# Data Residency
Data residency refers to the concept that data is subject to the laws and regulations of the country in which it is stored. It is an essential consideration for organisations that need to comply with local data protection requirements, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.
# Why Data Residency?
Data residency helps organisations comply with local data protection laws and regulations.
For example:
- The GDPR requires that the personal data of EU citizens be protected according to its standards regardless of where it is stored or processed.
- In jurisdictions like Australia, specific government-related data must be stored and processed within the country.
Organisations can meet these legal requirements and demonstrate compliance by ensuring data is stored in a specific location.
# Data Residency in Workspaces
Speckle Workspaces supports data residency by allowing organisations to choose where their data is stored. This feature helps organisations comply with local regulations while maintaining complete data storage and processing control.
- Each Workspace is initially allocated to the default Speckle region.
- Organisations can choose a different region for their Workspace to align with compliance needs.
- Multiple Workspaces can operate in different regions to meet the requirements of various projects or teams.
# Restricting Access
Workspaces are designed to enhance the security and privacy of your team's projects while clearly displaying who can access them.
- For projects requiring higher security, you can create a separate Workspace and invite only the team members who need access to those projects.
# Availability
If no region is specified or required, your Personal and Workspace project data is automatically assigned to one of Speckle's default regions, optimised for server efficiency and minimal latency. Data residency is a premium feature available on the Workspace Business plan.