Microsoft, the army and the cloud: Why we need to talk about our digital independence now
A Wake-Up Call ” The letter from Swiss Army Chief Thomas Süssli regarding Microsoft dependency is one of the most interesting statements from the Swiss Army in recent years. The now-public letter has accordingly stirred up quite a bit of dust — with articles in all major leading media outlets in Switzerland. His initiative, which pushes back against the federal administration’s near-total dependence on Microsoft, is more than just a marginal note. It is an alarm signal that we should all hear.
So over the weekend, we took some time to take a closer look at what the best alternatives to Microsoft are and who is already using them.
The Problem Has a Name: CLOUD Act
The debate is not new, but it is gaining intensity. The core of the problem lies in a lack of digital sovereignty. The issues are called the CLOUD Act, FISA Section 702, and Executive Order 12333: these three US legal instruments allow American authorities and intelligence agencies to access our data — even if it is physically stored in Swiss data centers.
- The CLOUD Act obligates US companies to hand over data.
- FISA Section 702 permits surveillance of non-US citizens without a court order.
- Executive Order 12333 authorizes comprehensive foreign surveillance without judicial oversight.
Army Chief Süssli puts it succinctly: Around 90 percent of all Swiss Army data is classified as “internal” or “secret.” Processing this on a US cloud is not only negligent but, according to federal confidentiality guidelines, even prohibited.
“It amazes me that no one in the federal government addressed this issue earlier,” says Matthias Stürmer, professor at the Bern University of Applied Sciences and expert on digital sovereignty.
There Are Alternatives — And They Are Better Than Their Reputation
The good news is: the situation is not without alternatives. There is a growing number of independent, mostly European, and often open-source alternatives that are not only more secure but are also catching up technologically.
The Ranking of Independent Cloud Alternatives
We took the trouble to research the most important alternatives and create a ranking. This is intended to serve as a guide for everyone looking for ways out of dependency.
Conclusion: Sovereignty Has Its Price, But Dependency Costs More
The switch is not a walk in the park. It requires investment, training, and the (political) will to take digital sovereignty seriously. Yet the costs of dependency are far higher: loss of control, the constant threat of espionage, and the growing financial burden of license fees.
Countries like Denmark, the German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia, or the Austrian Armed Forces are leading the way. They have the courage to take new paths and rely on open-source solutions. It is time for Switzerland to follow this example.
The letter from Army Chief Süssli is an opportunity we must not let slip away. It is the chance for a long-overdue public debate about the digital future of our country. A future in which we retain control over our data.
What do you think about this? Is your organization already using alternatives, or are you deeply entrenched in the Microsoft world? We look forward to your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Best regards for Monday morning, we wish you a good week
Andi Freimüller
Sources: Blick, Tages-Anzeiger, Republik, openDesk, Nextcloud, Xelon
Transparency note: This post was created with partial use of AI tools such as Gemini, Perplexity, and Manus.
