Cre8ion.Lab

Cre8ion.Lab sets the bar high, and that includes its choice of cloud partner

There are moments when a website is suddenly hit by a massive surge in traffic within seconds. For example, when thousands of visitors try to secure tickets for a major festival at the exact same time, or when ticket sales for a new theater season open for all venues simultaneously. For the servers hosting these websites, this is a significant stress test. They need to be able to process an enormous number of visitors in a very short amount of time.

At Cre8ion.Lab, they are well prepared for those exceptional traffic spikes. Based in Den Bosch, this creative agency develops and hosts websites and applications for the cultural sector, corporate businesses, retail, real estate, and government agencies. Uptime, speed, and security are essential—because if there's one thing you want to avoid, it's a website crashing under its own success.‍

Do it yourself or outsource?

For years, Cre8ion.Lab managed its own hosting, utilizing its own technicians and equipment in a data center. However, the organization increasingly wanted to focus on its core activities: brand strategy, design, and software development. Consequently, the agency began searching for a specialized infrastructure partner. Loek Jurres, founder and director of Cre8ion.Lab, explains: “We were looking for a party that could think along with us at our level and even go a step further. A partner that doesn't just take tasks off our hands, but also brings new expertise to the table.”

Setting the bar high

With around 25 virtual machines and a diverse range of clients, Cre8ion.Lab sets high standards for availability and security. Because the company also provides software to approximately 70 municipalities, the location of the data plays a significant role. Loek: “For our clients, it is becoming increasingly important to know where their data is stored and which legislation it falls under. Fundaments' Dutch sovereign Private Cloud aligned perfectly with that need.”

However, Cre8ion.Lab didn't rush into things. Various providers were critically vetted. “We probably had the longest list of requirements of anyone,” says Loek. “Because we had always done it ourselves, we knew exactly what we wanted. We asked a lot of questions about the technical setup and how agreements are guaranteed. Ultimately, you want to be sure that everything is handled correctly.”

In control, without the worries

During the implementation, it became clear that Fundaments met our expectations. The expertise and dedication of their technical specialists were particularly impressive. “In larger organizations, you often find that the technicians are quite removed from the process. At Fundaments, we can communicate with them directly. They explain what they are doing and why, which we really appreciate. For us, it’s not just important that a problem is solved; we also want to understand how.”

The migration of the existing environment also went smoothly. The transition was carefully prepared and carried out server by server, with a verification period in between each step. While this took more time than was strictly necessary, it provided the peace of mind that Cre8ion.Lab was looking for. When something didn't go as planned along the way, Fundaments actively helped find a solution. Loek: “That’s when you notice that people take responsibility and apply their expertise. That builds confidence for the future.”

Technology taken care of, focus on the client

Since the transition, Fundaments has managed the underlying cloud infrastructure. Cre8ion.Lab retains full control over its own operating systems and applications. This division of responsibilities provides the freedom to focus on what the company does best, without having to constantly worry about the infrastructure.

Furthermore, the systems are designed to scale up and down automatically. Loek: “If extra capacity is needed, the system shouldn’t say, ‘I’m unavailable for a moment.’ It just needs to adapt accordingly.”

Good for a good night's sleep

For Loek, however, the biggest gain lies in security and collaboration. “When you know everything is well-organized and you have a partner who will step in if things go wrong, you sleep a lot better.” He also appreciates the personal connection. “We’re from Brabant, they’re from Twente. It’s a bit different, but it works.” He is happy to look ahead, too. “I value loyalty. You solve problems together. As far as I’m concerned, we’re set for the next ten years. Maybe even twenty, but I’ll probably be retired by then.”