A New Era of Digital Workplaces thanks to a shared vision and values

Both companies share a vision of empowering customers with the freedom to build tailored cloud environments, ensuring compatibility with any technology and architecture, both on hybrid or multicloud environments. A key focus of this partnership is to offer competitive, transparent pricing, bringing innovative technologies within reach of all types of businesses. Companies of all sizes can now access technologies that drive efficiency and innovation to the digital workplace world, which is a large step further in the path of democratization of technology.

OVHcloud and Virtual Cable prioritize data sovereignty and security, ensuring that their solutions meet the highest standards of data protection and compliance. With a Local Zone for Public Cloud services in Spain, the partnership addresses critical customer requirements, including lower latency and adherence to national and European regulations.

This alliance marks a significant step forward in providing businesses with advanced digital workplace solutions thanks to the combined expertise of Virtual Cable and OVHcloud,

Reasons why your company needs a Desktop Virtualization Solution

The integration of Virtual Cable’s UDS Enterprise with OVHcloud’s robust infrastructure offers numerous benefits to your company, let´s see some of them:

1. Enhanced Security: Virtual desktops isolate user environments, reducing the risk of malware and data breaches. Centralized management ensures consistent security updates and policies across all devices.
2. Cost Efficiency: Desktop virtualization reduces the need for expensive hardware and maintenance, as computing resources are managed in the cloud. This leads to lower upfront costs and predictable ongoing expenses.
3. Flexibility and Scalability: Businesses can easily scale their virtual desktop environments up or down based on demand, providing the agility to respond to changing workforce needs without significant capital investment.
4. Remote Accessibility: Employees can access their virtual desktops from anywhere, using any device with internet connectivity. This improves productivity and supports remote work and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies.
5. Simplified IT Management: Centralized management of virtual desktops streamlines IT operations, allowing for quick deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting, reducing the burden on IT staff.
6. Business Continuity: Virtual desktops support business continuity planning by enabling quick recovery from disasters or disruptions, ensuring that employees can continue working without significant downtime.

Trusted and reliability partnership that offers added value VDI solutions 

Cristina Ortiz, Partner Program Manager at OVHcloud, underscored this commitment: “Our relationship with our partners is primarily based on communication, proximity, and above all, collaboration. We rely on the channel to add that layer of added value that the customer needs, and in Virtual Cable, we have found a suite of high-quality workplace virtualization solutions that provide great value to our customers, ensuring their data remains secure and sovereign.”

Fernando Feliu, Executive Managing Director of Virtual Cable, added: “Partnering with a hyperscaler like OVHcloud, which has a Local Zone for Public Cloud Services in Spain, meets our customers’ needs for lower latency and compliance with local regulations. This alliance enhances our cloud offerings, providing greater flexibility and choice for our partners and customers while ensuring the highest levels of data protection.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, adopting a cloud VDI solution has become an essential pillar for modern enterprises. This technology provides multiple critical benefits that can transform how organizations operate and manage their digital resources.

The collaboration between Virtual Cable and OVHcloud represents a significant advancement in the realm of cloud digital workplace solutions. This partnership not only emphasizes the importance of delivering secure, open, and cost-effective solutions but also aligns with a shared vision of innovation, sovereignty, and customer empowerment offering a robust and reliable solution for the challenges of the modern digital workplace environment.

About Virtual Cable

Virtual Cable is a company specialized in the digital transformation of the workplace. The company develops, supports, and markets UDS Enterprise, software for desktop virtualization, applications, and remote access to physical devices. Its team of experts has designed VDI solutions tailored to each sector to provide a unique user experience fully adapted to each user’s needs. The professionals at Virtual Cable have over 30 years of experience in IT and software development and more than 15 years in virtualization technologies. Every day, millions of Windows and Linux virtual desktops are deployed with UDS Enterprise worldwide.

For more information:

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/udsenterprise

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/showcase/uds-enterprise

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/UDSEnterprise

OVHcloud’s IaaS (Infraestructure as a Service) services allow us to hire dedicated servers (bare metal) for rent that we can have at our disposal in a matter of minutes. There is a wide range of options (rise, advance, storage, scale, high quality, etc.) from which we can choose according to our needs.

In this article we will see how we can use these dedicated servers to create Proxmox VE Ceph Clusters with the same functionalities that we would have if we used proprietary servers in our facilities (on premises). In addition, we will see how OVHcloud services allow us to create a very complete DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan) to achieve maximum resilience for our data

OVHCloud – Dedicated Servers

Ceph Proxmox VE Cluster

A cluster of Proxmox VE servers combined with a Ceph distributed storage system allows you to create a highly available, load-balanced, horizontally scalable, hyperconverged virtualization infrastructure with ease.

Let’s first look at some concepts to fully understand what a Proxmox VE Ceph Cluster is.

What is a cluster?

A cluster in computing refers to a group of interconnected computers or nodes that function together as if they were a single entity. Clusters are used to improve the availability, performance, and scalability of applications and services. There are different types of clusters, but in general they share the objective of providing greater processing capacity and redundancy.

What is Ceph?

Ceph is a distributed storage system designed to provide object, block, and file storage in a single unified cluster. . Proxmox can use Ceph as a virtual machines storege.

What is a Proxmox VE Ceph cluster?

It is three or more servers forming part of a Proxmox cluster and using Ceph as a distributed storage system, all managed from the Proxmox web interface, thanks to which we achieve a hyperconverged virtualization infrastructure.

What is hyperconvergence?

A hyperconverged virtualization infrastructure is an integrated system that combines compute, storage, and networking in a single environment. This simplifies management, improves efficiency, and enables easy scalability, making it easy to create and manage virtual machines in a single cluster.

Proxmox VE Ceph Cluster

By means of the OVHcloud dedicated server service we can create a Proxmox VE Ceph cluster with three or more nodes in the same way that we would do if we acquired our own servers to create the cluster in our facilities, but with the versatility and advantages that come with using rental servers instead of proprietary hardware, among which we can mention:

• Abstraction of the hardware layer since any breakdown will be solved by OVHcloud and, if necessary, they will replace the damaged parts or even the entire server.
• We forget about hardware obsolescence. After a few years we will be able to add new servers with the latest technologies to our cluster and eliminate the old ones in a completely transparent way for the user of the virtualization environment, without any interruption of service.
• Easily add more nodes to our virtualization cluster to increase your computing power. In a matter of minutes we can have new servers that we can add to our cluster.

The large number of dedicated server options that OVHcloud makes available to its clients allows us to create Proxmox VE Ceph Clusters for practically any client. We can use different CPUs depending on our needs, large amounts of RAM, large NVMe disks, dedicated 25Gbps networks for Ceph communication, the vRACK service to connect our servers, dedicated IP ranges, etc. All this allows us to cover practically the needs of any client.

OVHCloud – A2-Scale Servers

DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan)

A DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan) is crucial to maintaining business operations in the event of disasters, guaranteeing the continuity and protection of essential data. It is very important to have a good DRP to ensure the resilience of the data.

What is a Disaster Recovery Plan?

Disaster Recovery Plan in IT refers to a set of strategies, policies and procedures that an organization implements to restore its critical systems and data after a catastrophic event or disaster that causes significant disruptions to operations. normal.que cause interrupciones significativas en las operaciones normales.

These events may include:

• Natural disasters: Such as earthquakes, floods, storms, etc.
• Man-made disasters: Such as cyber attacks, infrastructure failures, acts of vandalism, etc.

The goal of the Disaster Recovery Plan is to minimize downtime and ensure business continuity, allowing the organization to recover quickly after a disaster.

DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan)

Below we will list several options, taking into account that our DRP may have some of these or even a combination of all of them, depending on the level of data resilience desired. Option 1: Proxmox VE Ceph Cluster distributed in OVHcloud 3-AZ region Our partner OVHcloud has a service called 3-AZ region thanks to which we can distribute a Proxmox VE Ceph Cluster made up of dedicated servers (bare metal) between three different data centers separated by a few tens of kilometers. These data centers that make up the 3-AZ region are interconnected through redundant fibers with minimal latency, thanks to which we can set up a Proxmox VE Ceph Cluster distributed within said region. This provides us with great resilience of the data against incidents located in one of the data centers since our virtualization service will not be affected by it.

OVHcloud – 3-AZ Region

Option 2: Proxmox Backup Server with frequent replication Make use of a Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) or by means of our PBS Online service in a data center (even a different country or continent) where you have a backup copy of all virtual machines, maintaining a history of various versions over time depending on the space available for copies. For those virtual machines that are more critical, you can even make more frequent copies (for example, every hour) so that if you have to activate the DRP, the data loss is as little as possible. This option can be implemented using the PBS Online service, the OVHcloud IaaS service to rent a dedicated server on which to install the PBS or any other cloud service or even own facilities in which to locate the PBS.

Option 3: Ceph Replicación Create a Proxmox VE Ceph Cluster identical to the production one in a data center geographically separated from the main cluster and activate Ceph replication between both clusters. This is the option with the least data loss if we compare it with option 2, but much more expensive since we have to have a cluster equal to the main cluster that we will only activate in case of disaster. This option can be implemented using the OVHcloud IaaS service, given that they have data centers distributed in several countries and continents. Therefore, it would be viable to host the main cluster in a data center and the replication cluster located in another country. It can also be implemented using different cloud providers and also on the customer’s premises if he has geographically separated data centers.

Conclusion

As we have seen throughout this article, we can create a hyperconverged virtualization infrastructure with great data resilience using the Proxmox VE hypervisor and dedicated OVHCloud servers. A Proxmox VE Ceph Cluster with three or more nodes located in a 3-AZ region of OVHcloud, in combination with a PBS (Proxmox Backup Server) hosted in a different data center and country is a highly available solution, with high scalability and with great data resilience. If we also add an identical cluster in another data center outside the 3-AZ region with real-time Ceph replication, we can have a DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan) that allows rapid disaster recovery.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the channel plays a pivotal role in connecting providers with end-user companies. However, this crucial link encounters a myriad of challenges in its day-to-day operations. In this article, we delve into the intricate web of hurdles faced by the channel, ranging from pricing control and product knowledge to the human factor and the indispensable role of supplier support.

During conversations with our partners and with other members of the channel that are not yet part of our ecosystem, we have identified several key challenges where we can help to address. Also in this article we will try to review them in a simple way and explain how OVHcloud supports the partner to solve them. Lets go one by one:

1. Pricing Control and Predictability

One of the key challenges faced by partners is maintaining control and predictability in pricing. Fluctuations in pricing can lead to market uncertainty, impacting profit margins and creating an environment of distrust among cloud business.

OVHcloud offers competitive pricing, but it’s more important for the channel to know that these prices are entirely predictable, that there is no hidden cost, and that it can make a correct and reliable estimate of what it should charge its customers at the end of each month. OVHcloud, unlike other cloud providers, does not include any traffic costs, for calls to databases or the use of its APIs, nor for data retention.

2. Product Knowledge and Training

In a fast-paced tech environment, staying abreast of the latest products and innovations is a constant challenge for partners. Adequate product knowledge is not only essential for successful sales but also for providing valuable insights to customers. The lack of comprehensive training programs or the high cost that some cloud providers apply to their certifications can hinder the channel’s ability to effectively communicate the features and benefits of the products they distribute.

At OVHcloud, we believe that access to information and training is a right for the partner and that is why we offer a completely free program that includes online and face-to-face training on both about products and tactics that help to sell. Access to continuous training, including trial and testing enviroments from OVHcloud emerges as a cornerstone in the learning process, providing partners with a hands-on understanding that transcends theoretical knowledge.

By facilitating hands-on experiences, OVHcloud not only contribute to partner education but also empower them to make informed, confident decisions in recommending and implementing technology solutions for their clients which becomes crucial for staying competitive and delivering effective sales and superior customer service.

3. The Human Factor

Many partners tell us about the difficulties they have working with other cloud providers to find a person who offers direct attention in their daily basics. They find themselves lost and unattended, which gives them a feeling of being alone in the difficult work of selling.

Nowadays, despite of the prevalence of digital communication, the human element remains a critical aspect of the channel. Building and maintaining relationships with all players in the ecosystem, including customers is essential for long-term success.

In OVHcloud the interpersonal skills of our channel team members become instrumental in understanding the unique needs of each partner and client and tailoring solutions accordingly. Proximity and human communication is another of the pillars on which our relationship with the ecosystem supports and directly impacts on the success of the business.

4. Diversifying offerings and interoperable solutions

In the ever-expanding tech ecosystem, the breadth of solutions offered by a distributor is paramount. Finding a supplier that provides an extensive portfolio of solutions is a critical challenge. However, the complexity doesn’t end there; the solutions must not only be diverse but also open and interoperable as interoperability is key in today’s interconnected and hybrid world.

For a partner this requires a careful selection of suppliers whose offerings adhere to open standards, allowing for smooth interoperability and avoiding the pitfalls of vendor lock-in.

OVHcloud is a strategic cloud provider for those partners that are looking to build flexible and scalable technology infrastructures as we offer open and entire catalogue of interoperable solutions for hybrid and multicloud enviroments. Our ability for that enhances the partner’s complete value proposition, makes their job easier and enables partner to address entire 360 projects.

5. The critical role of technical support in the pre-sales phase

Exploring the complex landscape of diverse technologies requires more than just product knowledge; it demands a deep understanding of use cases and the ability to optimizing technology for the clients’ unique needs. Having a knowledgeable representative available during the pre-sales process is not just beneficial; it is fundamental for partners to build their proposals.

Talking about product knowledge and human factors, OVHcloud includes in the channel team robust technical support that creates a distinct competitive advantage. A designated expert who can offer insights into use cases, advise on technology utilization, and assist in tailoring architectures becomes an invaluable resource for partners. This personalized support not only enhances the partner’s capabilities but also fosters stronger, more collaborative relationships between us and our partners.

6. Business generation and identifying commercial opportunities for succeed

Reaching new customers and identifying warm business opportunities is a challenge for the channel and the ability to generate business and detect new opportunities is crucial for growth and it’s not an easy task at all.

OVHcloud believes that generating business is not a issue that the partner must face alone. And this involves not only reacting to market trends but also proactively seeking out new potential customers and qualifying their needs in the whitespace. OVHcloud proactively seeks these business opportunities in customers who not only need our technology but the service of an expert partner to perform value projects. Our work finding strategic opportunities is key to our partners’ business and growth.

7. Security fears and overcoming hesitation in adopting cloud technologies

While the channel actively strives to usher in innovative and disruptive solutions, a formidable challenge emerges in persuading certain clients to embark on projects that are truly transformative. Despite being conscious of the benefits these initiatives bring to the digital transformation of their companies, clients often harbor concerns, with data security topping the list.

The fear of data breaches becomes a significant obstacle, especially when dealing with projects that involve complex migrations or the implementation of cutting-edge technologies. The challenge for distributors is not only to advocate for the advantages of these disruptive solutions but also to address and alleviate the legitimate security concerns raised by their clients.

As European Cloud Provider, OVHcloud guarantees the highest security in data processing, complying with the most demanding regulations. Leading global provider of Trusted Cloud our strong commitment with regulation, ethics, data localization and compliance with the highest security standards are the pillars that allow us together with our partners to build trust and assure clients that embracing cloud technologies, including AI solutions, can be done securely, marking a significant step towards achieving their digital transformation goals in all types of verticals, even those using highly sensitive data.

In conclusion, the challenges faced by the channel are multifaceted, requiring a holistic approach to overcome them. From pricing control and product knowledge to the human element and supplier support, each aspect plays a crucial role in the success of the channel. By addressing these challenges head-on and embracing a dynamic, customer-centric approach in collaboration with OVHcloud, partners can not only survive but thrive in the competitive cloud market.

To rap up, the level of support provided by OVHcloud plays a pivotal role in overcoming challenges within the channel. Beyond product training, we offer ongoing assistance, proactive communication, and strategic guidance. A robust support system that ensures the ecosystem can navigate unforeseen challenges, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and foster a symbiotic relationship that benefits both parties.

Women bring unique strengths and qualities that are vital in shaping the future of technology. In addition to technical roles, it is important to recognize that tech companies require a diverse range of skills and roles. Many of these roles emphasize characteristics often associated with women, such as strength is empathy, active listening, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, fairness in negotiations, resilience, and perseverance. One area where these qualities are particularly valued is in Channel and Alliance Management.

Channel and Alliance Management involve building and maintaining relationships with partners. This requires effective communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills to ensure successful partnerships and mutual growth. Women often excel in these roles due to their ability to listen attentively, understand the needs of different parties, and find balanced solutions that satisfy everyone involved.

The empathetic nature of women allows us to establish rapport and foster strong relationships with channel partners. By understanding the unique challenges and goals of each partner, women can navigate through complex negotiations, seeking win-win outcomes. Our resilience and constancy enable us to persevere in challenging situations and maintain long-term alliances, ensuring the success of the partnership and this empathetic approach fosters trust, encourages collaboration, and helps build sustainable agreements focus on achieving positive outcomes.

We prioritize open communication, fairness, and maintaining trust between all parties involved and also bring a fresh and creative perspective that build meaningful connections with partners.

Furthermore, resilience is another characteristic that women often have. The tech world is highly dynamic, and challenges and setbacks are common. Women have demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming obstacles, adapting to changing circumstances, and pushing boundaries. Our ability to bounce back from failures and learn from them is crucial.

Exploring societal and psychological factors, including personal experiences, upbringing, and individual differences, that may contribute to women often being associated with higher levels of empathy and resilience:

• Societal Factors: Historical and cultural norms have shaped expectations and socialization patterns for men and women. Societal expectations and stereotypes often require women to navigate various challenges and adversity, fostering resilience.
• Emotional Intelligence: Research suggests that women, on average, may have a slight advantage in emotional intelligence compared to men. Emotional intelligence encompasses the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions.
• Biological Factors: Some studies suggest that biological and hormonal differences may influence empathy levels. For example, oxytocin, is associated with nurturing, bonding, and empathy. Women tend to have higher baseline levels of oxytocin, which may contribute to our ability to connect emotionally with others.
• Socialization and Communication Styles: From an early age, girls are often encouraged to develop strong communication and interpersonal skills, which can further enhance our empathetic abilities, creating a foundation for resilience in the face of challenges.

The mix of these factors makes women have a very particular way of dealing with negotiations in channel, with two outstanding characteristics fundamental to reaching agreements:

• Persistence: Women often exhibit remarkable persistence when it comes to reaching agreements. We are known for our tenacity and willingness to put in the necessary effort to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Focus on Key Points: Women possess strong analytical skills and a keen attention to detail, allowing us to dissect complex issues and extract the essential elements.

Furthermore, women often excel in providing support and guidance along the whole path, before, during, and after the negotiation:

• Before the negotiation, women often invest time and effort in understanding the needs and objectives. We engage in thorough research, gather relevant information, and establish open lines of communication. By doing so, we create a supportive environment that fosters trust and collaboration.
• During the negotiation, women’s ability to listen actively and empathize with the concerns of each party allows us to facilitate constructive dialogue. We ensure that all viewpoints are heard, creating a safe space for open and honest communication. By actively mediating and finding common ground, women can guide the negotiation towards a mutually agreeable solution.
• Finally, women’s role doesn’t end once the agreement is reached. We often take the initiative to follow up with parties, ensuring that the agreement is implemented effectively and that both sides are satisfied with the outcome. This post-negotiation support and follow-up demonstrate our commitment to fostering long-term relationships and maintaining the success over time.

The role of women in providing accompaniment throughout the negotiation process is invaluable. Our attention to detail, empathy, and commitment helps establish a foundation of trust and cooperation. By facilitating a smooth and inclusive negotiation experience, women contribute to building strong and enduring relationships in the tech industry and beyond. Women’s contribution in providing support and guidance throughout the negotiation process is vital.

Recognizing the value of these skills and actively encouraging women to pursue roles in channel and alliance management can lead to more diverse and dynamic tech companies. In the case of OVHcloud, our Global Partner Program is currently led by a woman. This demonstrates the recognition of the valuable skills and expertise that women bring to channel management and alliance building. Additionally, various regions have female professionals dedicated to evangelizing the partner program and promoting the collaborative channel model. It is likely that our involvement has contributed to the company’s recent success in growing its channel business.

In conclusion, it reflects the understanding that women possess the necessary qualities to excel in channel management, including the ability to listen, empathize, negotiate fairly, and remain resilient. By entrusting leadership roles to women, OVHcloud not only shows its commitment to gender equality but also leverages the unique strengths and perspectives that women bring to the table.

This technology has transformed the way businesses operate. Transforming from a transactional model to an “as a service” business model, providing to the customers a more cost-effective, scalable, and flexible alternative to traditional on-premises IT infrastructure and allowing clients to access technology solutions quicker and easier at a lower cost.

Initial distrust of model change

In the early days of cloud computing, many partners were hesitant to embrace this new technology, as they saw it as a threat to their existing business. They believed they were losing out on big deals and that pay-per-use models were not profitable. In part it was true, but the shift towards cloud computing has not only changed the business model for technology business partners, but it has also had a significant impact on their cash flow. In the traditional transactional model, partners could often rely on upfront payments for products and services, which provided a predictable revenue stream. However, with the move towards cloud-based services and solutions, partners receive payments on a usage basis which, years ago, would have seemed like a risk for the channel.

Nonetheless, those who recognized the cloud growth potential and invested in it have been part of something big, helping to shape the cloud computing industry and drive its growth. This is how things began to change.

From selling products to providing comprehensive and personalized solutions

Business partners started to offer more comprehensive and personalized solutions to their clients, rather than just selling products. Business partners turned into needed and reliable players for customers that didn’t have the knowledge nor the skills for those digital transformation processes. But also, this has required business partners to develop new skills and expertise, and to become more consultative in their approach to selling technology solutions.

Over time, business partners have become increasingly important as providers of managed technology services, offering consultancy, integration, administration management, and security in complex projects. These managed services have allowed companies to outsource a significant portion of their technology needs, freeing up their internal teams to focus on more strategic tasks. Business partners have evolved from technology providers to technology consultants, offering guidance and advice to their clients on topics such as technology strategy, project management, and system integration. As the business evolved, business partners became providers of complete solutions, helping their clients solve complex business problems and offering “as a service” services instead of just selling products.

As a result of this evolution, new business models have emerged in the channel, such as cloud service providers, who focus on delivering cloud-based solutions, and managed service providers, who offer a range of managed technology services. These models have enabled business partners to expand their offerings and provide more value to their clients.

Business partners and cloud providers working together

Business partners and cloud providers have been at the forefront of digital transformation as an ecosystem, working with their customers to identify opportunities to leverage technology in order to drive business growth and improve efficiency. This has required a significant shift in mindset, with business partners taking on a more evangelistic role in promoting the benefits of digital transformation to their customers.

Today, cloud computing is a well-established technology, and business partners have adapted their models to take advantage of its benefits. Cloud-based solutions are now available for a wide range of business needs. When partners and cloud providers work together, both in sales and marketing efforts, they can evangelize the benefits of cloud computing to clients who may still be hesitant. By leveraging our combined expertise, the channel can deliver comprehensive solutions and services that meet clients’ unique needs.

Finally, I would like to extend a message of gratitude to all the business partners who have been able to understand the potential of cloud computing and the advantages it brings to the table. Your efforts to keep up with the ever-evolving technology landscape and to ensure that your technical and sales staff are equipped with the skills needed to take advantage of the cloud have not gone unnoticed. Your commitment to driving digital transformation through the adoption of cloud technology has been instrumental in helping businesses across the globe realize the full potential of technology to drive growth and efficiency.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication, we look forward to continuing to work together in order to help businesses succeed in the digital age.