AWS highlights digital identity infrastructure options with hybrid cloud, MOSIP

National digital identity programs around the world have to figure out the challenge of data storage, which can be very costly. Data centers are known to cost billions to build and run. So then a cloud solution can be appealing on a cost basis. However, that presents issues too.

In a recent post on its AWS Public Sector blog, the cloud giant examines MOSIP architecture and delivering national digital identity systems via AWS Outposts, which is the company’s hybrid cloud infrastructure and services solution intended to address these issues.

Since there are sovereignty and security issues around biometrics and other personal data, it creates a challenge for governments looking to use hyperscale cloud capabilities for their digital identity systems. In these circumstances, AWS says its AWS Outposts offers governments a hybrid cloud solution, which stores and processes citizen data within their facilities while accessing advanced cloud features for scalability and security. 

AWS elsewhere explains Outposts as “a family of fully managed solutions delivering AWS infrastructure and services to virtually any on-premises or edge location.” AWS highlights the nonprofit Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), which infrastructure is deployed on AWS Outposts, with MOSIP’s architecture allowing for customizable solutions. 

Sri Lanka is one country that’s in the midst of establishing a national digital ID using MOSIP, and maintaining the sovereignty and security of data is important for public trust. 

The South Asian country is assessing its energy cost attractiveness to major cloud infrastructure companies in its efforts to attract them. Sri Lanka has a Sovereign Cloud Strategy, so data security and control is paramount, but costs are also a great factor. 

Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Advisor to the President on digital economy, told Biometric Update that Sri Lanka intends to enhance its cloud infrastructure by integrating local providers with global hyperscalers. Cost efficiency, security and innovation are the main advantages of hyperscale public clouds, he said. 

At MOSIP Connect 2025 in Manila, Philippines, a principal product manager and lead on digital public infrastructure at AWS spoke on the vast expense of building and running data centers. 

Pete Herlihy was on a panel for “Computing Solutions for Emerging Markets” and highlighted Local Zones and Outposts as alternative solutions since it is not always commercially feasible for smaller countries to run their own data centers.    

However, Herlihy said it perhaps makes sense that private companies are employed to run a commodity such as a data center while the government can get on with its functions. 

As smaller countries and developing ones look to build out digital public infrastructure, adaptability and cost-efficiency are factors for solutions. In addition to the example of Sri Lanka, digital ID systems based on MOSIP are rolling out in Tonga, São Tomé and Principe, Uganda and the Philippines, among others. Partnerships between different providers, implementers and suppliers can be key, as can public-private partnerships and other forms. 

The government of Mexico, for example, has launched a contract bidding process to select a cloud migration and cybersecurity services supplier. This will support the rollout of the country’s Unique Personal Registry Code (biometric CURP) project. The contract, to be awarded by the Ministry of Interior, through the National Population and Identity Registry (Renapo), will provide cloud and cybersecurity infrastructure services required to ensure the security and privacy of citizens’ protected data associated with the CURP system.  

In the AWS blog post, there is a diagram that illustrates MOSIP architecture on AWS Outposts. It elaborates: “Within the on-premises customer environment, AWS Outpost hosts the MOSIP EKS cluster running MOSIP modules, such as Kernel, PreReg, and IDRepo,” as one of the points explaining the diagram. 

Two further points (edited for readability): “Citizens access the system through a public-facing portal hosted on AWS….the setup includes two Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) clusters running inside separate Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs), one for MOSIP components and another for cluster management and integrations using Rancher and Keycloak.” 

AWS Outposts simplifies operations, according to the company, by providing a “unified management experience” across cloud and on-premises environments. Such hybridity combined with the customizable, modular and open source nature of MOSIP allows governments to build digital identity systems. 

MOSIP has a technical, detailed guide on AWS installation. 

Article Topics

Amazon Web Services (AWS)  |  biometrics  |  cloud computing  |  data storage  |  digital ID infrastructure  |  digital identity  |  MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform)  |  national ID