European Cloud
Data Sovereignty
Google vs UK data sovereignty
Mitigate Sovereignty Risks: An Analysis of Google Cloud vs. UK Data Control
UK businesses using non-EU cloud providers face a growing data sovereignty challenge. The risk of exposure to foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act creates a compliance gap that cannot be ignored. This article outlines a clear strategy for securing UK data within a sovereign, EU-native cloud environment.
Key Takeaways
Storing UK data with non-EU cloud providers like Google creates significant sovereignty and compliance risks due to laws like the US CLOUD Act.
True data sovereignty is achievable with EU-native storage that offers country-level geofencing, ensuring data residency and GDPR alignment.
Switching to a sovereign cloud is practical and economical with 100% S3-API compatibility and a pricing model that eliminates egress fees and API call costs.
For UK IT leaders, the debate over Google vs. UK data sovereignty highlights a critical business risk. Storing data with non-EU providers, even in European data centers, can expose sensitive information to foreign government access requests. A strong majority of EU decision-makers now demand European solutions to ensure compliance and control. True sovereignty requires an architecture built on EU legal principles, offering transparent costs and seamless S3 integration. This guide provides a blueprint for migrating to a sovereign cloud that strengthens security and eliminates economic uncertainty.
Assess Your True Exposure Under the US CLOUD Act
Many UK firms believe their data is safe in an EU-based data center. However, provider origin is one of the top selection criteria for a reason. If your cloud provider is headquartered outside the EU, your data may be subject to foreign laws. The US CLOUD Act, for example, can compel providers to surrender data regardless of its location. This creates a direct conflict with UK GDPR compliance obligations. A significant share of companies now prefers a German or EU provider to close this gap. This legal uncertainty undermines the very concept of data sovereignty for hundreds of UK businesses. Understanding this distinction is the first step toward building a resilient data strategy.
Implement Geofenced Storage for Guaranteed Data Residency
A sovereign-by-design approach offers a direct solution to these regulatory challenges. Our platform operates exclusively in certified European data centers with 100% EU governance. We provide country-level geofencing to keep data within predefined regions under strict EU rules. This ensures your data never leaves the jurisdiction you select, providing legal certainty. For businesses in regulated industries like financial services, this is a non-negotiable requirement. This architecture guarantees data residency, a key pillar of modern data protection. Here is how geofencing strengthens your compliance posture:
It enforces storage within specific EU countries, aligning with GDPR principles.
It prevents data transfers to regions with inadequate data protection laws.
It provides a clear audit trail for regulators, demonstrating full compliance.
It helps meet the stringent requirements of the upcoming EU Data Act.
It simplifies data governance for complex, multi-national operations.
This level of control is essential for any organization serious about protecting its digital assets and maintaining customer trust.
Escape Vendor Lock-In with a Predictable Economic Model
Beyond compliance, many companies feel trapped by complex cloud pricing models. Most cloud users report that provider lock-in is a major pain point. We address this with a transparent model that includes zero egress fees and no API call costs. This approach delivers up to 80% cost savings compared to hyperscaler alternatives. Predictable costs are a key driver for more than 60% of businesses switching cloud providers. Our pricing ensures you can build sustainable budgets for backup and disaster recovery. This economic clarity gives you the freedom to move data without financial penalties, directly countering the risks of cloud vendor lock-in.
Preserve Your Investments with Full S3 Compatibility
Migrating cloud infrastructure should not require rewriting every application and script. Our platform offers 100% S3-API compatibility, ensuring your existing tools keep working. This protects decades of investment in your tech stack and minimizes migration risk. We support advanced S3 capabilities like versioning and lifecycle management out of the box. Our "Always-Hot" object storage model makes all data immediately accessible, eliminating restore delays from complex tiering. This approach simplifies operations for 100% of your archived data. A successful migration depends on this seamless compatibility, as outlined in these key steps:
Confirm your tools use standard S3 API endpoints for communication.
Map existing IAM policies and bucket permissions to the new environment.
Conduct a pilot migration with a non-critical dataset of at least 1 TB.
Validate backup and restore procedures with third-party tools like NovaBackup.
Update your DNS and application configurations to the new endpoints after a successful test.
This ensures your cloud migration strategy is executed with zero disruption.
Deploy Immutable Backups for Proactive Ransomware Defense
Ransomware remains a top threat, with attacks increasing by over 70% in the last year. Our platform provides Immutable Storage with Object Lock as a core defense mechanism. This feature makes your backup data unchangeable for a defined period, rendering it safe from encryption or deletion. We also provide multi-layer encryption for data in transit and at rest. Granular access control is managed through IAM with MFA and RBAC support. Immutable backups are a top-3 priority for 9 out of 10 IT leaders in 2025. This security-first approach is critical for building a resilient posture against evolving cyber threats.
Future-Proof Your Operations for NIS-2 and the EU Data Act
Regulatory landscapes are constantly evolving, demanding proactive compliance. Our architecture is built to meet emerging standards like the EU Data Act, which takes effect in September 2025. It mandates data portability and interoperability, which our open standards and S3 compatibility directly support. We also align with the NIS-2 directive's requirements for continuous security and supply-chain assurance. This readiness provides a competitive advantage for any public sector or enterprise organization. By choosing a compliant-by-design platform, you ensure your infrastructure meets tomorrow's rules today.
Empower the UK Channel with a Partner-Ready Platform
More Links
German Data Protection Conference (DSK) presents a position paper outlining criteria for sovereign clouds.
European Commission outlines its policies and strategies related to cloud computing.
Bitkom presents a publication on a sovereign cloud and data infrastructure for Germany and Europe.
FAQ
What makes Impossible Cloud a sovereign cloud solution?
Impossible Cloud is a sovereign solution because it is a European company that operates exclusively in certified European data centers. All data is governed by EU law, ensuring it is protected from foreign legal frameworks like the US CLOUD Act and is fully GDPR compliant by design.
Are there any hidden costs with your storage?
No. Our pricing is transparent and predictable. We have zero egress fees, no charges for API calls, and no minimum storage durations. This allows you to forecast your costs accurately and move data freely without financial penalties.
How does your 'Always-Hot' model work?
Our 'Always-Hot' architecture means all data is immediately accessible without any delays or restore fees associated with tiered storage (hot, cool, cold). This simplifies operations, ensures predictable performance for applications, and makes urgent data recovery fast and reliable.
What kind of security features do you offer for ransomware protection?
We provide Immutable Storage with S3 Object Lock, which makes your data unchangeable and undeletable for a specified period. This is a critical defense against ransomware. We also offer multi-layer encryption and granular identity and access management (IAM) controls.
Is it difficult to migrate from a major cloud provider?
Migration is straightforward due to our full S3-API compatibility. Your existing S3-native applications, scripts, and backup tools will work without code rewrites. This minimizes risk and protects your previous technology investments.
How do you support Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in the UK?
We provide MSPs with a multi-tenant management console, automation via API/CLI, and a predictable pricing model that ensures stable margins. Through our UK distributor, Northamber plc, we offer local support and fast onboarding for our channel partners.
