Key facts
| Data planes | EU (Frankfurt), GCC (UAE), APAC (Singapore) and US (Virginia) region-locked planes |
| Processing boundary | Requests, logs, embeddings and stored artefacts stay in the selected plane |
| Deployment tiers | In-region cloud, private endpoint in your VPC, on-prem and air-gapped |
| Failover | Multi-region failover designed to respect the jurisdiction you select |
| Contracts | DPA with GDPR Article 28 terms, SCCs and PDPL alignment; subprocessor list published |
| Latency note | A strict boundary can add round-trip time — measure p50 and p95 before cut-over |
| In-country processing | VPC, on-prem and air-gapped tiers for subscriber-data workloads |
| Audit | Region-scoped logs and SIEM export for regulatory review |
TL;DR
- Region-locked planes keep requests, logs and artefacts in the jurisdiction you select.
- VPC, on-prem and air-gapped tiers cover in-country processing requirements.
- Map workload classes to planes and deployment tiers before migrating traffic.
- Include support and observability paths in the boundary review.
- Start free with plugsky-micro and plugsky-lite; a 14-day full-access trial covers larger models.
How it works, step by step
- Classify the workload's data and pick the plane or deployment tier it requires.
- Pin the workspace to that boundary and confirm prompts, embeddings, logs and backups follow it.
- Collect the DPA, subprocessor list and region-scoped audit exports for review.
- Build a workload map covering subscriber, network and internal data classes.
- Assign each class a plane and deployment tier and pilot the strictest case.
- Route region-scoped audit events into the network monitoring pipeline.
Try it yourself
Open the AI data residency checklist →
Data residency for telcos: what changes
Telcos handle subscriber records, location data and network telemetry under national rules, and often run infrastructure designated as critical. Residency decisions connect to network boundaries: where data is processed, which systems can reach it, and how regulators get evidence.
Data residency on Plugsky is delivered by region-locked planes rather than by offices: choose EU (Frankfurt), GCC (UAE), APAC (Singapore) or US (Virginia), and prompts, logs, embeddings and artefacts remain in that jurisdiction by default. For stricter requirements the identical API runs in your VPC, on-prem or air-gapped, so the processing boundary matches your own network boundary.
Architecture and controls
Choose in-region, VPC, on-prem or air-gapped deployment per workload class, keep keys and logs in the same jurisdiction, and route audit events into the same monitoring pipeline as network operations. Restrict support and administrative paths to the approved boundary.
Integration pattern and rollout
Model the workload map first: subscriber support, network analytics, internal knowledge. Assign each a plane and deployment tier, then validate with a pilot that exercises failover and audit export before production traffic.
Treat region selection as configuration rather than code: the workload is pinned to a plane, the OpenAI-compatible call path stays the same, and your tests verify that every data store follows the boundary. Measure p50 and p95 from your own network against candidate regions before committing, and collect evidence — DPA, subprocessor list, region-scoped logs — as you go.
Limits, evidence and cost
Residency does not by itself satisfy lawful-access or security obligations, and cross-border dependencies in your observability stack can undermine the boundary. Review the whole path with legal and security, and document residual risks.
Region selection is configuration, not a premium add-on on self-serve plans; check the live pricing page for current tiers. The free plan covers plugsky-micro and plugsky-lite with no card, and the 14-day full-access trial lets you test the architecture before you sign anything.
Honest comparison
| Concern | Plugsky residency | Typical global API | Self-hosted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plane choice | EU, GCC, APAC and US region-locked planes | Few regions, global default routing | Wherever you install it |
| Store coverage | Prompts, embeddings, logs and artefacts follow the plane | Varies by service | You own every store |
| Failover | Designed to respect the selected jurisdiction | Often global | Your DR design |
| Evidence | Region-scoped logs, DPA and subprocessor list | Contract-level commitments | You produce all evidence |
| Operational load | Managed planes with configurable residency | Managed, limited control | Hardware, patching and capacity |
| National boundary | In-country planes plus air-gapped options | Limited sovereign options | You operate the estate |
Frequently asked questions
How do we verify data residency?
Check the plane configuration, confirm that prompts, embeddings, logs and backups follow the boundary, review the DPA and subprocessor list, and test failover behaviour.
Which regions are available?
Plugsky exposes EU (Frankfurt), GCC (UAE), APAC (Singapore) and US (Virginia) region-locked planes, plus VPC, on-prem and air-gapped deployment options. See the docs for current detail.
Does residency add latency?
It can. A strict boundary may mean longer round trips than a globally distributed endpoint, so measure p50 and p95 from your own production network before committing.
Can workloads run entirely in-country?
Yes — in-region planes plus VPC, on-prem and air-gapped tiers cover subscriber-data and critical workloads.
How do we keep audit consistent with network operations?
Export region-scoped audit events into the same monitoring pipeline, with retention aligned to regulatory requirements.
What can undermine the boundary?
Support paths, observability vendors and cross-border administrative tooling. Review the whole path with security and legal.