Cloud Storage
Scalable Storage
scalable object storage for IoT applications
Mastering IoT: A Guide to Scalable Object Storage for European Applications
The Internet of Things generates exabytes of data, creating immense storage challenges for EU businesses. Traditional cloud solutions often introduce regulatory risks and unpredictable costs, hindering innovation. This article explores a modern approach to scalable object storage for IoT applications that is sovereign by design.
The topic briefly and concisely
Scalable object storage for IoT applications must be sovereign by design, using EU-only data centers to ensure GDPR compliance and avoid CLOUD Act exposure.
Full S3-API compatibility is essential for seamless integration with existing IoT tools and applications, protecting technology investments and preventing vendor lock-in.
A predictable pricing model with no egress or API fees eliminates surprise costs, enabling sustainable management of large-scale IoT data and creating predictable margins for MSPs.
IoT data is projected to reach nearly 80 zettabytes by 2025, presenting a dual challenge for European enterprises. Organizations must manage this exponential growth while adhering to strict regulations like GDPR and the upcoming NIS-2 directive. Many cloud providers complicate this with complex pricing and exposure to non-EU laws. The solution lies in a platform built for digital sovereignty, offering scalable object storage for IoT applications with full S3 compatibility and a predictable cost model. This approach ensures data remains under EU control, secure from threats, and economically sustainable for long-term growth.
Confront the IoT Data Explosion with a Sovereign Strategy
The sheer volume of data from IoT devices creates significant management hurdles for over 80% of businesses. This explosion of unstructured data requires an infinitely scalable storage solution. For companies in the EU, this technical need is compounded by a legal one: data sovereignty. A strong majority of EU decision-makers now prioritize European solutions to avoid exposure to foreign jurisdictions like the US CLOUD Act. Using a sovereign cloud in Germany or another EU state signals a strong commitment to the data protection standards required by GDPR. This strategy is no longer optional; it is a core component of modern data governance. The right architecture provides the foundation for both scalability and compliance.
Leverage Full S3 Compatibility for Seamless IoT Integration
Object storage is the ideal architecture for the massive amounts of unstructured data generated by IoT sensors and devices. Adopting a platform with full S3-API compatibility ensures that your existing applications, scripts, and data pipelines continue to work without expensive code rewrites. This protects your technology investments and minimizes migration risks for thousands of applications. Full compatibility simplifies data portability, a core principle of the EU Data Act, which takes effect from September 2025. By using a standard API, you retain control and avoid the vendor lock-in common with proprietary systems. This makes exploring the advantages of object storage a low-risk, high-reward decision. But true control extends beyond the API to the physical location of your data.
Guarantee Compliance with EU-Only Geofenced Storage
Data sovereignty requires that data is subject to the laws of the country where it is physically stored. Storing IoT data with non-EU providers creates direct conflict with GDPR and exposes businesses to foreign government access requests. A truly sovereign cloud operates exclusively in certified European data centers, offering country-level geofencing to keep data within predefined regions. This design eliminates CLOUD Act exposure and simplifies GDPR compliance for sensitive workloads. For regulated industries like finance and healthcare, this provides essential legal certainty. Choosing Secure object storage within the EU is the only way to ensure your data remains under European control. This secure foundation is critical for defending against external threats.
Build a Ransomware-Proof Architecture for Critical IoT Data
With ransomware attacks occurring every 11 seconds, protecting backup data is more important than ever. Immutable storage with S3 Object Lock provides a powerful defense, creating a write-once-read-many (WORM) copy of your data that cannot be altered or deleted by attackers. This capability is a cornerstone of a resilient data protection strategy that aligns with the NIS-2 directive's focus on continuous security. A comprehensive security posture for IoT data includes several key layers:
Immutable Backups: Use S3 Object Lock to make backup data ransomware-proof.
Multi-Layer Encryption: Protect data both in-transit and at-rest with verified encryption standards.
Granular Access Control: Implement Identity and Access Management (IAM) with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC).
Resilient by Design: Utilize an architecture that eliminates single points of failure for 100% data availability.
This approach transforms secure big data object storage from a compliance task into a competitive advantage. A robust security model must also be built on a sustainable economic framework.
Achieve Predictable Economics and Eliminate Vendor Lock-In
A major pain point for IT leaders is unpredictable cloud costs, driven by hidden fees for data egress and API calls. Some providers charge up to $0.09 per GB just to move your own data, creating bill shock and discouraging multi-cloud strategies. A transparent pricing model with zero egress fees, zero API call costs, and no minimum storage durations breaks this cycle. This predictability is crucial for managing the high-volume data streams typical of IoT applications. This model also supports the goals of the EU Data Act, which mandates that providers must remove all switching charges by January 2027 to prevent vendor lock-in. Choosing predictable Enterprise object storage empowers you to build long-term strategies without financial surprises. This economic clarity creates new opportunities for channel partners to deliver value.
Empower MSPs with a Partner-Ready Storage Platform
For Managed Service Providers, predictable margins are the key to building profitable Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and archiving solutions. A zero-egress and zero-API-fee model provides the financial stability needed to create defensible service offerings for IoT clients. This allows MSPs to scale services without facing unpredictable cost increases from their storage vendor. The platform is partner-ready by design, offering a suite of tools to simplify management and accelerate onboarding. Key features for MSPs include:
A multi-tenant management console with robust RBAC and MFA.
Complete automation capabilities via a full-featured API and CLI.
Integrated reporting for clear visibility into usage and billing.
Fast onboarding to get new customers protected in minutes.
With new distribution agreements through partners like api in Germany and Northamber plc in the UK, local access to sovereign Scalable object storage systems is simpler than ever.
Additional useful links
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive overview of Object Storage, a data storage architecture that manages data as objects.
The European Commission's Digital Strategy page details policies related to the Internet of Things.
Fraunhofer provides insights into IoT platforms designed for Industry 4.0 applications.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) outlines the nation's digital strategy.
FAQ
What are the main challenges of storing IoT data?
The primary challenges are managing the immense scale and velocity of data generated by devices, ensuring security against threats like ransomware, complying with data sovereignty regulations like GDPR, and controlling the unpredictable costs associated with data storage and transfer (egress fees).
What does 'digital sovereignty' mean for my data?
Digital sovereignty means your data is stored and processed under the exclusive legal jurisdiction of a specific region, like the European Union. For EU businesses, this ensures data is protected by GDPR and is not subject to access by foreign governments under laws like the US CLOUD Act.
Are there any hidden costs with your object storage?
No. Impossible Cloud offers a transparent and predictable pricing model. There are no egress fees for moving your data, no charges for API calls, and no minimum storage durations, which eliminates the surprise bills common with other cloud providers.
How does your platform help Managed Service Providers (MSPs)?
We provide MSPs with a partner-ready platform featuring a multi-tenant console, full automation via API/CLI, and a predictable cost model with no egress fees. This allows MSPs to build profitable and scalable Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and archiving solutions with stable margins.
What is the EU Data Act and how does it affect my storage choices?
The EU Data Act, applying from September 2025, aims to make data more portable and reduce vendor lock-in. It requires cloud providers to make it easy for customers to switch services and will phase out all switching fees by 2027. Using an S3-compatible provider with no egress fees aligns perfectly with these principles.
What is an 'Always-Hot' storage model?
An 'Always-Hot' model means all your data is immediately accessible without any delays or restore fees associated with tiered storage (e.g., cool or archive tiers). This simplifies operations, ensures third-party tools work predictably, and is ideal for IoT use cases where data access patterns can be unpredictable.
