Self-hosted Google Meet alternative for EU data sovereignty

Self-hosted Google Meet alternative for EU data sovereignty: the short answer

An EU organization facing a Google Workspace renewal or a data residency review needs to know whether meeting media, chat and recordings can stay under its own control. For most cases, Jitsi Meet and BigBlueButton, run in the organization's own datacenter or with an EU host, are the realistic self-hosted options, and the right one depends on the use case: Jitsi Meet suits general staff meetings and external calls, while BigBlueButton suits training, lectures and classroom-style sessions with shared notes and breakout rooms. Both are open source, so the organization decides where the servers run, who administers them and where the logs and recordings are kept. Before any of this matters, the reader should confirm which Workspace edition is in place, because data region options and client-side encryption for Meet depend on the edition and are set in the contract and the admin console. Verify the current settings in the admin console and in the written terms, not in marketing material or from memory.

Confirm three things with Google in writing: where meeting recordings and chat are stored at rest, whether client-side encryption is available for Meet in your edition, and which support staff or systems can reach data in the clear. Treat the answers as facts about your tenant, since they can differ between contracts. Self-hosting moves these questions to your own team, but it also makes your team responsible for hosting location, TLS certificates, backups and access control. Jitsi's own handbook states that HTTPS is necessary for multimedia to work, and BigBlueButton requires a valid hostname for SSL, so certificate management is part of the decision from day one. DeployOpen plans, implements, hardens and documents these systems inside your environment and prepares evidence for compliance assessments, but it does not issue audit reports, attestations or certifications. Independent auditors and certification bodies make those determinations, so ask your auditor which evidence they will need before the design is fixed.

What GDPR Chapter V and related rules require of meeting data

Meeting data such as recordings, chat, transcripts and participant details can count as personal data, and any access or storage outside the EEA can count as a transfer. The cards below set out the rules that decide whether a Google Meet deployment or a self-hosted replacement keeps that data where your transfer position needs it.

Remote access counts as a transfer

EDPB Guidelines 05/2021 treat remote access from a third country as a transfer, even when the data is only displayed on a screen for support or administration. Storage in a cloud outside the EEA is also a transfer. For meetings, check who can open recordings, transcripts and admin consoles from outside the EEA, including vendor support staff. Counsel should map those access paths against your transfer records.

Fines under Article 83(5)(c)

Infringements of Articles 44 to 49 can draw fines of up to EUR 20 million or 4% of worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher. The exposure applies to the controller that makes or permits an unlawful transfer, so it is not limited to the vendor. Ask counsel to confirm which of your meeting data flows fall under these articles and who signs the transfer documentation.

Schrems II and the Data Privacy Framework

In Case C-311/18 the Court of Justice invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield but held that standard contractual clauses remained valid. The 2023 adequacy decision covers only US organizations on the Data Privacy Framework List, and an appeal against the General Court's September 2025 judgment is pending as Case C-703/25 P. Confirm whether your Workspace contract relies on the Framework, on standard contractual clauses, or on both, and track the appeal outcome.

CLOUD Act reach over provider data

18 U.S.C. 2713, added on 23 March 2018, requires electronic communication and remote computing service providers to preserve or disclose data in their possession, custody or control, wherever that data is located. A US-headquartered provider can therefore be compelled for EU-hosted meeting data. The EDPB's Recommendations 01/2020 state that where the provider needs data in the clear and the foreign authority's powers exceed what is necessary and proportionate, no effective technical supplementary measure can be envisioned. Ask counsel whether your provider's access to plaintext meeting data creates that exposure.

Article 48 limits on foreign orders

Under GDPR Article 48, a third-country court judgment or administrative decision requiring disclosure of personal data is recognized or enforced only when it rests on an international agreement, such as a mutual legal assistance treaty, in force with the Union or a Member State. A foreign order that lacks such a basis does not, by itself, make disclosure lawful in the EU. Check with counsel how your contracts route foreign demands, and whether your own infrastructure or an EU host would receive them first.

Data Act switching rights

Under the EU Data Act, applicable since 12 September 2025, customers can switch from a data processing service to another provider or to on-premises ICT infrastructure, with a maximum two-month notice period and a 30-day transition. Switching charges are banned from 12 January 2027, and Article 32 requires providers to prevent unlawful third-country access to non-personal data held in the Union. Use these rights as leverage in renewal talks, and ask your provider for the switching terms in writing.

Where Google Meet and Workspace settings leave control with Google

Workspace data region and client-side encryption settings are the first things to verify, but what they establish depends on your edition and contract. Confirm each setting in the admin console and against the signed terms: which services it covers (Meet media, chat, recordings in Drive, or only some of these), where data is stored at rest, who holds the encryption keys, and what support access Google retains. Google still operates the service, runs the infrastructure and maintains the software that handles your meetings. A storage region setting tells you where data sits. It does not, on its own, tell you who can compel disclosure or who can reach data in the clear while the service runs.

Third-country authority exposure is the controller's question to assess, not a setting you can switch on. The US CLOUD Act provision at 18 U.S.C. 2713 reaches providers' data in their possession, custody or control wherever it is located, so EU storage alone does not remove that reach. Under GDPR Article 48, a foreign disclosure order is recognized only where an international agreement such as a mutual legal assistance treaty applies. EDPB Guidelines 05/2021 (Example 12) say that using an EU processor subject to third-country law is not itself a transfer, but complying with a third-country authority request would be, so the exposure should be assessed before you engage that processor. EDPB Recommendations 01/2020 add that where clear-text access is needed and foreign powers exceed what is necessary and proportionate, no effective technical supplementary measure can be envisioned.

Turn this into a written record: map each Meet and Drive data category to its setting, the contract clause that governs it, the entity that processes it and the transfer mechanism relied on. Confirm whether the contracting entity is covered by the EU-US Data Privacy Framework or whether standard contractual clauses under Decision (EU) 2021/914 apply, and note that the appeal in Case C-703/25 P is pending. Self-hosted Jitsi or BigBlueButton in your own datacenter removes the vendor from the processing chain, but an EU host owned by a non-EU parent needs the same questions asked of it. Ask your DPO and counsel to sign off on the assessment before any migration decision is made.

Who controls what in each self-hosted setup

In your own datacenter, your organization owns the physical hardware, the network and the administrative accounts on every host. You run the web front end, the Prosody XMPP server, Jicofo and Jitsi Videobridge, and you decide where any optional Jibri recording or Jigasi SIP components sit. Certificates, logs and backups stay under your change control. The main remaining third parties are the upstream providers you still depend on, which usually means your internet transit provider, your domain registrar and whichever DNS provider publishes your records. If you deploy a TURN relay for users behind strict firewalls, decide whether it is hosted inside your network or outside it, because that host carries media for those users.

Front end and XMPP: Your team patches the nginx or Apache front end, Prosody and the Jitsi packages, and holds the room and account data.
Media path: Videobridges run on your hosts, so media is routed inside your network unless a participant connects through an external relay.
Recordings and logs: Jibri output, server logs and backups are written to storage you choose and can be placed in an EU or national location you control.
Certificates: You hold the private keys for your domain certificate, which the Jitsi handbook says is required for working audio and video.
DNS and networking: Confirm with your registrar and DNS provider where your zone is hosted and who can change records.

Confirm with your data protection officer which of these third parties count as processors under your records of processing.

Jitsi Meet or BigBlueButton: which option fits which EU constraint

This table compares Jitsi Meet and BigBlueButton on licensing, packaging, authentication, recording, hardware baselines and open questions. Read each row against your own data residency, identity and meeting-type requirements to see which option fits your constraints. The main takeaway is that the two platforms differ most in recording, login options and server sizing, so those rows should drive the choice.

Requirement	Jitsi Meet	BigBlueButton 4.0
License	Apache-2.0, maintained by 8x8, Inc., which also sells hosted Jitsi as a Service	LGPL-3.0, maintained by BigBlueButton Inc., which offers hosting and commercial support
Deployment packaging	Docker containers or Debian and Ubuntu packages; Debian 12 or newer, Ubuntu 24.04 or newer, OpenJDK 17	bbb-install.sh on a clean Ubuntu 24.04 64-bit server; direct upgrades from 2.6, 2.7 or 3.0 are not supported
Core components	Web front end, Prosody, Jicofo, Jitsi Videobridge, plus optional Jibri and Jigasi	Single-server install with Greenlight and LTI support available on the same host
Authentication	Internal XMPP accounts, JWT tokens, LDAP, Matrix user verification or a hybrid Matrix plus JWT mode, set in the .env file	OpenID Connect in Greenlight v3 through environment variables; Keycloak is suggested for Google, Microsoft and SAML logins
Recording	Jibri runs as a separate container for recording and streaming, which adds a component to size and monitor	Recording is built in, but the server needs 500 GB of disk for recordings (50 GB without recording)
Minimum server baseline	Central server suggested at 4 CPU and 8 GB RAM; each videobridge at 4 or 8 CPU and 8 GB RAM, scaled horizontally	At least 16 GB RAM with swap, 8 CPU cores with high single-thread performance and 250 Mbit/s symmetrical bandwidth
Network and TLS	Valid HTTPS certificate required; self-signed certificates cause problems, especially on mobile; ports 80, 443 and 10000/UDP	Valid hostname for SSL; TCP 80 and 443 and UDP 16384 to 32768; a TURN server is recommended for restrictive firewalls
Open questions to confirm	Whether your SIP dial-in needs match Jigasi, and how your videobridge fleet is placed in your own datacenter or EU host	Whether your LMS or SIP integration needs are covered, and whether Matrix with Element Call fits your chat strategy

How to deploy Jitsi Meet or BigBlueButton under EU residency rules

This sequence moves meetings onto a self-hosted platform in a location you control, with the hosting terms, network, authentication and recording rules settled before any user joins.

Classify meeting data and recordings
Your privacy, legal and information security leads list what meetings will carry: chat, participant identities, screen shares, recordings, transcripts and any special category data. They also record who may access each category and how long recordings must be kept. DeployOpen can prepare this classification as part of a written scope. The step is done when every data type has an owner, a retention rule and a stated reason for being processed, so later hosting choices can be tested against it.
Choose the host location and confirm contract terms
Decide whether the platform runs in your own datacenter, in an EU cloud account you control, or with an EU hosting provider. Ask each candidate host where data is stored and administered from, which staff can reach the systems, and whether any third-country authority could compel access. The EDPB guidance treats remote access from a third country as a transfer, so support and administration paths count too. Get these answers in the contract and data processing terms. The step is done when the location, administrator locations and legal exposure are written down and accepted by your legal team.
Provision servers that meet stated minimums
Your infrastructure team builds the hosts that the chosen platform requires. For BigBlueButton 4.0, that means Ubuntu 24.04 on a clean installation, at least 16 GB of memory with swap, 8 CPU cores with high single-thread performance, 500 GB of disk for recordings (or 50 GB without recording) and 250 Mbit/s symmetrical bandwidth. For Jitsi, the quick start supports Debian 12 or newer and Ubuntu 24.04 or newer, with OpenJDK 17. Open TCP 80 and 443, UDP 16384 to 32768 for BigBlueButton or 10000/UDP for Jitsi, and any TURN ports you plan to use. The step is done when a connectivity test confirms each required port is reachable from outside the network.
Set up HTTPS with a proper domain certificate
Assign a stable hostname and install a certificate from a trusted authority for it. Both Jitsi and BigBlueButton need valid HTTPS for multimedia to work. Jitsi's handbook warns that self-signed certificates cause problems, especially with mobile clients, so avoid them for user-facing services. Confirm that certificate renewal is automated and that the private key stays on the server. The step is done when a browser and a mobile client each load a meeting room without certificate warnings and join with audio and video.
Configure JWT or SSO authentication
Choose how users enter rooms. Jitsi's handbook marks the older secure domain method as deprecated for new installations and recommends JWT token authentication, with a separate anonymous domain for guests. The Docker setup also supports LDAP and Matrix-based options through the .env file. BigBlueButton's Greenlight v3 supports OpenID Connect, and Keycloak can add other login methods. Decide which rooms need identity checks and which allow guests, then document the token issuer and key rotation. The step is done when a test user can join a restricted room only with a valid identity and a guest is kept out of it.
Size capacity and lock down the BigBlueButton API secret
For Jitsi, plan videobridges around the expected concurrent participants. The scalable setup guide suggests a 4 CPU, 8 GB central server and 4 or 8 CPU machines with 8 GB RAM per videobridge, and the default install already supports adding bridges. For BigBlueButton, confirm the single server meets the expected meeting load, or plan scaling with Scalelite. Every BigBlueButton API call must carry a checksum made with the shared secret, so keep that secret out of web pages, limit who can read the server configuration and rotate it when staff change. The step is done when load tests match the sizing plan and the secret is absent from all client-side code.
Plan recording storage and retention
Decide where recordings, transcripts and chat logs are written, who can download them and when they are deleted. Jibri (Jitsi) and BigBlueButton both produce recordings that consume the disk sized in the previous step, so confirm that storage is inside the approved location and encrypted at rest. Write a retention schedule that matches your data classification. The step is done when recording storage is in the approved location, deletion runs on schedule, and access is limited to named roles.
Pilot with one group, then roll out
Run the platform with a single team for a defined period, collecting feedback on audio quality, login, recording and firewall issues. Fix the findings, update the runbook and confirm backups and upgrade procedures work. Then expand in waves, moving calendar invitations and rooms as each group is ready. Confirm timelines and milestones in the written scope before work starts, as they depend on your environment. The step is done when the pilot exit criteria are met, the runbook is approved and each wave has a documented sign-off.

Evidence an auditor or regulator will ask for

A self-hosted meeting platform moves evidence out of a vendor's contracts and into your own records. The cards below list the artifacts that show where meeting data sits, who can reach it and how it is protected. DeployOpen prepares these artifacts with you, but independent auditors and regulators make the determinations.

Records of processing and transfer assessments

Your record of processing activities should name the meeting platform, the personal data it handles (participant identities, chat, recordings, IP addresses) and the purpose for each. Pair it with a transfer assessment that records every third-country path, including remote administration from outside the EEA, support access and any backup or log shipping that leaves the EU. Under EDPB Guidelines 05/2021, even screen display from a third country counts as a transfer, so the assessment must cover support sessions too. Check that each path is either removed or documented.

Data location and hosting contracts

Record the physical site of every server, backup target and recording store, whether that is your own datacenter or an EU host. Keep the hosting contract, the subprocessor list and the data processing agreement together, since they show who can access the infrastructure. If you use an EU host that is subject to foreign law with extraterritorial reach, document your exposure to third-country authority requests before signing, as the EDPB guidance expects.

Access control and authentication configuration

Export the authentication settings that decide who may create or join rooms. For Jitsi, that means the chosen method (internal accounts, JWT tokens, LDAP or Matrix verification) as set in the .env file, and confirmation that the deprecated secure domain method is not in use on new installations. For BigBlueButton, keep the Greenlight external authentication settings and the API secret handling. Auditors usually ask for dated screenshots or config snapshots plus the admin access list.

Encryption and certificate records

Keep the TLS certificate inventory, showing the domain, issuer, validity dates and renewal process. Jitsi's handbook states that HTTPS with a proper domain certificate is necessary for working audio and video, and self-signed certificates cause problems, so a valid certificate is both a security control and an operating requirement. Also record TLS settings for the BigBlueButton hostname and any TURN server. Confirm, with your own tests, what traffic is encrypted in transit and at rest.

Recording retention settings

Recordings are often the most sensitive meeting data. Document where recordings are written, how long they are kept, who can download them and how deletion is carried out. BigBlueButton 4.0 recommends 500 GB of disk for recordings, so the storage plan also sets the retention window. Keep the configuration files, the deletion job logs and a sample of deletion evidence. Confirm the export formats your retention policy covers.

Operational logs and change records

Keep the change log for upgrades, patches and configuration edits, along with the server logs that show administrative logins and room activity. Record each release applied, such as the BigBlueButton 4.0 clean install, and the reason for it. Auditors will test whether changes were approved and whether logs are retained long enough to reconstruct an incident. Confirm log retention and who may alter the logs.

Cost, effort and what the migration needs from your team

What drives the cost of self-hosting Jitsi or BigBlueButton?

Cost comes from servers, bandwidth, recording storage and the people who run the platform, and the core software itself carries no licence fee. Jitsi Meet is Apache 2.0 licensed and BigBlueButton is LGPL-3.0 licensed, so you pay infrastructure and labour, not per-seat software. Server cost rises with the number of concurrent participants and video streams. Bandwidth and recording storage recur every month. Operations staff time is the largest and least visible item. Ask any quote to separate hardware or cloud compute, bandwidth, storage, one-time setup, and recurring support as distinct lines.

Can our team run a self-hosted meeting platform on its own?

Your team can run it alone if it has Linux server administration, TLS certificate management, network firewall skills and an on-call rota for meetings during working hours. Jitsi runs as separate web, Prosody, Jicofo and Videobridge components, and its handbook says HTTPS with a proper domain certificate is necessary for working audio and video. BigBlueButton 4.0 needs TCP ports 80 and 443, UDP ports 16384 to 32768 and a valid hostname for SSL. Check whether your staff already cover these areas, and whether a TURN server is needed for users behind restrictive firewalls. Gaps in these skills are the usual reason teams bring in outside help.

How long does a migration from Google Meet take?

The timeline depends on the scope you agree, not on a standard duration. Deployment work covers the platform, authentication, calendar links, recording handling and a staged rollout to teams. DeployOpen works on fixed-scope engagements, so scope, deliverables and timelines are agreed in writing before work starts. Ask for a written plan that lists each deliverable, who signs it off and what testing happens before users move. Factors that lengthen the work include SSO integration, data residency reviews and moving existing recordings out of Drive.

Do we have to cancel Google Workspace to leave Google Meet?

No. Leaving Google Meet does not require cancelling Google Workspace, because Meet is bundled into Workspace editions and other services stay on the same subscription. Cancelling only the meetings function removes no line item by itself, so check what your edition includes and what it costs before changing it. Your Workspace contract may also govern data export and retention, which affects how you retrieve existing recordings. Confirm the terms with Google and your procurement team before planning any cancellation date.

Do the BigBlueButton 4.0 hardware minimums apply to every deployment?

The published minimums are the baseline for a single BigBlueButton 4.0 server, not a sizing guarantee for your usage. The install documentation lists at least 16 GB of RAM with swap, 8 CPU cores with high single-thread performance, 500 GB of disk for recordings (50 GB without recording) and 250 Mbit/s symmetrical bandwidth. Larger classes, more concurrent rooms or heavy recording raise these figures. BigBlueButton 4.0 installs on Ubuntu 24.04 64-bit, and direct upgrades from 2.6, 2.7 or 3.0 are not supported. Confirm your sizing against the install documentation before ordering hardware.

Does Jitsi as a Service count as self-hosting?

No. Jitsi as a Service, known as JaaS, is hosted by 8x8, which builds Jitsi and runs it for you, so it does not keep meetings in your own infrastructure. Self-hosting means you run the web, Prosody, Jicofo and Videobridge components yourself, on your cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped network. The free public instance at meet.jit.si is also operated by others. If your goal is EU data sovereignty, JaaS does not meet it because the operator and infrastructure remain outside your control.

What ongoing costs should we plan for after launch?

Plan for recurring infrastructure, bandwidth, recording storage, security patching and upgrades, and staff or retainer time for monitoring. Jitsi's scalable setup guide notes that videobridges scale horizontally by adding more, so capacity costs increase as you add nodes. Upgrades are recurring work, and the Jitsi stable releases are tagged by build number, which means your team must track them. Ask any proposal to name the recurring items, how each is priced, and who carries the on-call duty when a meeting fails.

What to confirm with Google, your host and counsel before deciding

This section lists what to verify rather than assume. It is not legal advice, so put these questions to your data protection officer or counsel before you commit. Start with Google: ask your Google account team which data region applies to your Workspace edition, whether Meet recordings and transcripts are stored in that region, and which encryption options your edition offers, including whether client-side encryption covers Meet and under which conditions. Get the answers in writing and tie them to the contract or data processing terms you actually sign, since the edition determines what is available.

Next, check the transfer position on the legal side. The status of the Data Privacy Framework is under appeal as Case C-703/25 P, so ask counsel whether your transfer analysis relies on that adequacy decision or on standard contractual clauses, and what fallback applies if the framework is set aside. Also ask how Google's support staff and sub-processors can access data from outside the EEA, because remote access counts as a transfer under the EDPB guidance. Document the assessment for every non-EU party in the chain, including any US-parented vendor that touches your Jitsi or BigBlueButton hosting, backups, monitoring or email.

If you choose a host, confirm where its administrators sit and who can reach the hypervisor, storage and backup consoles. Ask for the list of staff with privileged access, their countries of residence, and whether any support is provided from outside the EU. Confirm which legal jurisdiction the host operates under and whether it has committed to refuse or challenge third-country orders, and how it would notify you. Your counsel should also decide whether any third-country access request could reach data you hold, since the exposure lies in the host's control, not in the software license. Record these answers so that the decision can be defended to a supervisory authority later.

How DeployOpen deploys Jitsi or BigBlueButton under EU residency constraints

DeployOpen plans, implements, hardens and documents self-hosted open-source meeting platforms inside your own cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped networks. For EU data sovereignty, that means the written scope starts from where meeting media, recordings, chat and account data are stored, who can reach them, and which Google-operated services stay in the path.

How we scope

We map which meeting data flows would leave your control today, including recordings, chat, calendar links and login traffic.
The written scope names the hosting location, the platform (Jitsi Meet or BigBlueButton) and the identity method for each user group.
Engagements are fixed-scope, with deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before any work starts, and quotes follow from that scope.

How we build

We deploy Jitsi from its Docker or Debian and Ubuntu packages, or BigBlueButton 4.0 on a clean Ubuntu 24.04 server, inside the EU hosting you choose.
We configure HTTPS with a proper domain certificate, JWT or other agreed login, and firewall rules for the ports each platform requires.
We test audio, video, screen sharing and recording paths from the networks your staff actually use, including restrictive firewalls where a TURN server applies.

How we hand over

You receive architecture and data-flow documentation that shows where media, recordings and logs are stored and who administers them.
Runbooks cover backup, upgrades, scaling of videobridges or BigBlueButton capacity, and the recording retention settings you choose.
Evidence for your own compliance review is prepared, but DeployOpen does not issue audit reports or certifications; independent auditors and certification bodies do.

How we support

Ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing are available as retainers after handover.
Upgrade planning covers platform releases and the operating system and Java or Docker dependencies they need, tested before rollout.
Ask any provider to confirm in writing which parts of the stack, including your identity provider and any Google-hosted services, remain outside your control after the migration.

Self-hosted Google Meet alternative for EU data sovereignty