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These days, organisations want to keep their data close to home. Yet they do not want to lose the flexibility offered by the cloud. A hybrid environment offers the solution. This allows you, for example, to combine your own servers with capacity in a Dutch data centre. You do not automatically need Azure, AWS or Google Cloud to do this. There are also Dutch providers that make this approach possible. We compare four of these Dutch providers in terms of infrastructure, customisation and management.
1. Eurofiber
Eurofiber ranks first, mainly thanks to its combination of cloud services, data centres and its own fibre-optic network. Through Eurofiber Cloud Infra, the company offers a private cloud in which organisations can utilise dedicated capacity. This environment is hosted in Dutch data centres. Using private connections, businesses can connect their own servers and cloud infrastructure.
One key option is the Hybrid Cloud Gateway. This allows you to connect data centres and cloud environments via private connections, without having to rely on the public internet for business-critical traffic. Support for migration, monitoring and management is also included in the service offering. Eurofiber also offers connections to US hyperscalers, but these are not essential for every organisation. This freedom of choice helps to limit dependencies.
2. Previder
Previder operates four of its own data centres in the Netherlands and has its own cloud platform. This enables organisations to combine on-premises systems with external capacity. The provider supports hybrid IT environments and offers management and monitoring of both on-premises systems and cloud infrastructure.
The company emphasises that the setup must meet the organisation’s requirements. This might include separating sensitive data from applications that need to be easily scalable. Previder also works with Microsoft Azure, so discuss which components must run exclusively on the Dutch infrastructure. This will prevent a US hyperscaler from becoming part of the chosen architecture after all.
3. Uniserver
Uniserver specialises in private and hybrid cloud environments hosted in Dutch data centres. The private cloud offers, amongst other things, virtual infrastructure and scalable storage. This enables organisations to host applications with a Dutch provider without having to replace their entire IT environment.
Uniserver also provides managed services and develops solutions for organisations with stringent data protection requirements. A practical example is the hybrid environment the company implemented for the municipality of Berkelland in collaboration with PQR. The combination of a private cloud and supplementary applications demonstrates that migration does not always have to be an ‘all or nothing’ proposition. However, you do need to determine in advance which external services will be used.
4. Fundamentals
Fundaments focuses on business-critical cloud environments. The company uses Dutch data centres and offers private cloud solutions that can also run on-premises at the customer’s site. This enables combinations of in-house infrastructure and managed capacity.
The services on offer include storage, backups, disaster recovery and container platforms. The company holds information security certifications, including ISO 27001 and NEN 7510. In addition, the Dutch cloud platform has VMware Sovereign Cloud status. However, you should always ask which software suppliers and subcontractors are involved. After all, the absence of a US hyperscaler does not automatically mean there is no US technology involved.