AWS Outposts Is Now GA

The on-premises AWS cloud, available in AWS-native and VMware flavors, is ready to ship, but will continue introducing features going forward, including a VMware control plane and AWS S3 storage next year. AWS also introduced Local Zones, which builds on Outposts innovations to put AWS infrastructure closer to clients in major cities.

Last year at re:Invent, AWS CEO Andy Jassy shocked the industry by introducing the first on-premises version of the industry's leading public cloud.

That product, AWS Outposts, is now generally available, Jassy said Tuesday at this year's event in Las Vegas.

The solution, where AWS installs and manages a server rack in its customers' data center, addresses the needs of enterprises that must keep applications close to home, at least for "a while," Jassy said.

[Related: Andy Jassy Sees Partner Opportunities In AWS Outposts, AWS IQ]

Outposts now offers AWS EC2 instances and EBS block storage, as well as two hosted container services, ECS and EKS. It will add S3 storage in the first half of 2020.

"You'll be able to see your new AWS Outposts in your new AWS management console," Jassy said.

The product comes in two variants. The "AWS native" one is for customers that want to use AWS APIs and control plane alongside their deployments in AWS regions.

And for customers that want to use a VMware control plane, possibly in conjunction with VMware Cloud on AWS, that option will be available in early 2020.

AWS also revealed a new service that steps out of the data center, but doesn't stray as far as the closest AWS region.

AWS Local Zones, rooted in Outposts technology, reduces latency through a "new type of AWS infrastructure deployment," Jassy said.

"Taking Outposts, we've done some innovation for it," he said.

Local Zones will bring AWS infrastructure to a number of major metropolitan areas for customers that need "single digit latency … to get the job done," Jassy said, such as media and financial services companies.

The first deployment of Local Zones will be in Los Angeles to cater to the entertainment industry, with more cities to come.