SURF
About
Industry & location
SURF is the leading collaborative ICT organization for Dutch education and research. As a cooperative association, SURF provides world-class digital services, cutting-edge infrastructure, and innovation to institutions across the Netherlands. Based in Utrecht, SURF serves universities, research institutes, vocational schools, and academic hospitals, ensuring they have the advanced technology and resources needed to lead in global research and education.
Product & service
SURF offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to support the digital transformation of education and research. These include high-performance computing, data management, cloud services, cybersecurity solutions, and advanced networking infrastructure. Through these services, SURF enables institutions to collaborate more effectively, manage large datasets, and conduct groundbreaking research in a secure and efficient manner.
Mission
SURF’s mission is to empower Dutch education and research institutions by providing the digital infrastructure and services they need to excel. By fostering innovation and facilitating collaboration, SURF aims to drive the digital transformation of education and research in the Netherlands, ensuring that its members can compete globally. SURF is committed to sustainability, efficiency, and security, continually evolving its offerings to meet the changing needs of its members.
The challenges
Scaling advanced infrastructure
SURF faced the challenge of scaling its infrastructure to support the increasing demands of Dutch educational and research institutions. With the growth of data-intensive research and the need for more powerful computing resources, SURF had to ensure its infrastructure could handle these expanding requirements while maintaining high performance and reliability.
Facilitating collaboration across institutions
As a cooperative serving a diverse range of educational and research organizations, SURF needed to create an environment that facilitated seamless collaboration. The challenge was to develop a secure and robust digital infrastructure that allowed institutions to share resources, data, and tools efficiently while maintaining the autonomy and security of each participating organization.
Ensuring data security and compliance
With the sensitive nature of research data and the critical importance of educational resources, SURF had to address the challenge of ensuring data security and compliance with national and international regulations. This involved implementing stringent security measures across its digital services while also providing flexibility for researchers and educators to innovate and collaborate.
Driving innovation in education and research
SURF was tasked with the challenge of continuously driving innovation to keep Dutch education and research at the cutting edge. This required not only maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure but also exploring and integrating emerging technologies such as AI, big data, and advanced networking solutions to support the evolving needs of its members.
The solutions
Scalable cloud infrastructure
To address the challenge of scaling its infrastructure, SURF partnered with Fairbanks to implement a scalable cloud solution using OpenStack technology. This enabled SURF to expand its computing resources dynamically, supporting the growing data and processing needs of Dutch educational and research institutions. The cloud infrastructure ensures high availability and performance, allowing institutions to access powerful computing resources on demand.
Collaborative platforms and tools
SURF developed and integrated collaborative platforms that allow member institutions to securely share resources, data, and tools. By utilizing advanced networking solutions, cloud services, and cutting-edge innovative technologies, SURF created a highly connected environment where institutions can collaborate seamlessly, significantly enhancing the efficiency and overall effectiveness of research and educational projects across the entire country.
Enhanced security protocols
In response to the need for heightened data security and compliance, SURF implemented advanced security measures across its digital services. These include robust encryption, multi-factor authentication, and continuous monitoring systems, ensuring that all data handled by SURF is protected against unauthorized access and breaches. These measures also ensure that SURF’s services comply with national and international regulations, providing peace of mind for its members.
“We rely on Fairbanks to manage our open infrastructure cloud environment, and their specialization in this area is a huge advantage for us. It allows us to focus on our core activities without the worry of managing the environment ourselves.”
The results
Enhanced infrastructure capabilities
With the implementation of scalable cloud infrastructure, SURF significantly enhanced its ability to support the growing demands of Dutch education and research institutions. The infrastructure now efficiently handles large-scale data processing and high-performance computing, enabling institutions to undertake more ambitious projects without the limitations of previous systems.
Improved collaboration across institutions
The collaborative platforms and tools introduced by SURF have led to a marked improvement in the way institutions across the Netherlands share resources and work together. This approach has facilitated more effective research collaborations and educational initiatives, allowing institutions to leverage shared knowledge, advanced technology, and collective expertise to achieve better outcomes in their respective fields.
Strengthened data security and compliance
The introduction of advanced security protocols has resulted in a more secure environment for data handling within SURF’s infrastructure. Member institutions can now operate with greater confidence, knowing that their data is protected by leading security measures and that they are fully compliant with all relevant regulations. This has also led to increased trust and adoption of SURF’s services among its members.
Accelerated innovation in education and research
With the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as AI, big data analytics, and advanced networking solutions, SURF has accelerated innovation within the Dutch education and research sectors. Institutions are now better equipped to explore new areas of study, implement innovative teaching methods, and adopt emerging technologies, maintaining their competitive edge on the global stage.
Optimized resource utilization
The adoption of these advanced resource management tools has optimized how computing and storage resources are allocated across SURF’s many and various member institutions. This has not only improved efficiency and reduced costs but also ensured that even the smallest member institutions have access to the resources they need, fostering a more equitable and collaborative research environment for all.
Boosted member satisfaction and engagement
The improvements in infrastructure, security, and innovative solutions have led to higher member satisfaction and engagement. More institutions are actively using SURF’s services, leading to increased participation in collaborative projects and fostering a stronger, more unified community. This heightened engagement enhances the effectiveness of SURF’s initiatives across the education and research sectors.
