The cloud is on the rise, and more and more companies are making the transition. However, the cloud comes in many forms, which means choices have to be made. At one end of the spectrum is the private cloud, which allows companies to use their own on-site cloud infrastructure. At the other end is the public cloud, where enterprises take advantage of the services and applications of major international providers. In this case, the infrastructure is shared by many companies, leading to the requisite economies of scale. Many public cloud providers are US-based companies such as Google and Amazon. And this is where the problem lies: it is not always clear where your business data is stored, making it difficult for European companies to comply with European regulations on security and privacy. With a private cloud, you retain full control yourself. However, setting up a secure environment is a major investment and its construction and maintenance cost money, time and energy. Not every company is willing or can afford to do this. But now there's Rcloud, our own cloud environment, where we take on the role of local service provider and provide cloud tranquility on Belgian territory. Our Rcloud incorporates the aspects of a public cloud, but adapts easily to the specific expectations and needs of our customers.
We offer a number of sequential benefits.
Managed cloud
Rcloud is what is known as a 'managed' cloud. This means our experts take care of the installation, configuration, support and management of your cloud environment. You should know that international cloud providers usually offer an 'unmanaged' cloud, a standard menu that requires you, the customer, to have some IT knowledge in house to be able to get started. Cloud projects often also involve a specific combination of infrastructure and applications, requiring close consultation and cooperation with the cloud provider to ensure the success of a project. This aspect is even more difficult for international players. Our services and solutions are also based on Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that offer clear guarantees in terms of availability, reliability and security.
Physical unburdening
Rcloud provides and manages the physical layer of the data center, such as the data center itself, the physical and virtual servers, and storage and network components. We combine modern sharing and security concepts in service of a financially advantageous server environment with maximum security. Rcloud therefore allays any concerns you may have about the design, construction, maintenance and security of your own data center, including all the necessary hardware and the associated life cycle management.
State-of-the-art security and safety
Rcloud has a redundant design to ensure high availability in two physically separate data centers: InterXion in Zaventem and LCL in Erembodegem. These servers are in Belgium, which provides legal certainty in terms of legislation and regulations concerning privacy-sensitive data. In addition to Rcloud's ISAE 3402 type 2 certification and its complementary services, both data centers are ISO 27001 certified. They are Tier III(+) data centers whose expertise is highly regarded. Their access security, electricity supply, fire and smoke detection methods and fire protection measures conform to the high quality standards that apply to this type of data center. The Rcloud racks are physically secured and located in an enclosed space that is not accessible to other companies. Only authorized Realdolmen employees and the customer themselves have access.
Connectivity
Rcloud is independent of all telecommunication providers and offers access to more than 70 providers, including Belgacom, Telenet, BT and French Telecom. The environment is also connected to the Belgian internet hub BNIX (Belgian National Internet eXchange), which guarantees additional efficiency and reliability for your organization.
Scalable capacity
Rcloud offers flexibility in both the services offered and possible configurations. We employ a pay-per-use model based on purchased resources or the number of effective end users. This delivers extra agility for upsizing or downsizing your environment, and the ICT infrastructure can be adapted at any time to changes in your organization. In the past, this could have taken weeks or even months; now it can be done in a few hours or days.
Certification
Both Realdolmen and its data center partners have the highest level of corporate certification, including ISO9000, ISO14000, ISO27000, ISO27001, ISO27002 and ISAE3402 type 2. Together, we offer the highest guarantees in terms of quality and support throughout the entire cloud experience.
Hybrid
The use of components from Rcloud does not exclude the use of other data center cloud solutions. It is possible to create a mix between Rcloud, your own on-site components and other public cloud components. Our support formulas are also suitable for hybrid environments, with Realdolmen able to serve as a single point of contact. This enables you to avoid vendor lock-in and ensures you are not too dependent on a major public cloud player.
Find out more
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We will be happy to advise you.
