SURF

Empowering education by enhancing SURF’s IT infrastructure and reliability

Industry & location .

SURF operates within the higher education sector in the Netherlands, serving a diverse range of institutions, including universities and colleges. As a cooperative, it focuses on enhancing the technological landscape for educational institutions, ensuring they have access to cutting-edge ICT services. This commitment to innovation supports the academic community in achieving their educational goals.

Product & service .

SURF offers a comprehensive suite of ICT services tailored specifically for the educational sector. These services range from procurement to specialized application development, addressing the unique needs of its members. By providing high-quality, secure, and innovative solutions, SURF streamlines the operations of educational institutions, enabling them to focus on their core mission of education.

Mission .

The mission of SURF is to drive progress and efficiency in education through advanced technology. By supporting the academic community, SURF aims to enhance the learning experience and operational capabilities of its member institutions. This dedication to technological advancement ensures that educational institutions remain competitive and effective in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

The challenges

Complex Infrastructure

The complexity of SURF's infrastructure necessitated robust support to ensure uninterrupted service to their members. SURF needed to address the increasing intricacies of their systems to continue meeting the stringent demands of the educational environment.

Growing Demands

As SURF's technological infrastructure expanded, particularly in their Ceph clusters for VMs and backup storage, they faced significant challenges. The increasing demands required sophisticated management skills to handle the complexity of their systems effectively.

Specialized Training

The recognition of these challenges prompted SURF to seek specialized training and support. This initiative was crucial for ensuring that their team could continue to meet and exceed the expectations of their educational clients.

Technical Capabilities

SURF recognized the need to enhance their technical capabilities to manage these systems efficiently. This highlighted a pressing need for improved technical expertise to maintain the high standard of reliability expected by their educational clients.

The solutions

Partnership with 42on

SURF partnered with 42on for training sessions, which significantly boosted the confidence and capabilities of their IT team. This collaboration equipped them with vital skills in maintenance and troubleshooting, enhancing their operational efficiency and system reliability. The hands-on training approach allowed team members to engage directly with the technology, fostering a deeper understanding of the systems they manage. As a result, the team became more adept at identifying potential issues before they escalated, ensuring smoother operations.

System Upgrade

Building on their newfound expertise, SURF undertook a critical system upgrade with 42on’s assistance. They enhanced their Ceph storage infrastructure across three data centers to ensure redundancy and high availability, preventing any single point of failure. This upgrade not only improved performance but also provided a scalable solution that could grow alongside SURF's expanding needs. The implementation of advanced monitoring tools further allowed the team to proactively manage resources and optimize performance.

- Ron Trompert, senior consultant at SURF

The results

Enhanced Reliability

Following the training and system upgrades, SURF significantly improved the reliability and resilience of its IT infrastructure. The increased operational confidence among the IT staff allowed them to manage their clusters more effectively.

Increased Confidence

The impact of the training is evident in the staff's enhanced understanding of Ceph storage. They now manage their systems with greater assurance, confident in their ability to maintain high service levels.

Strategic Positioning

Looking ahead, SURF is well-positioned for future growth and technological advancements. These initiatives are part of SURF’s strategic vision to expand their storage capacity and meet the evolving needs of their members.

Positive Feedback

Feedback from SURF’s team highlights the effectiveness of the training provided. They feel better equipped to handle their Ceph cluster, ensuring its continued operation and reliability.

- Ron Trompert, senior consultant at SURF

About 42on

42on supports Ceph teams with the complete operation of Ceph clusters by providing Consultancy, Training, Emergency Assistance, and Managed Services.

Discover how we can help you!

Why choose 42on as your partner for your open source infrastructure?

Genuine commitment

42on's passion for open source, particularly Ceph, is not just a statement but a core ethos. Actively engaged in the Ceph and related open source communities, our contributions to GitHub, tech blogs and events showcase our enthusiastic involvement

Vendor agnostic approach

We avoid vendor lock-in and work together with clients that use open source or subscribed Ceph. This vendor-agnostic approach ensures clients have the freedom to choose their preferred vendor while benefiting from 42on's expert support and guidance.

Control tailored to your preferences

We understand that every business has unique needs. Therefore, we provide a range of services that allow you to customize your level of control. You can choose to maintain complete control or delegate tasks as you see fit.