Rubrik & Rackspace launch UK sovereign recovery cloud

Rubrik and Rackspace Technology have launched a UK Sovereign Cyber Recovery Cloud for organisations that need ransomware recovery within a UK-only operating environment.

Aimed at the UK public sector and regulated industries, the service combines Rubrik Security Cloud with Rackspace UK Sovereign Services. It uses a dedicated recovery environment that remains within UK borders.

Sovereign recovery

The service centres on a "clean room" recovery environment that stays isolated until an incident triggers recovery. Rackspace described it as automated, with pre-built runbooks that can be activated immediately when needed.

The design is intended to keep sensitive data, operational support, and critical metadata within UK jurisdiction. Under normal conditions, the recovery environment remains offline from the outside world.

The isolated environment comes online only during a ransomware recovery event. This approach aims to reduce exposure during day-to-day operations while preserving a known recovery path when an organisation needs to rebuild systems from trusted copies.

Threat detection

Rackspace's security operations centre monitors software-as-a-service, cloud, and on-premises applications using Rubrik technology. It operates around the clock and focuses on spotting anomalies quickly.

The companies also position the service as a faster recovery option than traditional approaches that can take days or weeks, claiming automation can cut recovery timelines to hours.

Regulatory focus

The launch comes as UK organisations face rising expectations for resilience, incident response, and reporting. Rackspace and Rubrik said new legislation is raising standards for resilience and recovery, and that the service aligns with National Cyber Security Centre guidance.

They also said the design supports alignment with the National Cyber Security Centre's Cyber Assessment Framework and cited mandatory 24-hour breach reporting requirements as a factor shaping operational readiness.

For buyers in regulated sectors, sovereignty typically covers more than data residency. It can include who administers systems, where support personnel are based, and how access is governed. Rackspace and Rubrik said administrative access remains within the UK, alongside the hardware and data.

Partner expansion

The UK-focused launch builds on the vendors' existing cyber recovery work. Rackspace and Rubrik announced a Rackspace Cyber Recovery Cloud service in 2025, also centred on isolated recovery environments and cyber resilience.

The new UK Sovereign Cyber Recovery Cloud places greater emphasis on jurisdictional controls for public sector bodies and regulated enterprises. The companies described it as operational and data sovereignty, with strict control over hardware location and administrative access.

Rackspace has made sovereign services central to its UK positioning, layering managed services over cloud infrastructure and security operations. Rubrik has expanded from backup and recovery into broader cyber resilience, including security monitoring and identity and workload recovery.

With ransomware incidents pushing boards to demand evidence of recoverability, cyber recovery services often compete on isolation, restoration speed, and testing regimes. Rackspace and Rubrik highlighted pre-built runbooks and an offline posture for the recovery environment.

Rick Martire, General Manager, Sovereign Services at Rackspace UK, framed the launch in terms of control and trust. "2026 is the year where control becomes the new foundation of trust and truly having control over where our data is accessed and located," he said. "By partnering with Rubrik, we are providing UK enterprises with the autonomy they need to recover from cyber threats while meeting the highest standards of digital sovereignty."

Rubrik said the service addresses authority over protection and restoration, not just storage location.

"Our joint solution isn't just about where data is stored - it's about who has the authority to protect and restore it," said David Kosman. "For UK public sector bodies and regulated enterprises, today's announcement is a major leap forward in national cyber resilience. The evolution of our close partnership with Rackspace - which began with our strategic collaboration to deliver isolated recovery environments - continues to support enterprises that need strong security and compliance."

The offering targets organisations with UK public sector and regulated workloads that require sovereign controls over recovery operations and support arrangements.