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In 2025, storing data within the EU is not enough to guarantee control. The risk of foreign legal access and the rising threat of ransomware demand a more robust solution. For over 72% of European SMEs, the location of their data is a primary concern, driven by regulations like GDPR and the US CLOUD Act. This guide details how European businesses can adopt immutable backup storage-a sovereign-by-design architecture that delivers ransomware protection, regulatory compliance, and predictable costs without egress fees. It is a blueprint for achieving true digital sovereignty.
Key Takeaways
- True digital sovereignty requires a European cloud provider to avoid non-EU laws like the CLOUD Act, ensuring GDPR compliance.
- Immutable backup storage with S3 Object Lock creates a tamper-proof copy of your data that ransomware cannot delete or modify.
- A zero-egress-fee model provides predictable costs, aligns with the upcoming EU Data Act, and enables predictable margins for MSPs.
Establish Digital Sovereignty to Counter Foreign Law Exposure
European data must remain under European law, a principle challenged by foreign statutes. The US CLOUD Act allows US authorities to compel access to data held by American firms, regardless of its location. This creates a direct legal conflict with GDPR for any business using US-based cloud providers. Data sovereignty is achieved when your data is subject only to the laws of its physical location. Storing data with a true European provider eliminates this jurisdictional risk entirely. This ensures your organization's data is protected from non-European legal demands from day one.
Choosing a European hosting partner provides more than just compliance; it delivers operational benefits. Geofenced storage ensures data remains within a specified country, offering faster access times and lower latency. This is a critical advantage for regulated industries like finance and healthcare. A sovereign cloud strategy transforms compliance from a challenge into a competitive advantage. It builds trust with customers who increasingly demand transparency over data handling and storage practices.
Deploy Immutable Backups as Your Ultimate Ransomware Defense
Ransomware attacks are evolving, with 96% of incidents now targeting backup files to prevent recovery. Traditional backups are no longer a sufficient defense against these sophisticated threats. Immutable backup storage provides a definitive solution by making data unchangeable for a set period. This is achieved using technologies like S3 Object Lock, which applies a Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) model. An immutable copy cannot be altered or deleted by anyone, including attackers with stolen admin credentials.
This technology transforms your backup from a vulnerable target into a guaranteed recovery point. A 2024 report noted over 2 million breach cases from 556 incidents in the EU alone. Immutability ensures that a clean, uncorrupted version of your data is always available for a full restore. This capability is essential for business continuity. The following list outlines the core benefits:
- Guarantees a tamper-proof copy of critical data for recovery.
- Meets strict retention requirements for regulations like GDPR.
- Ensures the integrity of logs and records for audits.
- Provides a reliable recovery path, minimizing downtime after an attack.
- Protects against both malicious attacks and accidental deletions.
Implementing immutable backups is a foundational step in building a modern, resilient security posture.
Future-Proof Your Strategy for Evolving EU Regulations
The European regulatory landscape demands proactive compliance across multiple frameworks. The NIS-2 Directive, for instance, requires organizations in 18 critical sectors to implement robust cybersecurity risk management. This includes securing supply chains and ensuring service resilience. Using immutable storage provides verifiable proof of data integrity, directly addressing NIS-2's call for enhanced cyber resilience. It is a technical safeguard that simplifies audit processes.
Furthermore, the EU Data Act, applicable from September 2025, is set to eliminate vendor lock-in. A key provision of the act is the phasing out of cloud switching charges, with all egress fees to be prohibited after a transition period ending in January 2027. Adopting a zero-egress-fee model now places your business at least 2 years ahead of this regulatory curve. This approach aligns your cloud strategy with a legal framework designed for data freedom. It ensures your GDPR-compliant storage is also economically sustainable for the long term.
Leverage an Enterprise-Ready, S3-Compatible Architecture
True enterprise readiness goes beyond basic storage, requiring an architecture built for performance and simplicity. An "Always-Hot" object storage model ensures 100% of your data is immediately accessible without restore delays. This contrasts sharply with complex tiered systems that introduce retrieval fees and API timeouts. For the 95% of organizations that view rapid recovery as essential, this immediate access is critical. It eliminates operational surprises during urgent restore operations.
A successful transition to a new provider depends on minimizing disruption. Full S3 API compatibility ensures over 99% of existing apps and backup tools work without code rewrites. This protects your past investments and de-risks the migration process. A simple migration plan includes these four steps:
- Audit current cloud bills to quantify egress fee and API call costs over the last 12 months.
- Verify that all S3-native tools are configured to the new S3 endpoint.
- Recreate Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies to match your security posture.
- Execute a pilot migration with at least 1 TB of data to validate performance and restore procedures.
This structured approach makes adopting resilient cloud backup a predictable and seamless project.
Build Predictable Revenue Streams for MSPs and Resellers
For Managed Service Providers, predictable costs are the foundation of sustainable margins. A storage platform with zero egress or API fees is predictable by design. This allows MSPs to build profitable Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) offerings without risk of cost overruns. This model transforms storage from a volatile cost center into a stable, high-margin service. The multi-tenant partner console simplifies management with robust RBAC and MFA controls.
Automation via API and CLI streamlines the onboarding of hundreds of clients efficiently. With distribution momentum from partners like Northamber plc in the UK, local access for resellers is expanding rapidly. This channel-first approach enables MSPs to deliver EU-sovereign solutions that meet the compliance needs of 9 out of 10 clients in regulated sectors. Fast onboarding and simplified compliance for backup and archiving create a strong value proposition. This allows partners to focus on growth instead of managing unpredictable cloud bills.
Take Practical Steps Toward a Sovereign Backup Solution
Transitioning to a sovereign, immutable backup storage solution is a strategic project that enhances security and control. It begins with a clear assessment of your current data protection posture and costs. A successful implementation ensures your data is resilient, compliant, and economically manageable. Here are five practical steps to guide your transition:
- Assess Your Current State: Quantify your last 12 months of cloud spending, focusing on egress and API fees to identify savings.
- Define Retention Policies: Determine the immutability periods required for different data types to meet compliance and operational needs.
- Configure Your Tools: Update your backup software (e.g., Veeam) to use the new S3 endpoint and enable Object Lock functionality.
- Run a Test Restore: Migrate a non-critical dataset of at least 1 TB and perform a full restore to validate your Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs).
- Update Your Documentation: Document the new architecture, including IAM roles and incident response procedures, to align with NIS-2 requirements.
By following these steps, your organization can confidently deploy a modern immutable backup solution. Talk to an expert to plan your migration and secure your data with a predictable, sovereign-by-design platform.
More Links
German Data Protection Conference (DSK) offers a position paper outlining criteria for sovereign clouds, focusing on data protection and control.
The German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) provides access to a wide range of statistical data about Germany on its homepage.
The German Federal Government provides the English translation of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), a key law governing data protection in Germany.
The European Union's Your Europe portal offers information about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its implications for businesses operating in the EU.
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) provides information about data protection.
FAQ
How does your platform ensure my data stays in Europe?
We are a European company operating exclusively in certified European data centers. Our platform is sovereign by design and offers country-level geofencing, which contractually and technically guarantees your data remains within a specific EU region and is governed solely by EU law.
Is your storage compatible with my existing backup software?
Yes, our object storage provides full S3 API compatibility. This ensures that over 99% of existing applications, scripts, and leading backup tools that use the S3 protocol will work seamlessly without needing code rewrites. This simplifies migration and protects your current technology investments.
What makes your pricing model predictable?
Our pricing is transparent and predictable because we charge for storage capacity only. We have no egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage durations. This eliminates the variable costs that make cloud bills unpredictable and allows for precise budget forecasting.
How does Object Lock protect my backups from ransomware?
Our Immutable Storage feature uses S3 Object Lock to apply a Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) seal on your backup data. This makes it impossible for anyone-including an attacker with administrative credentials-to delete or modify the data until the predefined retention period expires, guaranteeing a clean recovery point.
What support do you offer for MSPs and channel partners?
We offer a partner-ready platform with a multi-tenant management console, automation via API/CLI, and comprehensive reporting. Our predictable, zero-egress-fee model allows partners to build profitable BaaS and archiving services with stable margins. We also provide support through our growing European distributor network.
How does your 'Always-Hot' architecture benefit my business?
Our 'Always-Hot' architecture ensures all your data is immediately accessible at all times, with no delays or retrieval fees associated with tiered storage. This is critical for rapid disaster recovery, analytics, and other use cases where instant access is necessary to meet business objectives.



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