More businesses are turning to cloud storage to manage call recordings, and for good reason. It’s more secure, scalable and easier to maintain than aging on-premise systems.
That said, we know the move to cloud doesn’t always seem straightforward.
Compliance, migration and data security can feel too complex to navigate, but with the right setup, migrating and storing call recordings in the cloud leads to better performance, easier compliance and lower long-term costs.
In this blog, we’ll walk through how to store your call recordings securely in the cloud, from planning and encryption to access control and compliance.
Why cloud storage makes more sense
For many organisations, call recordings are still stored on physical servers, hard drives or across fragmented systems. These older setups often come with hidden costs and risks, from lost recordings to inconsistent security policies.
By moving to the cloud, you can build a more resilient and future-proof way to manage sensitive data. Instead of worrying about where your recordings are saved and how they’re protected, a well-configured cloud setup gives you confidence that everything’s secure, centralised and easy to manage.
Some of the biggest benefits include:
- Stronger security: With built-in encryption and secure access controls, cloud systems are more robust than local setups.
- Simplified access: Call recordings can be searched and retrieved quickly.
- Built-in resilience: Backups and uptime guarantees help reduce the risk of data loss.
- Scalability: As your storage needs grow, you don’t need to invest in more hardware, simply scale as needed.
A step-by-step guide to secure cloud storage
The move to the cloud still needs to be done thoughtfully, especially if you’re working across different systems or managing compliance obligations. That’s where a phased approach can help.
Step 1: Map out your requirements
Before making any changes, it’s important to get a clear picture of what you’re working with. That includes:
- What types of calls you’re recording
- Which systems you’re using to capture them
- How long you need to retain recordings for compliance purposes
- Who needs access, and for what purpose
If calls include personal data, which most do, you’ll need to follow UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Certain sectors also have additional retention or access requirements, such as the FCA in financial services or NHS DSPT in healthcare.
Understanding these requirements upfront makes it easier to choose a storage solution that fits, and ensures you stay aligned with legal and industry-specific obligations from the start.
Step 2: Choose a cloud-native platform
Not all cloud solutions are created equal. Some older systems have simply been moved into the cloud, without updating how they handle security or compliance.
Cloud-native platforms are different. Built for the cloud from day one, they offer features like automatic encryption, smart access controls and backup processes that don’t rely on manual setup.
Step 3: Protect recordings with encryption
Encryption is essential to keep sensitive data secure. It protects your recordings both in transit and once they’re stored.
Strong encryption should be built into the platform, not something you have to bolt-on manually.
At adepsi, every call recording is encrypted as standard, using trusted protocols that meet the latest security recommendations.
Step 4: Set access controls that match your structure
One of the major risks in any system is unrestricted access. Security doesn’t just protect your data from external threats, it can protect data from honest mistakes, like accidental deletions or unauthorised access.
Rule-based access control, based on any element of a call’s metadata, helps prevent that by giving each user access only to the recordings they need. Alongside this, activity logs and user audits give you full visibility into who’s accessing recordings, when, and why – helping you stay compliant and accountable.
Step 5: Build in resilience with automated backups
Cloud storage removes a lot of the risk that comes with physical infrastructure, but it doesn’t replace the need for strong, secure backup practices.
A reliable platform should automatically back up your call data and offer clear restoration processes if anything goes wrong.
Step 6: Align your retention policies
How long you keep recordings depends on your industry and the purpose of the call. For example:
- Financial services firms regulated by the FCA typically need to retain certain recordings for five years or more.
- Public sector or legal records may need to be kept longer depending on the type of case
- Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, data should not be stored longer than necessary.
The right cloud platform will let you define and automate retention policies based on your specific needs. That means you can store what you need, safely delete what you don’t and meet compliance requirements with minimal effort.
If you need a deeper dive into the legal side of call recording, we’ve covered the key UK call recording laws in a dedicated blog, including what applies to specific sectors and how to stay compliant.
Step 7: Monitor and improve over time
Security and compliance aren’t set-and-forget tasks. As your organisation grows, regulations change and new technologies emerge, your storage setup should adapt too.
Regularly reviewing access logs, updating permissions, and refining retention schedules can help you stay ahead of potential issues. Ideally, your platform should make this easy, with clear reporting tools, custom alerts, and built-in audit features.
What to look for in a cloud storage solution
The platform you choose determines how successful your migration will be, and how secure your data is in the future. A strong solution should be:
- Cloud native: Built for the cloud, not retrofitted from older systems.
- Secure by design: Encryption, access controls, logging and redundancy built in.
- Compliant: Supports UK GDPR, FCA and sector-specific requirements.
- Flexible: Works across different call platforms and adapts to your policies.
- Transparent: Gives you full control over your data and access.
With adepsi, you can securely manage live and legacy call data in one place. We’ve built our platform in close collaboration with users who manage everything from large public sector call archives to fast-moving commercial operations, with security at the centre.
Looking for more secure storage?
Modernising how you store call recordings doesn’t need to be a major upheaval. With the right setup, you can reduce risk, simplify your processes and ensure your data stays protected – no matter how it was originally captured.
If you’re exploring cloud storage for the first time or need help moving away from a legacy setup, our team is happy to talk through your options. Get in touch with the adepsi team for a quick conversation or a personalised walkthrough.
