Backup Solutions
Archival Storage
Backblaze storage for media workflows
Optimize Media Workflows with Sovereign, Predictable Cloud Storage
Media workflows demand high performance, but hidden fees and data sovereignty concerns create significant friction. Discover a storage model that eliminates egress costs and ensures GDPR compliance, allowing you to focus on content, not complex bills.
Key Takeawys
Eliminate unpredictable cloud bills for media workflows with a storage model that has zero egress fees and no API call costs.
Ensure GDPR compliance and digital sovereignty by using storage that operates exclusively in EU data centers, free from CLOUD Act exposure.
Accelerate production with an 'Always-Hot' architecture that makes 100% of your media assets immediately accessible without restore delays or tiering fees.
Managing storage for media workflows involves navigating massive file sizes, tight deadlines, and complex supply chains. Traditional cloud storage often introduces unpredictable costs, with egress fees accounting for up to 15% of the total bill . Furthermore, with 92% of European data residing on U.S. clouds, organizations face significant compliance risks under regulations like GDPR and the CLOUD Act . This guide outlines a modern approach using EU-based, S3-compatible object storage that offers a predictable, performant, and sovereign foundation for your most demanding media projects.
Eliminate Bill Shock from Media Asset Retrieval
Unpredictable egress fees are a primary challenge in managing cloud storage for media workflows, often creating massive, unplanned expenses. The average egress fee of $0.09 per gigabyte can quickly escalate when teams frequently download multi-terabyte video files for editing, transcoding, and distribution . This financial uncertainty forces many production companies to rely on shipping physical hard drives, a workaround that adds complexity and delays project timelines by days .
A predictable cost model with zero egress fees fundamentally changes the economics of cloud media storage. By removing charges for data retrieval and API calls, you can create a single, authoritative source for all media assets, accessible to any team member, anywhere, without financial penalty. This approach transforms your storage from a volatile operational expense into a predictable, flat-rate utility. Adopting a transparent pricing model allows for accurate budgeting over a 12-month cycle. This financial stability is the first step toward a more efficient workflow.
Build Workflows on a Sovereign EU Foundation
Storing media assets with non-EU providers creates significant compliance and sovereignty risks, as foreign laws like the U.S. CLOUD Act can compel access to data regardless of where it is stored . With over 84% of EU decision-makers citing digital sovereignty as a critical factor, relying on providers subject to extra-territorial laws is a growing business risk . A sovereign-by-design approach ensures your data remains under EU legal control, a key requirement for many media clients and regulators.
Impossible Cloud operates exclusively in certified European data centers, providing country-level geofencing to guarantee data residency and full GDPR compliance. This architecture eliminates exposure to the CLOUD Act, providing the legal certainty required for sensitive media projects. Our commitment to European data sovereignty is a core part of our data security strategy. This focus on EU-centric governance prepares your workflows for future regulatory shifts.
Accelerate Production with Always-Hot Storage
Media production cannot afford delays caused by complex storage tiers, where retrieving archived footage can take hours and incur unexpected fees . Tiered models that move infrequently accessed data to “cold” storage create operational friction, as restoring assets for new edits or distribution requests disrupts the creative workflow. An always-hot storage model ensures 100% of your data is immediately accessible.
This “Always-Hot” architecture simplifies operations and keeps third-party tools stable, as every file is available with predictable, low latency. It avoids the hidden operational costs and API timeouts common with fragile tiering policies, making your entire archive as responsive as live production storage. This approach is central to achieving true data durability and accessibility. Here is how an always-hot model benefits media teams:
Immediate access to entire archives for editors and colorists.
No restore delays or fees for unexpected client requests.
Consistent performance for automated transcoding and QC workflows.
Simplified lifecycle policies that reduce management overhead by 50%.
Stable integrations with Media Asset Management (MAM) systems.
This consistent availability ensures your creative teams are never waiting for data.
Ensure Seamless Integration with Full S3 Compatibility
Migrating to a new storage platform can be disruptive if it requires rewriting code or reconfiguring applications. A solution with full S3 API compatibility protects your existing investments and minimizes migration risk. This ensures that your entire toolchain, from camera-to-cloud devices to MAM platforms, continues to work without modification. Many tools are built for the S3 API, making it the de-facto standard for S3-compatible storage .
Our platform supports not only standard object operations but also advanced capabilities like versioning, lifecycle management, and event notifications. This deep compatibility ensures your automated pipelines and applications keep running, protecting past investments and reducing migration time to just a few hours. We have proven out-of-the-box integrations with leading backup tools, including a collaboration with NovaBackup that delivers a compliant solution for MSPs. This ecosystem readiness is key to a smooth transition.
Protect Media Assets with Immutable Backups
Ransomware poses an existential threat to media companies, as attackers often target backups to prevent recovery. A recent study found that in 94% of ransomware incidents, criminals attempted to compromise backup repositories during the attack . Standard storage security is not enough; you need a solution that makes your critical assets unchangeable.
Impossible Cloud provides Immutable Storage using S3 Object Lock, which applies a Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) model to your data . Once an object is locked, it cannot be deleted or modified by anyone—not even an administrator with root credentials—until the retention period expires. This creates a virtual air gap that guarantees you have a clean, uncorrupted copy for recovery. This is a core component of modern data archiving. A robust backup strategy should include these steps:
Implement a 3-2-1 backup rule with at least one offsite, immutable copy.
Enable S3 Object Lock on all critical backup buckets with a 30-day minimum retention.
Regularly test your restore process from the immutable copy.
Use granular IAM policies to restrict access to production and backup storage.
This layered defense ensures you can recover from an attack in minutes, not months.
Future-Proof Your Strategy for EU Regulations
The European regulatory landscape is evolving, with new rules that directly impact data management. The EU Data Act, fully applicable from September 2025, mandates data portability and aims to eliminate vendor lock-in by making switching between cloud providers easier and, by 2027, free of charge . Additionally, the NIS-2 directive imposes stricter cybersecurity and supply-chain assurance requirements on digital service providers .
Our platform is designed for this new regulatory era. By building on open standards and offering a transparent exit strategy, we align with the EU Data Act’s goals for portability and interoperability. Our continuous security processes and EU-only infrastructure meet the stringent requirements of NIS-2, reducing your compliance burden. Choosing a forward-looking provider is one of the best Backblaze alternatives for long-term stability. This regulatory readiness provides a competitive advantage in a tightening market.
Empower Partners to Deliver Compliant Media Solutions
More Links
The German Data Protection Conference (DSK) provides a position paper outlining criteria for sovereign clouds.
The Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis) offers a press release on the use of cloud services by German enterprises.
KPMG presents its Cloud Monitor 2022, offering insights into the evolving cloud market.
Statista provides statistics and information on the digitalization of the media industry in Germany.
Fraunhofer details its cloud computing initiatives and research as a leading German organization.
The European Commission offers a factsheet on Germany's digital landscape and interoperability efforts within the EU.
FAQ
Is this storage solution fully compatible with my existing S3 tools?
Yes. Impossible Cloud offers full S3 API compatibility, which means your existing applications, scripts, and media management tools will work without any code rewrites. This includes support for advanced features like versioning, lifecycle management, and object tagging.
How does your pricing model work?
Our pricing is transparent and predictable. You pay for the storage you use without any egress fees, API call charges, or minimum storage durations. This eliminates surprise costs and allows for accurate, long-term budget planning.
Can I use this storage for backups with tools like Veeam?
Absolutely. Our platform has out-of-the-box integrations with leading backup vendors, including Veeam. You can use S3 Object Lock to create immutable, ransomware-proof backups directly from your backup software.
How do you ensure my data stays within the EU?
We operate exclusively in certified European data centers and offer country-level geofencing. This guarantees your data is stored and processed strictly under EU law, ensuring GDPR compliance and protecting you from extra-territorial legal requests.
What is the difference between your 'Always-Hot' model and traditional tiered storage?
Our 'Always-Hot' model keeps all your data immediately accessible, eliminating the complexity, retrieval delays, and surprise fees of tiered storage. With tiered storage, data is moved to slower, cheaper 'cold' layers, and accessing it can take hours, which is impractical for active media workflows.
How does your solution help with new regulations like the EU Data Act?
Our platform is built on open standards and ensures data portability, aligning with the core principles of the EU Data Act (2025). This makes it easy to switch providers without lock-in, giving you long-term control over your data and simplifying regulatory compliance.
