Define SRA Storage Compliance Beyond Confidentiality

The SRA Code of Conduct requires firms to keep client affairs confidential, a duty the courts have described as unqualified. This obligation extends beyond simple privacy; it involves ensuring data is not subject to laws that could compel its disclosure, a risk with providers under non-EU jurisdiction. Over 84% of European organizations are now planning to use sovereign cloud solutions to mitigate such risks. SRA-compliant storage is therefore defined by its legal and geographical jurisdiction. Storing data in certified EU data centers provides a direct line to GDPR alignment, a core component of the SRA’s expectations. This jurisdictional control is the first step toward building a compliant data strategy.

Implement Geofencing for Absolute Data Residency

True SRA compliance demands certainty about where data resides, processing over 100% of it within a defined region. Impossible Cloud provides country-level geofencing, ensuring client data stays within specific European borders, fully governed by EU law. This eliminates the ambiguity associated with global cloud providers whose infrastructure spans multiple legal jurisdictions. For UK firms, this offers a clear advantage for UK GDPR compliance and data sovereignty. This level of control is essential for regulated industries, especially financial services, where data location is under constant scrutiny. Geofencing provides the technical enforcement needed to back up legal compliance claims.

Leverage Immutability for Ransomware Defence and Audits

The SRA expects firms to have robust systems to protect client data and assets, a requirement tested by the 34% rise in ransomware attacks. Immutable storage, or Object Lock, makes data unchangeable for a set period, creating a tamper-proof copy for recovery. This feature is critical for two reasons:

1. It provides a guaranteed clean recovery point, neutralizing ransomware threats.
2. It creates an auditable, unalterable record of client data, simplifying compliance checks.

This makes immutable backups a cornerstone of modern SRA-compliant storage. By integrating with tools like NovaBackup, firms can automate the creation of these secure backups, ensuring their data security posture meets regulatory standards. This proactive defence is a key theme in upcoming NIS-2 supply chain security rules.

Align with EU Regulations to Future-Proof Compliance

SRA compliance does not exist in a vacuum; it is part of a wider European regulatory landscape. Storing data in EU-only data centers inherently aligns with multiple frameworks. The German BSI C5 standard, for example, provides a benchmark for cloud security that is increasingly adopted across the EU. Furthermore, the EU Data Act, applicable from September 2025, mandates data portability to prevent vendor lock-in. An S3-compatible platform with no egress fees meets this requirement by design. Choosing a European provider ensures a firm is prepared for these evolving standards, turning regulatory readiness into a competitive advantage and ensuring full compliance with EU rules.

Achieve Predictable Costs for Defensible Margins

For MSPs serving the legal sector, unpredictable cloud costs erode margins and complicate client billing. Many cloud providers charge egress fees and API call costs, which can increase a bill by over 50%. Impossible Cloud’s model is predictable by design: zero egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage duration. This transparency allows MSPs to offer SRA-compliant storage solutions with stable, defensible margins. With UK distribution now available through Northamber plc, partners have local access to a platform built for their economic success. This financial predictability is as important as technical compliance.

Secure Data with an Architecture Built for Zero Trust

An effective SRA-compliant storage strategy requires an architecture that eliminates single points of failure and enforces strict access controls. Impossible Cloud’s platform is built on several key security principles:

• Multi-layer encryption: All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest.
• Identity-based IAM: Granular, role-driven policies are managed with MFA and RBAC.
• “Always-Hot” Access: All data is immediately accessible, avoiding restore delays that can disrupt legal proceedings.
• EU-Controlled Key Management: Encryption keys are managed under EU jurisdiction, preventing foreign-compelled access.

This comprehensive approach, which aligns with ENISA recommendations, ensures that security is not an afterthought. It provides the robust foundation needed to protect sensitive client information against all threats.