Cloud Storage
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Backblaze storage for AI/ML data lakes
Powering Sovereign AI/ML Data Lakes with Predictable EU-Based Storage
European organizations are scaling AI/ML data lakes but face major hurdles with data sovereignty, regulatory compliance, and runaway cloud costs. A new approach to object storage, designed for the EU, delivers the performance and control needed to succeed.
Key Takeawys
Build AI/ML data lakes on sovereign, EU-based storage to ensure GDPR compliance and eliminate CLOUD Act exposure.
Adopt an "Always-Hot" storage architecture with full S3 compatibility to maximize performance and protect existing toolchain investments.
Eliminate unpredictable costs and reduce TCO by over 70% with a storage model that has zero egress fees, API call costs, or minimum storage durations.
The global data sphere is projected to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025, with AI and machine learning driving much of this growth. For European enterprises, this presents a dual challenge: harnessing this data in AI/ML data lakes while navigating a complex regulatory landscape defined by GDPR, the NIS-2 Directive, and the upcoming EU Data Act. Traditional cloud storage often introduces unpredictable costs and sovereignty risks tied to non-EU laws. This article outlines a strategy for building high-performance, cost-effective, and fully compliant AI/ML data lakes using sovereign, EU-based object storage with a predictable economic model.
Establish Digital Sovereignty for AI/ML Workloads
A majority of EU decision-makers now demand European solutions for critical data infrastructure. Storing AI training data with non-EU providers creates exposure to foreign laws like the CLOUD Act, which can conflict with GDPR principles. Sovereign-by-design object storage, operated exclusively in certified European data centers, eliminates this risk entirely. Country-level geofencing ensures your AI/ML data never leaves predefined regions, guaranteeing EU data residency. This provides the legal certainty required for processing sensitive datasets and intellectual property, forming a secure foundation for your entire AI strategy.
This focus on EU-centric control is the first step toward building a truly resilient and compliant data lake architecture.
Architect for Consistent Performance Without Tiers
AI/ML workloads require immediate and consistent access to millions of objects, from training sets to model outputs. Traditional tiered storage models create complexity and performance bottlenecks, leading to restore delays and API timeouts that can derail data pipelines. An “Always-Hot” object storage model ensures all data is instantly accessible with predictable latencies. This architecture provides the strong read/write consistency needed for mixed workloads, supporting everything from data ingestion to analytics. This model reduces operational complexity by over 30% compared to tiered systems.
By ensuring high data durability and availability, you can build more reliable and scalable AI applications.
Leverage Full S3 Compatibility to Protect Investments
Your existing AI/ML tools, scripts, and applications rely on the S3 API. True enterprise-readiness requires more than just basic object operations. A fully compatible storage solution supports advanced S3 capabilities out of the box. Here is what that includes:
Versioning for model and data iteration
Lifecycle management for automated data handling
Object Lock for immutable data retention
Event notifications to trigger downstream workflows
IAM policies for granular access control
This comprehensive S3 API compatibility eliminates the need for code rewrites, protecting past investments and reducing migration risk by up to 90%. It allows your data science and engineering teams to keep using the tools they know, accelerating development cycles. This seamless integration is key to unlocking value faster.
Eliminate Runaway Costs with a Predictable Economic Model
The number one budget killer for large-scale data operations is unpredictable fees. Egress fees, which can range from 5 to 20 cents per GB, penalize you for using your own data. A transparent pricing model with zero egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage durations provides complete cost predictability. This can reduce total cost of ownership for a 100TB AI/ML data lake by over 70% compared to hyperscaler pricing. This economic clarity allows for accurate budget forecasting and frees resources for innovation rather than funding data transit. Predictable costs are a competitive advantage, especially as data volumes grow exponentially.
With costs under control, the next challenge is navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
Future-Proof Your Data Lake for 2025 EU Regulations
Two key EU regulations are reshaping data governance. A compliant storage platform helps you turn these obligations into a competitive advantage. Key requirements include:
EU Data Act (from September 2025): This mandates data portability and interoperability, ensuring you can switch providers without lock-in. A compliant provider facilitates this with open standards and tools for exporting all data, including metadata and versions.
NIS-2 Directive: This requires continuous security processes, supply-chain assurance, and strict incident reporting timelines for critical infrastructure. An EU-based provider with certified operations helps meet these resilience and documentation requirements by design.
Adopting a compliant storage foundation now prepares your AI cloud storage for these imminent rules. This proactive stance on compliance builds trust and resilience.
Implement Advanced Security and Ransomware Protection
The threat of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure has never been greater, according to Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). Protecting your AI/ML data lake requires multiple layers of defense. Immutable Storage with Object Lock makes critical datasets unchangeable for a defined period, providing a powerful defense against ransomware encryption. This is a core requirement for financial services firms regulated by BaFin. Organizations with immutable backups recover from attacks up to 10 times faster.
Combine this with multi-layer encryption (in transit and at rest) and identity-based IAM with MFA/RBAC for a comprehensive security posture. This robust approach to data security is essential for protecting your most valuable assets.
Enable Partners to Deliver Sovereign AI Solutions
More Links
OECD provides an Artificial Intelligence Review of Germany, offering insights into the country's AI landscape.
The European Commission, through AI Watch, presents a comprehensive report on Germany's AI strategy.
The European Commission outlines its overarching strategy for data, detailing key policies and initiatives.
The Federal Statistical Office of Germany offers an article discussing the informational infrastructure within Germany.
The IT Planning Council details Germany's government cloud strategy, outlining its approach to digital infrastructure.
Bitkom publishes a study on Germany's IT Mittelstand (small and medium-sized enterprises) for 2024, analyzing the sector's trends and challenges.
The European Data Protection Board's 2024 Annual Report focuses on protecting personal data in an evolving landscape.
The European Commission provides detailed information regarding the Data Governance Act, a key regulation for data sharing.
FAQ
Is your AI/ML data storage solution fully S3 compatible?
Yes. Our platform offers full S3 API compatibility, supporting not only basic operations but also advanced features like versioning, Object Lock, lifecycle management, and event notifications. This ensures your existing AI tools, applications, and scripts work without modification.
How do you ensure my data remains within the EU?
We operate exclusively in certified data centers located within the European Union. Through country-level geofencing, you can select and restrict your data to specific EU countries, guaranteeing it never leaves your chosen jurisdiction and remains fully under EU law.
What makes your pricing model predictable for AI workloads?
Our pricing is transparent and predictable because we have eliminated the most common variable costs. We charge only for the storage you use, with no fees for data egress (outbound traffic), no charges for API calls, and no minimum storage duration penalties.
How does your storage protect my AI models and data from ransomware?
We provide Immutable Storage using S3 Object Lock. This feature allows you to make critical datasets unchangeable for a specified period. Even if your systems are compromised, the locked data cannot be encrypted or deleted by ransomware, ensuring you have a clean copy for recovery.
Can I manage storage for multiple clients or departments?
Yes, our platform is designed for partners and large enterprises. It includes a multi-tenant management console with role-based access control (RBAC) and MFA, allowing you to securely manage storage for different clients or business units from a single interface.
How does your solution help with NIS-2 Directive compliance?
Our service helps you meet NIS-2 requirements by providing a secure and resilient infrastructure by design. We offer multi-layer encryption, robust IAM controls, and operate from certified EU data centers, which helps you fulfill your obligations for supply-chain security and operational resilience.
