Microsoft 365 for Public Sector — On-Premise, Sovereign Backup
Data-sovereign Microsoft 365 backup and audit for public authorities — the Desktop edition keeps everything on-premise. BSI IT-Grundschutz / C5 aware, no new cross-border transfer.
Frequently asked questions
Can a public authority use GTools.pro without sending data to a vendor cloud?
Yes. The Desktop edition runs entirely on the operator workstation: backup, export, audit and migration data never leaves your infrastructure, so there is no vendor control plane and no new international transfer to assess under Schrems II. This preserves data sovereignty while still covering Teams chat, Exchange, SharePoint and OneDrive.
How does GTools.pro fit BSI IT-Grundschutz?
Because the Desktop edition introduces no new cloud data-flow, you model it as an on-premise operator tool rather than an external cloud service. Where you do use the Cloud edition, it is zero-knowledge — only ciphertext is stored — which reduces the trust placed in the cloud operator relative to BSI C5 criteria. GTools.pro does not itself carry a BSI certification; this is general information, not a compliance attestation.
Is there a way to avoid recurring per-seat subscriptions?
The Move (migration) SKU is a one-time, per-seat project charge — you pay once and own it — and the Solo tier is permanently free. Backup and Watchtower are annual per-user subscriptions today; a one-time Backup model is on the roadmap.
Where can oversight bodies see access-control evidence?
Watchtower exports point-in-time evidence packs (SharePoint permissions, oversharing, privileged access, Conditional Access posture) to JSON, CSV and signed PDF, reading only Microsoft Graph metadata and persisting nothing server-side.
Related topics
public sector Microsoft 365 backup
öffentliche Verwaltung Microsoft 365
BSI IT-Grundschutz M365 backup
data sovereignty Microsoft 365
on-premise M365 backup government
Why it matters for Öffentliche Verwaltung
Microsoft 365 backup and audit for public bodies where data sovereignty is non-negotiable — the Desktop edition keeps everything on-premise.
Compliance drivers
BSI IT-Grundschutz. German public bodies build IT security on BSI IT-Grundschutz; keeping backup and audit data on the operator machine (Desktop) avoids introducing a new cloud data-flow to model and secure. BSI — IT-Grundschutz
BSI C5 (cloud criteria). Where a cloud is used, BSI C5 sets the criteria catalogue; a zero-knowledge provider that cannot read the data reduces the trust that must be placed in the cloud operator. BSI — C5 criteria catalogue
Schrems II / international transfers (CJEU C-311/18). Public bodies are especially cautious about personal data reaching non-EU jurisdictions; an on-premise Desktop tool means no additional cross-border transfer to assess. CJEU C-311/18 (Schrems II) — curia.europa.eu
Sector challenges and how GTools.pro answers them
Adding a cloud backup vendor introduces a new data flow and a new international-transfer question. The Desktop edition runs entirely on the operator workstation — no vendor cloud, no new transfer, data sovereignty preserved.
Grant-funded and budget-bound bodies dislike open-ended per-seat subscriptions. Move is a one-time, per-seat project charge (you pay once, own it), and the Solo tier is free — predictable budgeting instead of a recurring line item.
Oversight bodies require documented evidence of access controls. Watchtower exports point-in-time permission, oversharing and privileged-access evidence from Graph metadata, persisting nothing server-side.
Microsoft 365 workloads that matter here
Exchange Online (official correspondence)
SharePoint / OneDrive (records, files)
Teams chat + channels (internal coordination)
Entra ID + Conditional Access (access governance)
Recommended editions
Backup (Desktop). On-premise, zero-knowledge backup — no vendor cloud, data sovereignty preserved.
Watchtower (audit). Point-in-time access-control evidence for oversight — EUR 7 / user / year.
Limitations & out-of-scope — what GTools.pro is not for in Public Sector & Government
GTools.pro does not hold a BSI certification or an accredited public-sector approval, and it is not an accredited archival system — treat it as an operator tool whose Desktop edition avoids adding a cloud data-flow. It does not replace your authority’s own IT-Grundschutz assessment or procurement (EVB-IT) process. Restore is a manual operator action from the exports.
This page is general information, not legal, tax, or regulatory advice.