OVHcloud
Leveraging the Power of Vertical Integration in Cloud Services

Cloud services have come a long way beyond just leasing infrastructure components like servers, storage, and networking hardware. Today, they are richly layered with various tools and services, including advanced business analytics, comprehensive data management, robust cybersecurity and reliable backup and disaster recovery options to help businesses operate with enhanced agility.

The true mark of this evolution is the way these services are delivered. OVHcloud takes the lead in this space with its vertically integrated cloud model, which ensures seamless end-to-end service delivery with state-of-the-art in-house technologies. This has propelled OVHcloud to prominence, making it one of the most sought-after cloud solution providers in the domain.

OVHcloud masters the entire value chain from designing its servers to operating its own data centers, including the orchestration of its fiber optic. This unique approach empowers OVHcloud to comprehensively cater to its customers’ diverse needs, allowing them to embrace the advantages of an eco-friendly model characterized by a frugal use of resources. This model also provides clients with enhanced control over the budget, data handling and technological infrastructure.

Equally noteworthy is how it assures a balanced blend of cost-efficiency, adaptability and stringent security, enabling OVHcloud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other hyperscalers, known for their highly scalable cloud capabilities.

Clients, as a result, find their journey into the cloud less of a leap and more of a step, with OVHcloud guiding them with precision and care.

Illustrating OVHcloud’s client-centric philosophy, Estelle Azemard, Vice President Canada and Latin America, highlights another key aspect of the company’s flexibility: the concept of cloud reversibility. “It ensures customers aren’t confined to a single vendor, technology or application. The infrastructure developed on OVHcloud’s platform is intentionally designed for portability, using open-source and technological standards to assure customers can transition their systems and data smoothly, support complex multi-cloud architecture or mitigate operational disruptions.”

Whether they want to transition back to private data centers or move to a different cloud service provider, OVHcloud’s reversible cloud facilitates this transition without locking clients into a single ecosystem, exemplifying OVHcloud’s promise to client empowerment and autonomy.

This forward-thinking strategy aligns with the evolving market trends, especially noticeable in the post-pandemic business landscape. Organizations, at the onset of the pandemic, placed a premium on operational continuity, often at the expense of budgetary considerations, to maintain uninterrupted access for customers and employees. Yet, as the immediacy of the crisis waned, a pronounced shift toward cost efficiency took hold. Companies began to evaluate the costs associated with rapid scalability during the pandemic, leading to increased scrutiny from CFOs over substantial and variable cloud-related expenses. At this juncture, OVHcloud responded to the market’s demand for more cost-effective solutions, addressing the newfound emphasis on financial stability with a strong commitment to transparency and price predictability.

In stride with financial considerations, data security and digital sovereignty are central pillars of OVHcloud’s mission, resonating strongly with the market’s current priorities. The company assures clients that their data will be exclusively hosted in Canada and immune to any extraterritorial laws, a commitment of significant importance to finance, public service and healthcare sectors, where data sovereignty and security are necessities. By aligning with rigorous industry standards and certifications like SOC 2, Type II, and PCI-DSS compliance, and fortifying offerings with proprietary anti-DDoS technology, OVHcloud underscores its capability to deliver robust security measures.

OVHcloud is also distinguished by its rapid delivery capabilities. Cloud solutions are available within seconds, and enterprise-grade servers can be operational in under 120 seconds after an order is placed. For more specialized needs, such as private cloud environments that demand dedicated resources and advanced orchestration and security technologies from partners like VMware/Broadcom or Nutanix, OVHcloud guarantees deployment in less than 90 minutes.

Opening in March 2024, a new data center in Cambridge, previously part of the BlackBerry infrastructure, is poised to accommodate an additional 10,000 servers

It adeptly addresses the growing concerns about sustainability as well. Doing away with conventional air conditioning units and embracing a watercooling technology perfected since 2003, OVHcloud manages to capture 70 percent of the heat from its servers, and the remaining 30 percent is captured through optimization of natural airflow. In a pioneering move, the company also developed an internal carbon calculator that comprehensively covers all operational scopes, including direct and indirect emissions on the entire supply chain. This innovative tool empowers customers to measure the carbon footprint of their cloud infrastructure through their API, fostering greater transparency and enabling informed decisions.

A case scenario encapsulating these core benefits involves a client in the electronic medical records (EMR) industry. This client’s dependence on traditional cloud infrastructure previously resulted in operational costs consuming 60 to 70 percent of their budget, with inconsistent monthly billing. In a climate where maximizing Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) is critical, such financial unpredictability is untenable. Additionally, the client required absolute assurance of data sovereignty within Canada—a non-negotiable in their field.

The shift to OVHcloud markedly reduced their operational expenses, creating value for the company’s shareholders—a vital consideration, especially since the client was a publicly traded company. It offered more predictable pricing, enabling the client to exercise better control over their budget. The client was further reassured by OVHcloud’s European roots and compliance with statutory law, ensuring data sovereignty within Canada. While environmental concerns were not the primary driver for the transition, the client recognized the potential benefits of leveraging OVHcloud’s environmentally friendly practices in the future.

Today, clients globally reap the benefits of OVHcloud’s cloud and data center services, a testament to the company’s strategic expansion and robust growth trajectory. In Canada, this evolution commenced with establishing its first data center 11 years ago in Quebec, where it currently operates 90,000 servers. The company has set its sights on further expansion, targeting the Waterloo-Toronto corridor for significant development. Opening in March 2024, a new data center in Cambridge, previously part of the BlackBerry infrastructure, is poised to accommodate an additional 10,000 servers. The data center will adopt a ‘private powered shell’ model, combining the existing building’s acclaimed security and architectural standards (a legacy of its Blackberry origins) with OVHcloud’s advanced technologies and operational excellence.

This facility not only illustrates OVHcloud’s ongoing commitment to scaling its operations but highlights the company’s ability to repurpose and rejuvenate existing infrastructures for modern cloud computing needs.