Worldstream Launches OpenStack-based Public Cloud Platform Supported by Virtuozzo

Worldstream is a fast-growing international Infrastructure-as-a-Service provider based in Naaldwijk, the Netherlands. Since 2006, Worldstream has been providing server infrastructure, connectivity, and support to SMBs, systems integrators, ISVs and MSPs in the Netherlands, Benelux, and Germany. The current launch of a new public cloud platform based on Virtuozzo technology, called WS Cloud, aims to provide European businesses with a cost-effective public cloud alternative.

 

Worldstream has built the new WS Cloud public cloud platform with Virtuozzo Hybrid Infrastructure - OpenStack cloud technology that enables IaaS service providers like Worldstream to enter the market relatively quickly with a public cloud platform. WS Cloud offers partners a scalable cloud resource pool for a fixed monthly fee, fully ISO (9001, 27001 and 14001) and PCI-DSS certified.

 

Worldstream manages more than 15,000 servers in its data centers in Naaldwijk and has additional Points-of-Presence in Haarlem and Frankfurt. Worldstream’s infrastructure also includes a network backbone with an extensive bandwidth capacity of 10 Tbit/s. Originally, Worldstream was focusing on delivering bare metal infrastructure, but as the company grew, block storage and VMware-based private cloud became part of its portfolio. However, the desire to offer more affordable cloud solutions led to the search for an alternative cloud platform.

 

“We host infrastructure for IT service providers and their customers, for companies building their own SaaS products and for MSPs, and we’re successful at doing so,” said Tim Vollebregt, Product Development Manager at Worldstream. “We are known for very good server performance, competitive pricing, and lightning-fast support, with an average response time of 7 minutes, a high satisfaction rate, and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 70. We also see that a personal approach and support around delivering IT infrastructure, in addition to the technology, is just as important. Next to that, within the current economic climate, companies that choose us as a partner are also looking for ways to further cut costs. A public cloud platform like WS Cloud can facilitate them in this and strengthen our service offering. Virtuozzo enables us to deliver exceptional price/performance with WS Cloud and reduce IT infrastructure costs for users by 30-50%. In addition, Virtuozzo’s Platform-as-a-Service solutions for Worldstream creates new opportunities for service expansion.”

“OpenStack was the obvious technology solution to build the WS Cloud public cloud platform, as we did not want to develop the new platform entirely in-house,” added Vollebregt. “It is an extremely stable and mature alternative to both bare metal and the well-known U.S. public cloud platforms. In doing so, we wanted to work with the best technology provider in the market. Virtuozzo is the largest company internationally working with OpenStack technology and they are fully committed to the OpenStack ecosystem.”

 

Using Virtuozzo technology, Worldstream’s new WS Cloud public cloud platform is able to offer partners comprehensive functionality, including easy-to-use management tools, built-in VPN, firewall, load balancing and more. Initial users are reporting great satisfaction with the new WS Cloud platform, especially when it comes to storage performance, according to Worldstream.

 

“Virtuozzo storage is extremely efficient,” added Vollebregt. “We use 3+2 erasure coding, which is computationally intensive, but Virtuozzo still delivers excellent speed and TCO for us.”

According to Worldstream, demand for alternative public cloud providers is often driven by the escalating cost of using mostly U.S. hyperscale public cloud infrastructure, especially when it comes to intensive workloads. Virtuozzo enables Worldstream to offer a cost-effective European alternative and help WS Cloud users save significantly on their IT infrastructure expenses. Alex Fine, Virtuozzo’s CEO, added: “You notice that in the current economic climate there is a growing demand for affordable cloud alternatives. This is exactly the value proposition the Worldstream team has created - launching a cost-effective, performance-driven cloud for today’s market. They have done this by combining their years of experience in dedicated server and private cloud hosting with Virtuozzo solutions. We are proud to be part of this success story.”

 

“Partners want a more predictable and transparent IT infrastructure, and with Virtuozzo we can offer a European public cloud service that delivers savings between 30 and 50 percent on total infrastructure costs,” said Tim Vollebregt. “Some partners will keep their production environments on our VMware cloud, and that’s fine – it’ all about choice. But for their development, test and acceptance environments, they can save a lot of money by using our Virtuozzo-based public cloud instead.”

 

Worldstream is also seeing growing demand for Platform-as-a-Service to complement its Infrastructure-as-a-Service cloud offerings. The Virtuozzo stack also facilitates PaaS delivery and the Worldstream team is eager to explore this as a future service direction.

 

“We are very excited about our Virtuozzo partnership and future roadmap. Bringing PaaS together with IaaS is going to be very interesting. We look forward to growing together,” concluded Vollebregt. “We will pass that back on to our partners, including through our just established partner program that makes it possible for an MSP, system integrator or ISV to accelerate growth together with Worldstream.”

Source: Worldstream