SRA Compliant Cloud Storage | Impossible Cloud

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For UK legal practices, selecting a cloud storage provider involves more than just capacity and speed; it is a critical compliance decision. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) mandates stringent protection of client data, a requirement amplified by GDPR. Many firms unknowingly expose themselves to risk by using cloud services subject to foreign laws, such as the US CLOUD Act, which can conflict directly with EU privacy standards. This article outlines a strategic approach to achieving fully compliant cloud storage. We will explore how an EU-native, S3-compatible object storage solution with geofencing and a predictable cost model provides the security, sovereignty, and resilience required by the UK legal sector in 2025.

Key Takeaways

SRA compliance requires using a cloud provider that guarantees data remains under EU/UK data protection law, avoiding exposure to foreign statutes like the US CLOUD Act.
A sovereign cloud solution with UK-only data centres, geofencing, and immutable storage provides the strongest defence against both regulatory risk and ransomware attacks.
Transparent pricing with no egress or API fees is critical for cost predictability, enabling law firms and their MSPs to budget effectively and maintain healthy margins.

Decode SRA Mandates for Cloud Data Management

The SRA requires law firms to perform due diligence on their cloud providers, ensuring client confidentiality and data integrity. SRA guidance specifically raises concerns about providers based outside the European Economic Area due to differing data protection laws. Using a provider that operates exclusively in certified European data centres helps meet these core obligations directly. This EU-centric approach eliminates the primary compliance conflict identified by regulators. Our platform provides UK legal cloud storage that is sovereign by design. This foundation ensures your firm's data handling aligns with the SRA's first principles from day one.

Eliminate CLOUD Act Risks with True Data Sovereignty

The US CLOUD Act allows US authorities to demand data from US-based tech companies, even if that data is stored in UK data centres. This creates a direct conflict with GDPR, which forbids such transfers without a proper legal basis. A truly sovereign cloud provider with no US legal presence is the only way to guarantee immunity from these requests. Our services use country-level geofencing to ensure client data never leaves predefined EU regions. This provides the legal certainty UK firms need. A recent survey showed a strong majority of EU decision-makers now demand European solutions for their critical infrastructure. We offer a practical path to sovereign cloud in the UK.

Operated exclusively in certified European data centres.
Strictly EU-centric data governance and legal structure.
Country-level geofencing to enforce data residency.
Immunity from non-EU government data access requests.
Full alignment with GDPR principles for data transfers.

This architecture provides a definitive solution to the jurisdictional challenges posed by non-EU cloud providers.

Build a Resilient Defence Against Ransomware

The SRA expects firms to have robust measures to prevent data loss from cyberattacks. Ransomware remains a top threat, with attacks growing by over 70% in the last year. Our platform includes Immutable Storage with S3 Object Lock as a core feature for ransomware protection. This function makes your backup data unchangeable for a set period, ensuring a clean recovery point is always available. Immutable backups render ransomware attacks on your archives ineffective. This capability is a key component of a modern 3-2-1 backup strategy. It provides a secure off-site copy that cannot be altered, supporting your firm's duty to protect client assets. Learn more about our secure cloud backup for the UK.

Achieve Cost Predictability and Improve Margins

Many cloud providers attract users with low storage prices but impose high, unpredictable egress fees and API call costs. These hidden charges can increase a monthly bill by 3 to 5 times the storage cost. We offer a transparent economic model with zero egress fees, zero API call costs, and no minimum storage duration. This predictable pricing is especially valuable for MSPs and resellers serving the legal sector, allowing for stable, defensible margins on backup-as-a-service offerings. Our partner console simplifies multi-tenant management with robust reporting and automation tools. This clear economic model is a key reason our partners see an average margin increase of 20%. Our compliance features are designed to provide both legal and financial peace of mind.

Ensure Seamless Integration with S3 Compatibility

Migrating to a new cloud platform can be a significant operational risk if it requires rewriting applications or scripts. Our service is built for full S3-API compatibility, protecting your past investments in tools and training. This ensures your existing backup software, archival scripts, and management tools continue to work without modification. We support advanced S3 capabilities like versioning, lifecycle management, and event notifications. This deep compatibility minimizes migration risk and reduces the onboarding process from months to weeks. Our collaboration with backup leaders like NovaBackup further ensures out-of-the-box integrations for MSPs. This approach helps you protect data from the US CLOUD Act without disrupting your existing IT workflows.

Prepare for UK NIS Regulations and the EU Data Act

Forthcoming regulations will raise the bar for compliance. The UK NIS Regulations, effective from late 2024, mandates continuous security processes and supply-chain assurance for cloud providers. Our operations are already aligned with these principles. The EU Data Act, taking full effect from September 2025, introduces powerful data portability rights and will ban egress fees to prevent vendor lock-in. Our model of zero egress fees already complies with the spirit and letter of this law. Choosing a provider aligned with these future regulations makes compliance a competitive advantage.

UK NIS Regulations Readiness: Continuous security monitoring and documented incident reporting are built into our platform.
Data Portability by Design: Full S3 compatibility and no exit fees ensure you can move your data at any time, as required by the Data Act.
Supply-Chain Assurance: As a UK-based provider, we offer clear jurisdictional and operational transparency.
GDPR Alignment: Our core design supports all principles of GDPR compliance.

This forward-looking approach ensures your firm remains compliant as the regulatory landscape evolves.

Leverage a Partner-Ready Platform for Growth

We are committed to the success of our channel partners, including MSPs, resellers, and system integrators. The platform is designed to be partner-ready, featuring a multi-tenant console with role-based access control (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Automation via a comprehensive API and CLI allows for streamlined management and reporting. Our recent expansion with distributors like api in Germany and Northamber plc in the UK provides local access and support for hundreds of resellers. This growing ecosystem makes it simple to deliver SRA compliant cloud storage solutions to your legal clients. Talk to an expert today to learn how our partner program can help you grow your business with predictable margins.

FAQ

What is the first step to achieving SRA compliant cloud storage?

The first step is to assess your current cloud provider's legal jurisdiction and data residency policies. Confirm that your provider is a European company and can contractually guarantee that your firm's data will be stored exclusively within certified EU or UK data centres, with no possibility of lawful access by non-EU governments.

How does a 'no egress fee' model benefit a legal practice?

A 'no egress fee' model provides significant financial predictability. Law firms often need to access or move large case files. Eliminating egress fees means you can retrieve your data as needed without facing large, unexpected bills, which helps control operational costs and avoids vendor lock-in.

Is S3-API compatibility important for SRA compliance?

While not a direct compliance requirement, S3-API compatibility is crucial for operational resilience and risk management. It allows your firm to use industry-standard tools for backup, archiving, and data management without being locked into a proprietary system. This flexibility simplifies migration and integration, reducing the risk of data handling errors.

How does geofencing support data sovereignty?

Geofencing creates a virtual boundary for your data. For SRA compliance, it is used to technically enforce data residency rules, ensuring that client data is stored and processed only within specific countries (e.g., EU member states). This provides an auditable control that proves your data has not left a compliant jurisdiction.

What should I look for in a service level agreement (SLA)?

For SRA compliance, your SLA should guarantee specific uptime levels, data durability (e.g., 99.999999999%), and support response times. It must also clearly define the provider's security responsibilities, data residency commitments, and procedures for handling security incidents, aligning with regulations like UK NIS Regulations.

How can I start migrating to a compliant cloud storage solution?

Start by identifying all client data currently in the cloud. Then, engage with a compliant provider to plan the migration; their S3 compatibility should allow you to use standard data transfer tools. We recommend starting a free trial to test your existing workflows and perform a test restore before committing to a full migration. Get a demo to see how it works.

Achieve SRA Compliant Cloud Storage with a Sovereign UK-Based Solution

Thomas Demoor