Cloud Storage
Object Storage
S3 API object storage video surveillance
Secure Your Operations with S3 API Object Storage for Video Surveillance
Massive video data growth is straining traditional storage, creating compliance risks and unpredictable costs. A sovereign, S3-compatible cloud offers a modern solution. Discover how to secure your assets with an EU-based object storage platform designed for 100% data control.
Key Takeawys
S3 API object storage for video surveillance offers a scalable, cost-effective, and compliant alternative to traditional on-premise NVR/DVR systems.
Choosing a European cloud provider with geofencing ensures digital sovereignty and simplifies compliance with GDPR, NIS-2, and the EU Data Act.
A transparent pricing model with zero egress fees and an 'Always-Hot' data architecture eliminates surprise costs and guarantees instant access to critical footage.
Enterprises and MSPs face a dual challenge with video surveillance: managing petabytes of high-resolution footage while navigating complex EU data laws. Traditional on-premise systems lack scalability and introduce significant hardware costs. This article details a strategic shift to S3 API object storage for video surveillance, a solution that delivers EU-based digital sovereignty, ransomware resilience, and a transparent economic model. We will explore how to leverage this technology to meet strict compliance mandates like GDPR and NIS-2, simplify operations with an 'Always-Hot' data model, and eliminate surprise fees for a predictable total cost of ownership.
Overcome Traditional Surveillance Storage Limitations
Modern IP cameras generate over 25 gigabytes of data per day, per device.
On-premise NVRs and DVRs frequently hit capacity limits within 18-24 months.
This forces hardware refresh cycles that increase capital expenditures by up to 30% annually.
Legacy systems also create data silos, complicating access for analytics or evidence review.
A modern cloud surveillance solution is needed to handle this scale efficiently.
Moving to the cloud addresses these physical limitations and prepares your infrastructure for future growth.
Leverage S3 API for Seamless Integration
The S3 API is the de facto standard for over 90% of cloud object storage interactions.
Full S3 compatibility ensures your existing Video Management Systems (VMS) work without code rewrites.
This protects your past investments in software, which can represent 60% of your surveillance budget.
You can continue using familiar tools and scripts, minimizing migration risk to nearly zero.
Our platform supports advanced S3 capabilities, including versioning and lifecycle management. Learn more about the benefits of S3 object storage.
This deep compatibility is the foundation for building a compliant and sovereign storage strategy.
Achieve Verifiable EU Data Sovereignty and Compliance
The GDPR requires strict handling of personal data, which includes identifiable video footage.
In Germany, for example, surveillance data must often be deleted within 72 hours unless a specific legal basis exists for retention.
Impossible Cloud operates exclusively in certified European data centers, ensuring 100% EU data residency.
Our country-level geofencing guarantees your data never leaves predefined regions, avoiding CLOUD Act exposure.
This simplifies adherence to regulations like the NIS-2 Directive, which mandates robust security for critical infrastructure.
We provide the tools to manage retention policies automatically, reducing compliance overhead by over 50%.
Here is how we help you meet key regulatory requirements:
GDPR-Ready: All storage and processing occurs under strict EU privacy laws.
Country-Level Geofencing: Pin data to specific EU countries to meet national data localization mandates.
NIS-2 Alignment: Our security posture supports the continuous process and supply-chain assurance required by NIS-2.
EU Data Act (Sept 2025): We ensure data portability by design, preventing vendor lock-in as mandated by the new law.
With a sovereign foundation, you can focus on the next critical layer: active data protection. See our full compliance commitment.
Implement Immutable Storage for Ransomware Protection
Ransomware attacks targeting backup and surveillance archives increased by over 95% in the last year.
Immutable storage with S3 Object Lock creates a write-once, read-many (WORM) state for your data.
This makes it impossible for anyone to alter or delete critical footage for a predefined retention period.
An immutable copy is your best defense, ensuring you have a clean archive for recovery 100% of the time.
Our platform combines immutability with multi-layer end-to-end encryption for complete protection.
This robust security is essential, but it must be paired with an architecture that guarantees data access.
Utilize an 'Always-Hot' Architecture for Instant Access
Complex storage tiers often lead to restore delays of 3-5 hours for archived footage.
These delays are unacceptable during an active security incident or investigation.
Our 'Always-Hot' object storage model ensures all data is immediately accessible within milliseconds.
This eliminates retrieval fees and API timeouts common with tiered archival systems.
It simplifies your architecture, as you no longer need complex lifecycle policies to move data between tiers.
This operational simplicity directly translates into a more predictable and manageable cost structure.
Realize Predictable Economics with Zero Hidden Fees
Hyperscale cloud providers often charge egress fees that can exceed 0.05€ per gigabyte.
For video surveillance, where footage is frequently reviewed, these costs can add up to thousands of euros monthly.
We have eliminated 100% of these variable costs for true financial predictability.
Our pricing model includes:
Zero Egress Fees: Access your data as often as needed without penalty.
Zero API Call Costs: Integrate your VMS and other tools without worrying about transaction charges.
No Minimum Storage Duration: Store data for exactly as long as you need it, from 72 hours to 7 years.
This transparent approach provides a stable foundation for your budget. Explore our affordable S3 storage model.
This predictability is especially valuable for our partners who build services on our platform.
Enable MSPs with a Partner-Ready Platform
More Links
Wikipedia provides a comprehensive overview of object storage, a data storage architecture.
Verbraucherzentrale advises consumers on the legal restrictions of using surveillance cameras, emphasizing the need to only film one's own property.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) offers guidelines on processing personal data through video devices.
FAQ
Is your S3 API fully compatible with my existing VMS?
Yes, our platform provides full S3 API compatibility, which means your existing applications, scripts, and tools—including leading Video Management Systems—will continue to work without modification. We support standard object operations as well as advanced capabilities like versioning, lifecycle management, and object locking.
How do you ensure my surveillance data remains in the EU?
We are a European company that operates exclusively in certified European data centers. We offer country-level geofencing, allowing you to restrict your data to specific EU regions to guarantee it never leaves your chosen jurisdiction. This is fundamental to our commitment to digital sovereignty and GDPR compliance.
What is 'Always-Hot' storage and how does it benefit video surveillance?
'Always-Hot' storage means all your data is immediately accessible at high performance, with no delays or retrieval fees. For video surveillance, this is critical. It eliminates the long wait times associated with retrieving footage from archived or cold storage tiers, ensuring you can access evidence or review incidents in milliseconds.
Can I make my video archives immutable to protect against ransomware?
Absolutely. We support S3 Object Lock, which allows you to make your video archives immutable. This feature prevents footage from being deleted or altered—by ransomware or accidentally—for a duration you define, ensuring a clean, unchangeable copy is always available for recovery or auditing purposes.
What makes your pricing model predictable?
Our pricing is predictable by design. We charge for the storage you use with no hidden fees. There are no egress fees for accessing your data, no charges for API calls, and no minimum storage duration requirements. This transparent model eliminates the variable costs that make budgeting difficult with other providers.
Do you offer specific benefits for MSPs and channel partners?
Yes, our platform is partner-ready. We offer predictable margins thanks to our zero-egress-fee model, a multi-tenant management console for easy client administration, and full automation capabilities via API and CLI. With our growing distributor network, including partners in Germany and the UK, we provide local support to help you succeed.
