This article explains exactly where your Propeller data is stored, how it is processed, and the robust security measures we use to protect it. Learn about our global data storage locations for both geospatial data and metadata, our secure processing pipeline in Australia, and the specific data sovereignty options available to ensure your information is handled according to your organization's requirements.
Geospatial data vs. metadata: What's the difference?
We classify your information into two main categories: geospatial data and metadata.
- Geospatial Data: This refers to the core mapping data you upload, which we process for you. Think of it as the digital version of your worksite. Examples include map tiles, design files, point clouds, and DirtMate surfaces.
- Metadata: This is the data that describes and organizes your geospatial data. It provides context for your worksite information. Examples include organization details, site names, survey dates, and measurements you create.
Where your data is stored and processed
We store these two types of data in different locations to optimize for performance and security.
Metadata Storage: All of your metadata is securely stored in our databases located in the United States.
Geospatial Data Storage: To provide you with the fastest possible access to your maps and models, your geospatial data is stored in a data center optimized for the best performance for your location. When you access the Propeller Platform, we automatically determine the fastest data center for you. This is usually the one geographically closest to you, but it depends on global network speeds.
For example, data for our EU customers is stored in either Dublin (Ireland), Frankfurt (Germany), London (UK), or Stockholm (Sweden).
Only Scale Tier customers can select a specific preferred storage location for storing geospatial data. Please see the Data sovereignty for Scale Tier customers section below for more information.
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Germany
- Ireland
- Japan
- Singapore
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- United States
💡 Important Notes:
Certain data types currently have specific storage limitations:
- Hydrology data can only be stored in the US. We have plans to support Hydrology data in other regions in the future.
- LiDAR surveys and DirtMate data can be stored in the US, Ireland, and Australia.
Data processing
All data you upload is first sent securely to Australia for processing. For certain tasks that require manual review, your data may be temporarily and securely copied to a secure location in Singapore. Once processing is complete, the final processed data and the original source data are pushed to your designated storage region, and the initial files are deleted from our processing centers.
Data sovereignty (Scale Tier customers)
We understand that some organizations have strict data sovereignty requirements, meaning their data must be stored within a specific country.
Scale Tier customers can choose a specific country from our supported list for storing new geospatial data. This setting can be applied to your entire organization or to specific sites.
This applies to new data uploaded after the setting is configured. Existing data will remain in its current storage region.
To configure a specific storage region for your account, please contact our support team.
Security is our foundation
Your data's security is paramount. We ensure it's protected at every stage of its journey.
- Encryption: All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. We use industry-standard HTTPS with TLSv1.2 (or higher) for all transfers and AES-256 encryption for all stored data.
- Access Control: Our data storage is private by default, with strict access controls to prevent unauthorized access.
- Global Policy: Propeller never stores or processes customer data in Russia or China.
I still can't do it!
We wrote these articles to equip you with everything you need to get the job done on your own, but we understand that sometimes this isn't sufficient.
If you're stuck, you can connect with our support team by clicking the question mark button at the top right corner of your user portal.
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