Cloud Storage
Object Storage
OVH storage limitations UK
Navigate OVH Storage Limitations in the UK with a Sovereign, Predictable Cloud Strategy
Are hidden fees and data residency concerns creating limitations for your UK operations? Many IT leaders face these challenges, discovering that true control requires a different approach. A sovereign, EU-based cloud offers a clear path to cost predictability and compliance without performance trade-offs.
Key Takeaways
True data sovereignty depends on the provider's legal headquarters, not just the data centre location, making an EU-based provider essential for UK businesses to avoid CLOUD Act exposure.
Eliminate budget overruns by choosing a storage model with zero egress fees and zero API call costs, which can otherwise account for up to 41% of a monthly cloud bill.
Strengthen ransomware defence and ensure GDPR compliance with immutable storage (Object Lock), which creates unchangeable data copies for guaranteed recovery.
For UK businesses, navigating cloud storage often involves confronting significant limitations, especially around cost predictability and data sovereignty. A 2024 survey showed 62% of IT leaders exceeded their cloud budgets, frequently due to unexpected egress fees. Furthermore, with the UK operating under its own GDPR framework, ensuring data is governed under clear EU laws is a rising priority for 87% of decision-makers. This article explores the common storage limitations UK firms face and outlines a strategic shift towards a sovereign, S3-compatible object storage model. It provides a clear, enterprise-ready path to overcoming these challenges.
Prioritise UK Data Sovereignty and GDPR Alignment
For UK businesses, data sovereignty is no longer a niche concern but a strategic necessity affecting 87% of firms. While the UK has its own GDPR framework, storing data with an EU-native provider ensures it remains under strict EU legal control, avoiding CLOUD Act exposure. This is a critical distinction, as a provider's headquarters, not just the data centre location, defines legal jurisdiction. True sovereignty guarantees your data is governed exclusively by EU privacy laws.
An EU-centric approach offers UK companies a significant compliance advantage. With regulations like the NIS-2 Directive now in effect, supply-chain security is under intense scrutiny. Using a provider governed by EU law simplifies compliance for the 72% of UK businesses that serve EU clients. Explore how true data sovereignty for the UK provides a competitive edge. This focus on EU-only operations is the first step in overcoming cross-border data risks.
Eliminate Unpredictable Costs and Vendor Lock-In
A major limitation in cloud storage is unpredictable billing, where egress fees can account for over 15% of total cloud costs. Many providers charge nothing for data ingress but impose substantial fees for retrieval, creating vendor lock-in. This model makes budgeting difficult, with one report finding that 41% of a typical storage bill can consist of extra fees beyond pure storage.
A transparent economic model removes these barriers entirely. Impossible Cloud is predictable by design, with a clear policy:
Zero egress fees: Move your data anytime without financial penalties.
Zero API call costs: Run applications and scripts without worrying about usage-based charges.
No minimum storage duration: Pay only for what you use, for as long as you use it.
This approach gives you back control over your budget and data. It also aligns with the EU Data Act, which aims to eliminate lock-in fees by 2027. By choosing a provider with a transparent model now, you can avoid vendor lock-in and build a more resilient financial strategy. This financial freedom allows for better architectural decisions.
Demand an Enterprise-Ready, Always-Hot Architecture
Performance limitations often stem from complex, tiered storage models that create operational friction. Restoring data from archival tiers can cause API timeouts and application failures, disrupting the 35% of workflows that rely on immediate data access. These delays introduce risk, especially during a disaster recovery scenario. An “Always-Hot” architecture ensures 100% of your data is immediately accessible without restore delays.
Full S3-API compatibility is another critical factor for enterprise readiness. It protects your existing investments in tools and scripts, ensuring a seamless migration that takes 50% less time. This compatibility must extend to advanced features like versioning, object tagging, and lifecycle management. A consistent, high-performance architecture eliminates single points of failure. A proper storage vendor evaluation should prioritise these non-negotiable technical standards. Such a robust foundation is essential for securing your data effectively.
Strengthen Ransomware Protection with Immutable Storage
Ransomware attacks are projected to cause over $30 billion in damages globally in 2025, making immutable storage a critical defence. Immutability, or Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM), ensures that once data is written, it cannot be altered or deleted for a defined period. This provides a guaranteed clean copy for recovery, rendering ransomware powerless. It is a core requirement for regulations like GDPR, which mandate data integrity.
Implementing a robust backup strategy using immutability is straightforward. Follow these key steps:
Enable Immutable Storage (Object Lock): Activate this feature on your backup buckets to protect data from modification or deletion.
Follow the 3-2-1 Rule: Maintain at least three copies of your data, on two different media, with one copy offsite and immutable.
Set Compliant Retention Policies: Define retention periods that align with regulatory requirements like GDPR and internal governance needs.
Regularly Test Restores: Periodically validate your immutable backups to ensure you can recover data quickly and completely.
This proactive stance on security is vital when comparing OVH vs UK providers. An immutable, sovereign backup strategy prepares you for future regulatory demands.
Prepare for Upcoming EU Regulations like the Data Act
The regulatory landscape is evolving, and UK firms must prepare for new EU rules that impact data handling. The EU Data Act, fully applicable from September 2025, mandates data portability and interoperability by design. It requires cloud providers to offer a clear exit path, including metadata and access information, preventing the vendor lock-in that affects 42% of cloud users. This legislation empowers you to switch providers without substantial costs or technical hurdles.
Similarly, the NIS-2 Directive, now in effect, imposes strict cybersecurity and supply-chain assurance requirements on providers serving EU markets. It mandates continuous security processes, incident reporting within 72 hours, and vulnerability management. Choosing a provider already aligned with these regulations is a competitive advantage. It ensures your storage strategy is future-proof and avoids the compliance issues that can arise from cloud migration considerations. This readiness is especially valuable for channel partners.
Leverage a Partner-Ready Platform for UK MSPs
For UK Managed Service Providers, storage limitations directly impact profitability and client trust. A platform designed for the channel provides the tools needed to build successful Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) offerings. The key is a predictable cost model with zero egress or API fees, which allows for stable, defensible margins—a challenge for 55% of MSPs using hyperscalers.
Impossible Cloud is partner-ready, with features designed for MSPs. Our multi-tenant console includes granular role-based access control (RBAC) and MFA for secure client management. Automation via a full-featured API/CLI and out-of-the-box integrations with tools like NovaBackup streamline operations. With our UK distributor, Northamber plc, we provide local access and support, ensuring fast onboarding for UK resellers. This ecosystem offers a clear alternative to AWS S3 for UK providers.
More Links
The European Commission is advancing cloud sovereignty with a €180 million tender.
The European Commission outlines its policies regarding cloud computing.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) provides information about cloud computing for the public.
The German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) provides tables and data on cloud computing usage in enterprises.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopts privacy recommendations for the use of cloud services by the public sector.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action provides information on digitization.
ENISA (European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) offers a PDF document about cloud computing.
FAQ
What is sovereign cloud storage?
Sovereign cloud storage ensures that your data is stored and managed exclusively under the laws of a specific jurisdiction, like the European Union. This means the provider is headquartered and operates solely within that region, protecting your data from foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act and ensuring GDPR compliance.
How does a 'no egress fee' model benefit my business?
A 'no egress fee' model provides complete cost predictability. You can access, retrieve, or move your data as needed without incurring extra charges, which eliminates budget surprises and prevents vendor lock-in. This is crucial for data-intensive workloads like backup, disaster recovery, and analytics.
Is Impossible Cloud compatible with my existing backup software?
Yes. Impossible Cloud offers full S3 API compatibility, making it an out-of-the-box solution for leading backup and recovery tools. It integrates seamlessly with software like Veeam, Commvault, and NovaBackup, allowing you to use it as a primary or secondary backup target without changing your workflows.
What is an 'Always-Hot' storage architecture?
An 'Always-Hot' architecture means all data is stored in a single, high-performance tier and is always immediately accessible. This eliminates the delays and complexities of tiered storage (hot, cool, archive), where retrieving data can take hours and incur extra fees. It simplifies operations and ensures fast, predictable restores.
How does Impossible Cloud support UK channel partners and MSPs?
We provide a partner-ready platform with a predictable pricing model (no egress or API fees) for stable margins. Our multi-tenant console, automation tools (API/CLI), and local UK distribution through Northamber plc ensure fast onboarding and simplified management for MSPs offering BaaS and DRaaS.
How does geofencing work to keep my data in the UK or EU?
Geofencing allows you to restrict your data to specific, certified European data centres at the country level. When you create a storage bucket, you select the region where the data will reside. This ensures your data never leaves the chosen jurisdiction, helping you meet strict data residency and sovereignty requirements for regulated workloads.
