European Cloud

Sovereign Cloud

public sector cloud UK

Secure UK Public Sector Cloud with Sovereign, Cost-Predictable Storage

21.09.2025

9

Minutes

Thomas Demoor

CTO Impossible Cloud

Oct 11, 2025

21.09.2025

21.09.2025

9

Minutes

Thomas Demoor

CTO Impossible Cloud

UK public sector bodies face a dual challenge: delivering resilient digital services while ensuring data sovereignty. A European-based cloud offers a solution with predictable costs and zero egress fees. This approach strengthens compliance and eliminates vendor lock-in.

Key Takeaways

True digital sovereignty for the UK public sector requires an EU-owned and operated cloud to avoid foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act.

A predictable cost model with zero egress or API fees is essential for public sector budget certainty and avoids vendor lock-in.

Upcoming regulations like the EU Data Act and NIS-2 make data portability and supply chain security mandatory considerations for cloud procurement.

The UK's Cloud First policy encourages public sector cloud adoption, yet each department retains risk-based responsibility for data location. Navigating UK GDPR and the impending EU Data Act requires a new strategy for the public sector cloud UK. This article outlines a path to a secure and compliant cloud strategy using a sovereign-by-design European object storage solution with a 100% predictable cost model.

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Establish Digital Sovereignty Beyond Simple Residency

Data sovereignty means data is subject to the laws of the country where it is stored, a key principle for UK entities. True sovereignty considers provider ownership to avoid foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act, a risk even with UK-based data centers. A German state cloud strategy, for instance, requires data processing under its own control to prevent data outflows to third parties. Choosing a 100% EU-owned and operated cloud ensures data remains under EU rules. This strategy provides the highest level of UK data sovereignty for sensitive public information. This legal certainty is the foundation of a modern public sector cloud strategy.

Eliminate Budget Surprises with a Predictable Economic Model

Many cloud providers impose complex pricing with egress fees and API call costs, creating budget uncertainty for public bodies. Impossible Cloud offers a transparent model with zero egress fees and no API call costs, ensuring 100% predictable spending. Our "Always-Hot" object storage architecture makes all data immediately accessible without expensive and slow retrieval from cold tiers. This model simplifies operations by over 50% compared to tiered systems. This approach provides both performance and cost certainty, preventing the vendor lock-in common with complex pricing. Predictable economics allow for better long-term financial planning and resource allocation.

Build Resilient Ransomware Protection for Critical Services

Ransomware attacks on the public sector can disrupt services for millions of citizens, with recovery taking months. A robust defence requires more than just backups; it needs immutability. Our platform includes S3 Object Lock, making data immutable for a set period and providing auditable proof of integrity. This feature is a core component of a modern zero-trust security architecture. Immutable backups can reduce ransomware recovery times by up to 96%. We also provide multi-layer encryption and granular IAM controls to secure data at every stage. This security-first approach is essential for maintaining service continuity.

Prepare for New EU Data Portability and Security Rules

New regulations will reshape the public sector cloud UK landscape. The EU Data Act, taking full effect from September 2025, grants users rights to switch cloud providers easily, reducing vendor lock-in. It applies to UK businesses offering services in the EU, mandating data portability. Concurrently, the UK's planned Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will align with the EU's NIS-2 Directive, expanding security duties to the supply chain, including data centers and cloud providers. Here is how to prepare:

  1. Review all cloud contracts for exit clauses and potential hidden fees.

  2. Ensure your provider offers full data export capabilities, including metadata.

  3. Verify your cloud provider's supply chain security measures align with NIS-2 principles.

  4. Implement immutable storage to meet heightened data protection standards.

This proactive stance on UK GDPR compliance ensures future readiness.


Leverage Full S3 Compatibility for Seamless Migration

Migrating to a new cloud platform can introduce significant risk and cost, often requiring complete code rewrites. Our platform is built on a 100% S3-compatible API, ensuring your existing applications, scripts, and tools continue to work without modification. This protects at least 10 years of investment in S3-based workflows and skills. We offer out-of-the-box integrations with leading backup tools like NovaBackup, simplifying the transition. A fully compatible API can reduce migration project timelines by over 70%. This seamless compatibility ensures a low-risk, high-value transition to a sovereign cloud environment. This technical alignment empowers IT teams to focus on service delivery, not tool replacement.

Empower the UK Channel with a Partner-Ready Platform

Managed Service Providers are critical to the public sector's digital transformation, requiring platforms designed for their business model. We provide a partner-ready solution with predictable margins, as our zero-egress-fee model allows for stable pricing for BaaS and archiving services. Our multi-tenant partner console offers full automation via API/CLI, role-based access control, and simplified reporting for MSPs. With UK distribution through Northamber plc, local resellers have direct access and support. Our partners report up to 30% faster onboarding for new clients. This channel focus helps MSPs deliver sovereign G-Cloud storage solutions effectively. A strong partner ecosystem is key to serving the diverse needs of the UK public sector.

Adopt a Practical Framework for Sovereign Cloud Storage

Transitioning to a sovereign cloud requires a clear, step-by-step process to ensure security and continuity. Adopting a modern data protection strategy is the first step for any public sector IT leader. A 4-2-2 backup strategy provides an excellent framework for resilience. This involves four copies of your data, on two different media types, with two copies offsite, one of which is immutable. Here is a practical checklist for migration:

  • Audit your data to classify it based on sensitivity and residency requirements.

  • Confirm your chosen EU cloud provider has certified data centers and country-level geofencing.

  • Configure S3 endpoints and transfer a small, non-critical dataset to test connectivity.

  • Replicate your existing IAM policies and user roles in the new environment.

  • Perform a full test restore to validate data integrity and recovery time objectives.

This structured approach ensures a successful move to a secure storage for official sensitive data.


Transitioning to a sovereign cloud requires a clear, step-by-step process to ensure security and continuity. Adopting a modern data protection strategy is the first step for any public sector IT leader. A 4-2-2 backup strategy provides an excellent framework for resilience. This involves four copies of your data, on two different media types, with two copies offsite, one of which is immutable. Here is a practical checklist for migration:

  • Audit your data to classify it based on sensitivity and residency requirements.

  • Confirm your chosen EU cloud provider has certified data centers and country-level geofencing.

  • Configure S3 endpoints and transfer a small, non-critical dataset to test connectivity.

  • Replicate your existing IAM policies and user roles in the new environment.

  • Perform a full test restore to validate data integrity and recovery time objectives.

This structured approach ensures a successful move to a secure storage for official sensitive data.


FAQ

Is your public sector cloud solution available on G-Cloud?

Yes, our sovereign object storage solutions are designed to meet the stringent requirements of the UK public sector and are available through the G-Cloud framework, simplifying procurement for government bodies.



How do you ensure data cannot leave the UK or EU?

We operate exclusively in certified European data centers and provide country-level geofencing. This allows you to restrict data storage to specific regions, ensuring your data never leaves your chosen jurisdiction, in full compliance with EU and UK data protection laws.



What makes your pricing model predictable for public sector budgets?

Our pricing is based on a simple, transparent model. We charge only for the storage you use and have no egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage durations. This eliminates the risk of surprise bills and allows for precise, predictable budgeting.



How does Object Lock help defend against ransomware?

S3 Object Lock allows you to make backups immutable, meaning they cannot be altered or deleted for a specified period. If a ransomware attack occurs, you can restore a clean, unencrypted version of your data, ensuring business continuity and rendering the attack ineffective.



Can we migrate from our current S3 provider easily?

Absolutely. Our platform is 100% S3 API-compatible. This means your existing tools, applications, and scripts will work without any changes. The migration process is straightforward, involving updating the endpoint and credentials in your existing workflows.



How do you support MSPs serving the UK public sector?

We provide a partner-centric platform with a multi-tenant console, full automation via API/CLI, and predictable margins due to our pricing model. Through our UK distributor, Northamber plc, we offer local support to help MSPs deliver sovereign and compliant cloud solutions.



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Impossible Cloud is your European alternative for S3-compatible object storage. Data resides in GDPR-compliant, certified EU data centers; Object Lock and versioning protect against ransomware. Transparent pricing with no egress or API fees. Perfect for backup, archive, and disaster recovery.

Impossible Cloud is your European alternative for S3-compatible object storage. Data resides in GDPR-compliant, certified EU data centers; Object Lock and versioning protect against ransomware. Transparent pricing with no egress or API fees. Perfect for backup, archive, and disaster recovery.

Impossible Cloud is your European alternative for S3-compatible object storage. Data resides in GDPR-compliant, certified EU data centers; Object Lock and versioning protect against ransomware. Transparent pricing with no egress or API fees. Perfect for backup, archive, and disaster recovery.