01; Survey
Pre-Ingest Survey
We confirm your data volume, drive types, and site requirements. Special-category data under GDPR is flagged and reviewed. Everything agreed in writing before we set a visit date.
Managed Cold Data Storage
Your data, protected.
Your data, protected.
Mathematically.
A secure, encrypted vault for the records you must keep but rarely need. AES-256 encryption, secure encrypted storage, and a Checksum Certificate that proves - byte for byte; your data arrived intact. No internet bottlenecks. No guesswork.
Custom
pricing, always
72hr
retrieval SLA
AES-256
encrypted at rest
ICO
registered
Why Strata
Smart, Secure, and Surprisingly Affordable.
Strata isn't your average cloud provider. We've built a purpose-designed cold storage vault for professional firms that need long-term data retention without paying hot-storage prices. Enterprise-grade infrastructure; same tier as the world's largest organisations; none of the bloat.
Firms are typically paying ten to fifteen times more than necessary for data they access once or twice a year. Strata fixes that; with a signed chain-of-custody and mathematical proof of integrity on every transfer.
See who we work with →
The Strata Vault
Rock-Solid Cold Storage That Just Works.
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Ultra-low-cost archival storage
Cold storage means you only pay for what you actually need. We typically reduce archival costs by 80-90% versus hot storage alternatives like Dropbox or Google Drive.
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AES-256 encrypted storage you can trust
Your data is encrypted before it leaves your premises and remains encrypted at rest in the vault. The same standard used by financial institutions. No third party; including Amazon; can read your data.
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72-hour retrieval SLA, included
Cold storage doesn't mean inaccessible. Submit a retrieval request and receive your files within 72 hours; guaranteed. Up to 100GB per calendar month is included at no charge.
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You choose where your data lives
UK storage is our standard. For clients needing enhanced jurisdictional privacy, Swiss-certified data centres are also available - recognised as among the strongest data protection environments in the world. You specify; your data does not move without your explicit instruction.
White Glove Ingest
We Come to You. No Internet Upload Required.
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Physical on-site data collection
For data volumes over 2TB or where broadband isn't reliable, we attend your premises with secure transport hardware and copy your data on-site under your supervision. No waiting days for an internet upload.
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Signed chain-of-custody documentation
You receive a signed chain-of-custody form before we leave your premises. Your data never travels in an unencrypted state. A legally defensible audit trail from the moment we arrive.
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Four-point checksum verification
We verify data integrity at every handoff; source, transport drive, ingest facility, and vault. If any two consecutive checksums don't match, we stop and investigate before proceeding.
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Checksum Certificate on completion
Once your vault is confirmed, you receive a Checksum Certificate by email. Mathematical proof; using the same verification standard as legal evidence chains; that your vault copy is byte-perfect. Keep it safe.
The Process
Four steps to a verified vault.
From first call to a confirmed, encrypted vault in the cloud. No internet bottlenecks, no guesswork, no "hope it got there" moments.
02; Collect
White Glove Collection
Our technician attends your premises, copies your data on-site using verified ingest software, and leaves you a signed chain-of-custody document. Your data never travels unencrypted.
03; Verify
Four-Point Checksum
Data integrity is verified at every handoff; V1 source, V2 transport, V3 pre-upload, V4 vault; using XXH64 and SHA-256 in ASC-MHL format. One mismatch and we stop, every time.
04; Confirm
Checksum Certificate
You receive your Checksum Certificate by email. This is mathematical proof your vault copy is byte-perfect. Only then is it safe to manage your local copies at your own discretion.
Who It's For
Built for firms that can't afford to lose records.
Whether you have a 7-year HMRC obligation, a 15-year architect's liability window, or patient records that must survive decades; Strata is built for your specific retention requirements.
Legal Practices
Closed case file archiving. 6-year SRA minimum for most matters; longer for property, probate, and personal injury. Legally defensible chain-of-custody included as standard.
Typical archive: 20-80TB
Dental & Healthcare
CBCT scans, patient records, and imaging data. 10-year NHS minimum retention. DICOM file sets add up fast; cold storage economics are dramatically better than local NAS or hot cloud.
Typical archive: 8-30TB
Architecture & Engineering
CAD, BIM, and project drawing archives. 15-year professional indemnity liability window. Large file sets make internet upload impractical; White Glove ingest is the practical solution.
Typical archive: 15-60TB
Accountancy & SME
Financial records, client ledgers, and tax documentation. 6-year HMRC minimum. Our most accessible entry point; straightforward compliance, predictable cost, no IT overhead.
Typical archive: 2-10TB
Video Production
Raw 4K/8K footage, RED, BRAW, and ARRI RAW archives. Hundreds of terabytes of originals that must be preserved but rarely revisited; at a fraction of hot-storage cost.
Typical archive: 50-500TB+
Something Else?
If your firm has long-term retention obligations and existing solutions are overpriced, get in touch. We'll build a bespoke proposal around your exact data volume, sector, and compliance requirements.
Get a custom quote →
Custom Pricing
Tailored vault sizes,
Tailored vault sizes,
priced for you.
No two datasets are the same. No two clients pay the same. We size your vault around your actual data - not a generic tier - so you never subsidise someone else's storage. We guarantee to beat the price of any major named storage provider.
Your Vault, Your Price
Custom quote
Sized to your exact data, sector, and requirements
- 50GB free retrieval included every month
- Guaranteed to beat Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and all major providers
- You only pay for your storage - not anyone else's
- White Glove ingest included for collections over 2TB
- AES-256 encrypted vault, managed hands-off
- Checksum Certificate and chain-of-custody on every ingest
- Data returned in full, certified, on contract end - no charge
All vaults include: White Glove ingest option · Checksum Certificate · Chain-of-custody documentation · Data returned in full on termination at no charge.
Retrieval beyond 50GB/month is charged at a transparent rate agreed in your contract. We always notify you before any retrieval that will incur a fee.
See FAQ for full details.
Security you can prove.
AES-256 Encryption
All data is encrypted before it leaves your premises and remains encrypted at rest in the vault. The same standard used by financial institutions. No third party; including Amazon; can read your data.
You Choose Your Jurisdiction
UK storage is our standard. For clients requiring enhanced jurisdictional privacy, Swiss-certified data centres are also available - among the strongest data protection environments in the world. Your data stays exactly where you specify and never crosses borders without your explicit instruction.
Four-Point Checksum
We verify integrity at every handoff using XXH64 and SHA-256 in ASC-MHL format; the standard used in broadcast and legal evidence chains. A Checksum Certificate is issued to you on every confirmed ingest.
You Always Own Your Data
On contract end, your full data archive is returned to you on encrypted media with a Checksum Certificate. Permanent deletion from Strata infrastructure is confirmed to you in writing, signed by our CTO.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
The most common things people ask before signing up. If your question isn't covered here, we're a straightforward email away; no sales calls, no pressure.
Ask us directly →
What exactly is a cold storage vault?
Cold storage is a type of digital archive for data that must be retained but is rarely accessed. Unlike everyday cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive) which keeps files instantly available at a premium price, cold storage dramatically reduces cost by not requiring instant access. Your Strata Vault is backed by the same enterprise infrastructure used by global organisations; we make it accessible and affordable for professional firms of any size.
Can I delete my local copies after ingest?
Only after you have received and verified your Checksum Certificate. Until that certificate is in your hands and confirmed, your local copies are the only verified version of your data. Our Service Agreement requires you to keep them intact until the certificate is received and verified. Once you've confirmed it, manage your local copies entirely at your own discretion. We are explicit about this; it is not administrative formality; it is the insurance policy.
How long does a White Glove ingest take?
For most jobs, the on-site visit takes between two and six hours depending on data volume and number of source drives. The subsequent upload and vault verification typically takes 24-72 hours. You'll receive your Checksum Certificate once everything is confirmed. We give you a specific timeline before your visit so there are no surprises on the day.
Is retrieval free?
Standard retrieval of up to 100GB per calendar month is included in your monthly fee at no additional charge. For larger retrievals, a Vault Opening Fee of £70 per terabyte applies; this covers the AWS egress cost for a major data download. We will always notify you in writing before proceeding with any retrieval that will incur this fee. No surprises, ever. Data return on contract termination is free regardless of volume.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
We return it to you. On 30 days' written notice, we prepare your full data archive, deliver it to you on encrypted media with a Checksum Certificate confirming integrity, and then permanently delete all copies from our infrastructure. You receive a written Deletion Confirmation signed by our CTO confirming the date of deletion and that no copies remain on any Strata infrastructure. There is no fee for data return. Your data is yours, always.
Where will my data be stored?
UK storage is our default - your data sits on secure, encrypted infrastructure with no unnecessary data movement. For clients with specific jurisdictional requirements, we also offer Swiss-certified storage, which operates under some of the world's most stringent data protection laws. Whichever location you choose, your data stays there. It does not move without your written instruction. We confirm your storage location in your Service Agreement before anything is ingested.
How does pricing work if there are no set prices?
We build a quote around your specific data volume, sector, and requirements. Two clients with the same data volume in different sectors will have different needs - different compliance obligations, different retrieval patterns, different ingest complexity. Because we size your vault to your actual data rather than forcing you into a generic tier, you only ever pay for your own storage; not a penny of someone else's. We guarantee to beat the price of any major named storage provider - Dropbox Business, Google Workspace, OneDrive Business - on a like-for-like cold archive basis. Get in touch with your data volume and sector and we'll come back to you with a specific number, usually within 24 hours.
What is a Checksum Certificate and why does it matter?
A Checksum Certificate is mathematical proof that the data in your vault is a byte-perfect copy of the data you gave us. We generate a digital fingerprint at every stage of ingest; source, transport copy, pre-upload, and post-upload vault confirmation. If even a single byte changed or was lost at any stage, the checksums would not match and we would stop before proceeding. This certificate is legally significant: it is recorded in ASC-MHL format, the same standard accepted in legal evidence chains and broadcast industry workflows. Please keep it somewhere safe.
Ready to stop paying
hot-storage prices?
Get a no-obligation proposal within 24 hours. Tell us your data volume and sector, and we'll show you exactly what a Strata vault costs; and what you'll save compared to your current setup. No awkward phone calls required.