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continuous data protection UK
Achieve Continuous Data Protection in the UK With Sovereign Cloud Storage
Constant data threats and complex new regulations demand a modern data protection strategy. Discover how a sovereign cloud provides a resilient and compliant foundation for continuous data protection in the UK, turning regulatory burdens into a competitive advantage.
Key Takeaways
Sovereign cloud storage in EU-only data centers is essential for UK businesses to meet GDPR and avoid CLOUD Act exposure.
An 'Always-Hot' architecture with Immutable Object Lock provides instant data access and the strongest possible defense against ransomware.
A predictable cost model with zero egress or API fees is critical for making continuous data protection economically sustainable.
For UK IT leaders, balancing instant data availability with stringent compliance is a challenge that grows more complex each year. The UK GDPR imposes fines of up to 4% of global turnover for breaches, while new EU regulations like NIS-2 and the Data Act create new supply-chain and portability obligations for UK firms operating within the EU ecosystem. Traditional storage models often fail, introducing unpredictable costs and recovery delays that are unacceptable for continuous data protection. A new approach is needed—one that is sovereign by design. Impossible Cloud’s EU-only, ‘Always-Hot’ object storage provides the architectural foundation for true resilience, offering immutable backups, full S3 compatibility, and a predictable cost model with zero egress fees to solve these challenges.
Fortify Data Against Regulatory and Geographic Risk
Ensuring continuous data protection in the UK starts with controlling data location. Storing data with non-EU providers exposes it to foreign laws, creating significant compliance risks. A recent study found 84% of European organisations are already using or planning to use sovereign cloud solutions to mitigate these exact risks.
A sovereign-by-design approach eliminates this ambiguity entirely. By using certified European data centers with country-level geofencing, organisations can guarantee their data remains under EU rules. This provides a clear path to UK GDPR compliance and builds digital trust with customers who increasingly demand it.
This strategy directly addresses the core tenets of data sovereignty, a top concern for businesses navigating today's geopolitical landscape. This focus on jurisdictional control is the first step in building a modern, resilient data protection framework.
Build Unbreakable Resilience with an Always-Hot Architecture
Continuous data protection requires that 100% of your data is instantly accessible for recovery. Complex tiering models fail this test, introducing restore delays and API timeouts that can cripple a business during an incident. An ‘Always-Hot’ object storage model ensures every single file is immediately available, simplifying operations and guaranteeing predictable recovery times.
This architecture is the foundation for effective disaster recovery. To further enhance security, Immutable Storage with S3 Object Lock provides write-once-read-many (WORM) protection. This makes critical backup data unchangeable and undeletable for a set period, rendering it impervious to ransomware encryption with 0% chance of alteration.
Here is how immutability strengthens your data protection posture:
It creates a guaranteed-clean recovery point for business-critical data.
It satisfies stringent retention policies for regulated industries like finance and healthcare.
It provides an auditable trail of data integrity for compliance checks.
It hardens your defenses against both external attacks and internal threats.
This combination of instant access and immutability offers a powerful defence, forming the core of a modern ransomware recovery strategy. This architectural advantage is critical for maintaining operational continuity.
Master Compliance With NIS-2 and the EU Data Act
For many UK companies, new EU regulations introduce significant operational requirements. The NIS-2 Directive mandates robust supply chain security and requires incident reporting within 24 hours for businesses providing services into the EU. Non-compliance can lead to fines of up to €10 million or 2% of global turnover.
A sovereign cloud partner with baked-in security processes helps meet these stringent demands. At the same time, the EU Data Act, fully applicable from 12 September 2025, champions data portability and aims to eliminate vendor lock-in. It mandates that users can switch cloud providers easily, taking all their data and metadata with them.
Impossible Cloud’s architecture directly aligns with these principles, offering full S3-API compatibility and a transparent economic model with no exit barriers. This design ensures you can meet today's compliance needs while preparing for tomorrow's data freedom regulations.
Eliminate Economic Uncertainty From Your Data Strategy
A continuous data protection strategy involves frequent data writes and potentially large-scale recoveries. With many providers, this results in massive, unpredictable bills due to egress fees and API call charges. These hidden costs can easily run over budget by 30% or more, penalizing you for accessing your own data.
A predictable-by-design pricing model transforms this dynamic. By eliminating egress fees, API call costs, and minimum storage durations, the total cost of ownership becomes transparent and manageable. This allows for accurate budgeting, even with the high-frequency data operations typical of a robust cloud backup strategy.
This economic clarity allows IT leaders to focus on resilience outcomes instead of worrying about runaway costs. This financial predictability is essential for long-term strategic planning.
Empower UK MSPs with a Partner-Ready Platform
For UK Managed Service Providers, profitability depends on predictable margins and operational efficiency. A storage partner that charges zero egress or API fees allows MSPs to build defensible margins into their Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and DRaaS offerings. This model ensures costs remain stable, even as client data grows by over 20% annually.
The platform is built for the channel, featuring a multi-tenant console with robust IAM controls, MFA, and RBAC. Automation via a full-featured API and CLI allows for seamless integration into existing management tools. With the addition of UK distributor Northamber plc, local access and support for UK resellers and MSPs is faster than ever.
This partner-centric approach provides the tools needed to deliver sovereign and compliant data protection services to UK clients. This focus on the channel ecosystem is key to expanding access to sovereign cloud solutions.
Your 4-Step Checklist for Sovereign Data Protection
Implementing a sovereign continuous data protection strategy is a straightforward process. It requires focusing on four key technical and operational areas to ensure resilience and compliance from day one. Following these steps will create a robust framework for your most critical data.
Here is a practical checklist to guide your implementation:
Verify Data Residency: Confirm your provider offers EU-only data centers and country-level geofencing to meet data sovereignty requirements.
Confirm S3 Compatibility: Ensure full S3-API compatibility to keep your existing backup tools, like Veeam or Nova Backup, and scripts working without any changes.
Activate Immutable Storage: Enable S3 Object Lock on all critical backup repositories to create a 100% ransomware-proof data copy.
Plan Your Exit Strategy: Choose a partner with no egress fees or lock-in contracts, aligning with the EU Data Act's principles for long-term freedom.
Executing these four steps provides a clear path to achieving a modern, compliant, and cost-effective data protection posture. Now is the time to take action and secure your digital assets.
More Links
TechUK discusses the implications of data sovereignty for the UK public sector.
GOV.UK provides guidance on multi-region cloud and Software as a Service (SaaS) for government use.
ComputerWeekly explores data sovereignty and data security considerations in the UK public cloud.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) offers information about cloud computing for the public.
legislation.gov.uk provides access to the UK Data Protection Act 2018 legislation.
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive entry defining and explaining data sovereignty.
Statista presents statistics and information about cloud computing in the United Kingdom.
GOV.UK offers a cloud guide for the public sector.
The National Archives provides guidance on cloud storage.
FAQ
What makes Impossible Cloud a sovereign cloud solution?
Impossible Cloud is a sovereign cloud solution because it is a European company that operates exclusively in certified European data centers. We offer country-level geofencing to ensure your data stays within a predefined region, governed solely by EU law, which protects it from foreign legal frameworks.
How does your pricing model support continuous data protection?
Our pricing is predictable by design. We charge a simple per-terabyte monthly fee with no egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage durations. This transparent model is ideal for continuous data protection, which involves constant data transfers, as it eliminates unpredictable costs and allows for accurate budgeting.
Is your storage compatible with my existing backup software?
Yes. We provide full S3-API compatibility, which means our object storage works out-of-the-box with leading backup and recovery applications, including Veeam and our partner NovaBackup. You can continue using your existing tools and workflows without any code rewrites or complex migration.
How does Immutable Storage protect against ransomware?
Our Immutable Storage feature, which uses S3 Object Lock, allows you to make backup data unchangeable and undeletable for a policy-defined period. Even if your primary systems are compromised by ransomware, these immutable backups cannot be encrypted or deleted, guaranteeing you have a clean copy of your data for recovery.
How do you help businesses comply with the EU Data Act?
We support the principles of the EU Data Act by design. Our use of the standard S3 API, combined with our policy of no egress fees and no long-term contracts, ensures complete data portability. This gives you the freedom to move your data to another provider at any time without technical or financial penalties, eliminating vendor lock-in.
What support do you offer for MSPs and channel partners in the UK?
We are a partner-first company. We provide a multi-tenant management console, full automation capabilities via API/CLI, and a predictable pricing model that protects your margins. Through our UK distributor, Northamber plc, we offer local support, fast onboarding, and dedicated resources to help our UK partners succeed.
