cost-covering prices. It prevailed in the Council. Minority motions to follow the National Council or to delete the provision did not find a majority.
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