--- title: "Butterfly: the enterprise data governance model | Firevault" description: "The Butterfly Vault by Firevault - a personal offline secure vault for your most important files, identity-locked and physically disconnected." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://fire-vault.com/#organization", "name": "Firevault", "legalName": "Firevault Limited", "url": "https://fire-vault.com", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://fire-vault.com/logo.png", "width": 200, "height": 60 }, "foundingDate": "2025-03", "description": "Protect what matters with Offline Secure Storage and control what moves with Control by Firevault. 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Earn Trust. Build Reputation. Protect Everything That Matters. The Butterfly is a structured way to govern sensitive data across your organisation that clients notice, partners value, and competitors cannot match. It maps your sensitive data and assigns dedicated Vaults by role, relationship, and purpose, from sales pipelines and client records to board papers and commercial strategy. [Start with Your Own Vault](/vault)Discuss Enterprise Deployment ![Butterfly Operational Model](/assets/butterfly-logo-DzAX9Xyl.png) ## What Changes When You Adopt Butterfly Most organisations store sensitive data across email, shared drives, and disconnected systems. Butterfly replaces that with a structured model that clients can see and trust. ### Without Butterfly Lost deals, weaker relationships, reputational risk - You lose bids because you cannot show prospects how their data will be governed - Client relationships weaken over time because stewardship is invisible - Renewals depend on relationships alone, with no evidence of ongoing care - Board papers and commercial strategy sit in the same folders as everyday files - When a prospect asks how you protect sensitive materials, the answer is generic - Completed matters disappear into shared drives, erasing your track record ### With Butterfly Stronger pipelines, deeper trust, commercial advantage - Win bids by showing prospects a dedicated, governed space for their data before they sign - Strengthen renewals because clients can see ongoing stewardship, not just hear about it - Accelerate deal cycles with structured, ready to share commercial materials - Build referral networks because clients recommend firms that visibly care for their data - Demonstrate board level governance maturity that wins enterprise contracts - Create an auditable archive that proves reliability years after a matter closes Butterfly turns data governance from a cost centre into a commercial advantage. Clients choose you because they can see the care. They stay because the evidence is always there. The Methodology ## Built on Four Principles Every Butterfly deployment follows the VPPP framework: Vault, Policy, Permissions, Purpose. These four principles ensure consistent, structured governance across your entire organisation. V ### Vault Each stakeholder, team, or relationship gets their own dedicated Vault, physically isolated so one environment can never compromise another. P ### Policy Governance rules are configured per Vault: retention periods, access schedules, and compliance requirements tailored to each deployment. P ### Permissions Role-based access ensures the right people see the right data at the right time, with full audit trails. P ### Purpose Every Vault has a defined purpose: client files, executive documents, supplier data, or regulatory archives. Purpose drives structure. ## The 360 Vault Topology Your organisation sits at the centre. Internal stakeholders are on the left, external relationships on the right, with completed matters flowing to the Archive. Each component is physically isolated. Internal Wings Your organisation's people ### Board Wing Strategic Governance and Oversight Board papers, strategic plans, and succession documents. Each board member gets their own Vault with complete governance over sensitive materials. Chair NED 2 NED 3 NED 4 NED 5 ### C-Suite Wing Operational Confidentiality Pricing strategies, M&A plans, and competitive intelligence. Executive Vaults can be hosted externally with Firevault for additional segregation. CEO CFO CTO CIO CMO CRO CPO ![Butterfly Architecture](/assets/butterfly-logo-DzAX9Xyl.png) Customer Central hub ### External Advisors Legal, Accountants, Consultants ### Confidential Comms Secure data exchange Client Facing External data rooms ### Client Facing Vaults Secure Data Rooms Commission a Vault for every client relationship or sales opportunity. Sensitive proposals, pricing, and contracts are exchanged securely with pre-arranged, timed access. Client 1 Client 2 Client 3 Client 4 Client 5 Client 6 Client 7 ### Supplier and Partner Vaults Secure Third-Party Collaboration Suppliers and partners collaborate through dedicated Vaults with pre-arranged, time-limited permissions. Suppliers Partners Distributors Consultants ARCHIVE Post-transaction retention #### External Hosting Option Customers may consider Firevault hosting the C-Suite Vaults externally, in a different location to the main data. This provides additional segregation, isolating crown jewel data outside the corporate perimeter. #### Archive as a Service When a timed event occurs, such as the end of a transaction, the Vault and its content are securely archived for a defined retention period. Accessible in real time should you need to, like a digital library. Board Wing Chair, NEDs, Strategic governance C-Suite Wing CEO, CFO, CTO, Operational confidentiality Client Facing Client Vaults 1–7, Secure data rooms Suppliers and Partners Third-party collaboration Vaults Archive Post-transaction retention ### What Each Wing Delivers Each wing addresses a distinct area of your organisation with clear business value. #### Win More Business with Confidence - Close deals faster with governed, ready-to-share materials - Stand out in bids by demonstrating structured stewardship - Dedicated Vaults with identity-verified access windows "Well-governed commercial assets help your teams move faster and your clients notice the difference." #### Earn Trust That Drives Growth - Turn data stewardship into a reason clients choose you - Strengthen renewals and referrals through demonstrated care - Purpose-built environments for each client relationship "Trust is earned through consistent action. Butterfly gives you the structure to prove it." #### Lead with Confidence and Clarity - Inspire investor confidence with a clear governance narrative - Succession-ready access with full continuity - Controlled sharing scoped to leaders and counsel "Confident leadership starts with knowing your most important information is structured and accessible only to the right people." #### Build a Reputation for Reliability - Demonstrate organisational maturity that wins enterprise clients - Respond to compliance enquiries with confidence - Immutable offline sets with governed retrieval processes "Organisations that archive well are organisations that clients trust to handle their most important work." ## Butterfly in Practice From professional services to healthcare, local government to technology sales. Each deployment is tailored to the organisation. ### Professional Services Law firms, accountancies, and consultancies deploy client Vaults for secure matter management and document exchange. Client files Due diligence Legal contracts Advisory reports ### Healthcare Practitioners hold personal information on patients in dedicated patient Vaults with strict access controls. Patient records Medical history Treatment plans Consent forms ### Local Government Authorities use safeguarding Vaults organised by postcode or age group for sensitive child protection data. Safeguarding records Case files Inter-agency comms Audit trails ### Technology Sales Commission a Vault per sales opportunity to exchange sensitive data with partners, distributors, and prospects. Pricing Network schematics RFPs Legal documents ### Non-Profit Organisations NFP Vaults protect sensitive data relating to beneficiaries, donors, and operational matters. Donor records Beneficiary data Grant applications Board papers ### Supply Chain Supplier Vaults isolate intellectual property and sensitive product development data from external partners. IP documents Product specs Supplier contracts R&D files ## Why Organisations Choose Butterfly The Butterfly gives you something competitors cannot offer: a structured, physical framework that proves to clients how seriously you take their data. Structure sensitive data so your teams collaborate faster and your clients feel confident Demonstrate governed access that earns trust in every conversation and bid Offer physical isolation that no software-only competitor can match Turn data governance from a cost centre into a business-winning advantage ### Ready to Get Started? Start with a Vault to experience governance first hand, or map your organisation's data landscape with our free discovery tool. Create Your VaultDiscuss Butterfly Deployment[Free Mapping Tool](https://map.fire-vault.com) ![Mark Fermor](/assets/mark-fermor-aWtKNSv7.jpg) ![David Bailey](/assets/david-bailey-Dgqj8eaE.jpg) ![Kenny Phipps](/assets/kenny-phipps-CVyooRsR.jpg) Online Now Concierge ## Which offline secure storage solution is right for you? Answer a few quick questions and we will recommend the right solution, whether that is a personal vault or a scalable offline storage system built for your needs. Takes about 2 minutes. No account needed. Find Out Free 2 mins No sign-up