Cloud Storage
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Backblaze vs Impossible Cloud
Backblaze vs. Impossible Cloud: Choosing a Sovereign Storage Partner for 2025
Are unpredictable cloud storage costs and complex compliance rules creating risk in your IT strategy? A majority of EU decision-makers now demand European solutions for their critical data. This article compares the traditional cloud model with a sovereign-by-design alternative, focusing on the features that matter for 2025 and beyond.
Key Takeaways
True digital sovereignty is achieved by using EU-only data centers, which provides legal certainty and protection from foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act.
A predictable cost model with no egress fees or API call charges eliminates surprise costs and empowers businesses to escape vendor lock-in.
Enterprise-grade features like full S3 compatibility and immutable Object Lock are essential for seamless migration, ransomware protection, and regulatory compliance.
For UK IT leaders, the conversation around cloud storage has shifted fundamentally. It's no longer just about capacity; it's about control, compliance, and cost predictability. With regulations like GDPR and the upcoming EU Data Act reshaping data governance, choosing a storage partner is a strategic decision with long-term consequences. A significant number of enterprises feel locked into their current providers due to complex pricing and fear the legal reach of foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act. This analysis breaks down the essential capabilities of a true sovereign cloud, offering a clear path to achieving digital autonomy without sacrificing performance or S3 compatibility.
Secure Digital Sovereignty in a Post-GDPR World
A strong majority of EU decision-makers now prioritize European solutions for critical infrastructure. True digital sovereignty means your data is subject only to the laws of the region where it is stored. Storing data in EU-only data centers provides a powerful defense against foreign legislation like the US CLOUD Act, which can compel US-based firms to provide access to data regardless of its location.
This legal separation is a core requirement for many regulated industries, including financial services. Our architecture is sovereign by design, using only certified European data centers with country-level geofencing. This ensures 100% of your data remains under EU rules. For businesses seeking stronger data sovereignty, this jurisdictional clarity is non-negotiable.
This commitment to EU-centric governance removes the legal ambiguity that affects many non-EU providers. It provides the legal certainty required to operate confidently under evolving regulations. This foundation of sovereignty prepares your business for the next wave of compliance challenges.
Achieve Predictable Costs by Eliminating Hidden Fees
Many IT leaders feel locked into providers due to complex pricing models that include punitive exit fees. A recent study showed that high egress fees are a significant obstacle for users looking to switch cloud providers. These charges for data retrieval can inflate cloud bills by a significant margin, making budget forecasting nearly impossible.
A transparent economic model is a key driver for businesses looking to switch providers. We offer a predictable cost structure with zero egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage duration. This model ensures your total cost of ownership is clear from day one, a benefit that resonates with the 94% of enterprises who report improved efficiency after migrating to predictable cloud storage.
Here is how a predictable model simplifies financial planning:
predictable margins for MSPs offering Backup-as-a-Service.
No surprise fees for data-intensive operations like disaster recovery tests.
Freedom to move data without financial penalty, avoiding vendor lock-in.
Simplified billing with a single, clear metric for storage consumption.
This approach directly addresses the market's primary pain points around cloud egress costs. By removing these barriers, you regain control over your IT budget and long-term strategy.
Demand Enterprise-Grade S3 Compatibility and Performance
Full S3-API compatibility is essential for a seamless migration and continued operations. Many businesses have invested thousands of hours in developing applications and scripts that rely on the S3 API. A truly compatible solution protects that investment by ensuring tools keep working without code rewrites, a factor that can reduce development time by up to 25%.
Our platform supports advanced S3 capabilities like versioning, lifecycle management, and event notifications. We also feature an “Always-Hot” object storage model, where all data is immediately accessible without the delays common to tiered systems. This eliminates restore surprises and keeps third-party backup tools stable.
An enterprise-ready architecture must deliver consistent performance at scale. This includes strong read/write consistency and multi-AZ replication to protect data integrity. For businesses looking to compare object storage solutions, performance parity is a top criterion for switching. This focus on consistent, high-performance access ensures your critical applications remain responsive.
Implement Robust Ransomware Protection with Immutable Storage
Ransomware remains a top threat, with 61% of companies experiencing a cloud security incident in the past year. Immutable storage via Object Lock is a critical defense mechanism. It creates a Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) state, making it impossible to modify or delete data for a specified retention period, effectively creating a virtual air gap.
This feature is a cornerstone of modern data protection and is fully integrated into our platform. Immutable backups provide an unchangeable copy of your data for audit-ready retention. In the event of an attack, you can restore a clean, unencrypted version of your files, minimizing downtime and business impact.
Key security features to look for include:
Multi-layer encryption for data in transit and at rest.
Identity and Access Management (IAM) with MFA and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).
Support for external identity providers via SAML/OIDC.
EU-controlled key management and revocation procedures.
This comprehensive security posture, combined with immutable storage, provides a resilient defense against evolving cyber threats. It moves security from an afterthought to a core architectural principle.
Prepare for the Next Wave of EU Regulations
The regulatory landscape is tightening, and your storage partner must be ready. The EU Data Act, with key provisions taking effect from September 2025, mandates data portability and interoperability. It requires providers to remove barriers to switching, a principle already built into our zero-egress-fee model.
Simultaneously, the NIS-2 Directive requires providers to implement robust supply-chain assurance and continuous security processes. Our operations are designed to meet these standards, including vulnerability management and incident reporting timelines. This regulatory readiness offers a distinct competitive advantage for your business.
Choosing a compliant partner simplifies your own regulatory burden. By aligning with a provider that is already prepared for these changes, you ensure your data management strategy remains resilient. This proactive stance on compliance is essential for long-term success in the European market.
Enable Channel Partners with a Predictable and Scalable Model
For MSPs, resellers, and system integrators, predictable margins are essential for building profitable services. A storage model without egress or API fees provides the financial stability needed to offer competitive Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and archiving solutions. This predictability is a key reason MSPs look for new storage partners.
Our partner-ready platform includes a multi-tenant console with robust RBAC and MFA for secure client management. Automation via a comprehensive API/CLI and detailed reporting tools streamline operations and reduce administrative overhead. Fast onboarding allows partners to begin generating revenue within days, not months.
We are expanding our channel presence across Europe to provide local support. Recent distribution agreements with api in Germany and Northamber plc in the UK give more resellers access to our sovereign storage solutions. This growing ecosystem, combined with integrations like our collaboration with NovaBackup, empowers our partners to deliver high-value, compliant services to their clients.
Start Your Journey to Sovereign Cloud Storage
More Links
EUR-Lex provides the official text of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) in English.
The European Data Protection Board offers the EU Cloud Code of Conduct, outlining best practices for GDPR compliance for cloud service providers.
The European Data Protection Board reports on privacy recommendations for public sector cloud service usage.
The German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) provides statistical data on cloud computing usage in enterprises.
The German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) presents a press release on cloud computing use by German enterprises.
The European Data Protection Supervisor offers guidelines on the use of cloud computing services from a European data protection perspective.
FAQ
What is digital sovereignty and why is it important?
Digital sovereignty is the principle that data is subject to the laws and governance of the nation in which it is processed and stored. It is important for EU and UK businesses to ensure compliance with GDPR, protect sensitive information from foreign government access, and maintain control over critical digital assets.
How does Impossible Cloud ensure my data stays within the EU?
Impossible Cloud operates exclusively in certified European data centers and offers country-level geofencing. This architecture guarantees that your data is stored, processed, and managed strictly under EU rules, providing legal certainty and GDPR compliance by design.
What does 'Always-Hot' storage mean?
Our 'Always-Hot' storage model means all your data is immediately accessible at high-performance speeds. Unlike tiered models that require you to restore data from slower, cheaper tiers (often with delays and extra fees), all data is ready for immediate use, which is critical for backups and disaster recovery.
Can I migrate my existing data and applications easily?
Yes. We provide full S3 API compatibility, which means your existing applications, scripts, and tools that work with S3 will work with our platform without requiring code changes. This simplifies migration and protects your prior investments in your software ecosystem.
How does your pricing model benefit MSPs?
Our predictable pricing model, with no egress fees or API call charges, allows Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to build services like BaaS with predictable, stable margins. The multi-tenant console, automation tools, and fast onboarding process are all designed to help partners grow their business efficiently.
Is your platform ready for new regulations like the EU Data Act?
Yes. Our platform is designed for regulatory readiness. The principles of the EU Data Act, such as data portability and eliminating switching barriers, are core to our model of no egress fees. We are also aligned with the security and supply-chain requirements of the NIS-2 directive.
