At a Glance
BaaS helps businesses meet GDPR and long-term data retention rules through storage limits, automating deletions, and securing backups. Immutability, versioning, deletion logs, and georedundant UK hosting help businesses stay compliant and resilient, with encryption adding an extra layer of protection.
Data Protection in Business
As data compliance regulations continue to evolve, you need to clearly define which data to retain and where to store it. This forms an integral part of your backup retention policy and overall data protection strategy for your business.
But when your admin staff develop a policy to retain backups, they need to consider internal operations and, more importantly, external regulations, laws, and stakeholder expectations. This becomes even more critical when you’re using or considering a Backup as a Service (BaaS) tool.
In this guide, we’re sharing how BaaS supports GDPR and long-term data retention policies.
Understanding Data Retention Requirements in the UK
When it comes to storing your data correctly, the best place to start is by looking at the legal framework to fully understand data retention.
Your business needs to be in control of how you safeguard data, as well as being accountable under various laws and regulations, including:
UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 form the foundation of data protection law in the UK.
The key principles include:
- Purpose limitation: Data should only be collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes
- Data minimisation: Only process data that’s adequate, relevant, and limited to what’s necessary
- Storage limitation: Keep personal data for no longer than necessary for the purposes for which it’s processed
GDPR Retention Rules for Backup Data
GDPR Article 5(1)(e) limits the storage of personal data, requiring that it be kept no longer than necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. According to this rule, your business must define specific retention periods for personal data and delete it when it’s no longer required. The same applies to backups containing EU citizen data.
According to these regulations, your business needs to:
- Create a backup data retention policy according to your operational needs
- Categorise backup data and link retention periods to each category
- Identify and delete outdated backups once retention periods expire
- Automate the deletion of data or expire backups when they pass their retention thresholds
- Destroy backup media securely at the end of its life
Your on-premise or cloud data retention policy must specify retention periods that depend on the type of record. For example, you’ll need to retain payroll and wage records for 6 years from the end of the financial year, while you can store marketing preferences for 2 years from the customer’s last interaction.
Additionally, ICO guidance emphasises the need for a retention schedule that is reviewed and classifies data by risk, purpose, and minimal retention.
Why Backups Must Be Part of Your Retention Policy
A retention policy points to what data your organisation needs to keep and informs admins on what data to delete.
It’s easy for critical data to either get lost in the huge volumes your organisation generates or be buried under redundant copies.
What Is a Backup Retention Policy?
Backups containing personal data are subject to GDPR. This means that data in backups must be deletable or anonymisable. Your organisation’s retention policy defines the types of backup that are acceptable, as well as the method used.
A well‑defined retention policy helps your business satisfy industry‑specific compliance mandates and legal obligations, putting you on track to pass your regulatory audits.
How BaaS Providers Enable Compliance & Efficient Retention
BaaS isn’t just about storage; it’s more about creating an infrastructure that supports your business’ compliance needs. Unlike traditional backup systems that rely on manual processes and are more prone to human errors, BaaS can automate many tasks and reduce the risk of mistakes.
BaaS providers in the UK, like BlackBox Hosting, offer BaaS with features designed to support GDPR and business continuity requirements. These include:
Immutable Backups
You can define periods to lock backups against modification or deletion. This allows you to preserve the integrity of your data even when internal or external threats strike.
Deletion Logs
Every deletion is logged, giving you a transparent record of who deleted what and when. Not only does this make every user accountable, but it also helps you meet audit requirements.
Versioning
With versioning, you keep multiple versions of files that can be rolled back to a specific point in time in case of ransomware or accidental deletion.
Cross-Border Controls
If your business operates internationally, you know where your backups are stored (e.g., UK-only or EU-only). With us as your BaaS partner, you can comply with cross-border transfer regulations and data sovereignty.
How BlackBox Hosting’s BaaS meets GDPR and Long-Term Data Retention
To comply with GDPR, you need robust backup solutions that include data centre choices, encryption protocols, retention policies, and the ability to purge backups when necessary.
BlackBox Hosting offers powerful BaaS solutions, including cloud, virtual, and physical backups, supported by:
- UK-based servers
- Veeam backup systems
- 256-bit client-side encryption and secure protocols
- Cutting-edge DDoS mitigation strategy
- 3-2-1 rule involving onsite, offsite, and archiving of data
- Real-time replication for total business continuity
- Clear-cut visibility and reporting
- Automated backup scheduling, email notifications, and centralised monitoring
- Advanced eDiscovery capabilities on mailboxes, files, and sites
- ISO 22301 certification for business continuity management
- Robust DRaaS
BlackBox Hosting is here to help you confidently meet all legal and compliance requirements. Partner with us to outsource your backup and disaster recovery solution.
Call us to learn how we can deliver a complete and dependable backup solution for your business.
