Introduction

Ethereum is quickly becoming known as one of the most efficient and flexible blockchain networks in the world, enabling financial organisations and individuals alike to create smart contracts that can power the likes of decentralised finance (DeFi) applications and NFT ecosystems. Ethereum is one of the foundations of Web3, providing a decentralised, scalable and secure network where builders can create the digital economy of the future.

But how do you get started? In this tutorial, we provide a guide to deploying and operating an Ethereum node on an OVHcloud public server. By the end of this guide, you will have a fully functional Ethereum node running on OVHcloud, following best practices for reliability and maintainability.

The security hardening and operational best practices required to fully protect an Ethereum node are beyond the scope of this tutorial. Users are strongly advised to implement additional security measures — such as firewall configuration, key management, and monitoring — according to their organizational requirements and industry best practices.

All set? Let’s get started.

Launching an instance

Navigate to the OVHcloud Control Panel, and under the Public Cloud section, select Instances. From there, click on Create an Instance to begin the provisioning process.

To run an Ethereum node reliably, the hardware specifications must meet the client software’s minimum requirements. According to the Ethereum Foundation documentation, an Ethereum node requires at least:

● Execution client: 2 CPU cores, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of fast SSD storage.

● Consensus client: 2 CPU cores, 8 GB of RAM, and access to the same storage.

For production environments and long-term stability, higher specifications are strongly recommended. In this tutorial, we will provision an instance with 2 vCores and 30 GB of RAM, which satisfies the minimum combined requirements for running both the execution and consensus clients on a single machine.

Within the Memory Optimized category, locate the instance type named R2-30 and select it for deployment.

Next, select the geographic location for your instance. The choice of region may affect latency, network performance, and regulatory considerations. For the purposes of this tutorial, we will deploy the node in the Frankfurt data center, which provides low-latency connectivity within Europe and is well-suited for Ethereum node operations.

It is worth noting that maintaining nodes in different geographic regions contributes to the overall resilience and decentralization of the Ethereum network. Geographical diversity helps reduce the risk of localized outages and improves redundancy across the infrastructure.

Now, select the operating system image for your instance. For this tutorial, we will use Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

Next, select the public SSH key that will be associated with your instance. This key will be installed on the server during provisioning and will serve as the primary authentication method for secure remote access. After the instance is launched, you will be able to connect to it via SSH using the corresponding private key. This approach eliminates the need for password-based logins and significantly enhances security by enforcing key-based authentication.

Assign a descriptive name to your instance (e.g., eth-node-fra-01) following your organization’s naming convention. If your workflow uses tags or labels, add ones that identify the role (execution/consensus), environment (prod/stage), and region (FRA). OVHcloud also allows attaching a post-installation script (cloud-init user data) to automate provisioning; however, this tutorial proceeds step-by-step, so leave that field empty.

For the purposes of this tutorial, we will simply assign the instance the name OVHnode.

Configure the network access by selecting Public mode, which will assign the instance a public IP address and enable external connectivity. This setting is required for the node to participate in the Ethereum network. Next, choose your preferred billing method.

Finally, click on Create an Instance to launch the deployment process. OVHcloud will provision the server with the selected configuration, and within a few minutes, the instance will be available and running. At this point, your Ethereum node host environment is ready for initial access and further configuration.

Adding Storage

The next step is to provision persistent storage for the Ethereum blockchain data. In the OVHcloud Control Panel, navigate to the Block Storage section from the side menu, and click on Create a Volume. This volume will serve as the primary data store for the Ethereum chain, ensuring durability and scalability independent of the compute instance.

When creating the storage volume, ensure that you select the same region as your compute instance. This is essential to guarantee low-latency access and to allow the volume to be attached directly to your node without cross-region performance penalties.

OVHcloud provides three categories of block storage volumes:

• Classic HDD – 500 IOPS guaranteed.
• High-Speed SSD – up to 3,000 IOPS.
• High-Speed Gen2 – up to 20,000 IOPS.

Running an Ethereum node requires high-performance storage due to the constant read and write operations needed to synchronize the blockchain and access block and state data. For this reason, we strongly recommend selecting a High-Speed Gen2 volume, which delivers the necessary throughput and input/output operations per second (IOPS) to ensure stable node performance.

Both the Ethereum Execution Layer (EL) client and the Consensus Layer (CL) client require significant disk capacity to store blockchain data, state, and historical records. A minimum of 2 TB of storage is recommended to operate a full mainnet node reliably. When creating the block storage volume in OVHcloud, set the capacity to 2 TB and select the High-Speed Gen2 option to ensure sufficient performance for synchronization and long-term operation.

Assign a descriptive name to the storage volume to simplify management and identification. For example, you may name it chaindata to clearly indicate its role as the primary data store for the node.

Once all parameters have been configured — including the region, storage type, capacity, and name — click on Create Volume. OVHcloud will provision the block storage resource, which will then be available to attach to your Ethereum node instance.

Mounting the Volume

After the new volume appears as available in the OVHcloud Control Panel, attach it to your Ethereum node instance. To do this, open the ⋮ (more options) menu next to the volume entry and select Attach to an Instance. From the list of instances, choose the node you previously created. The volume will then be linked to that instance and accessible as an additional block device.

Now, establish a secure connection to your server via SSH. Use the following command from your local terminal, replacing IPaddress with the public IP assigned to your instance:

ssh ubuntu@IPaddress

By default, OVHcloud instances provisioned with the Ubuntu image create a user named ubuntu, which you should use for the initial connection. Authentication will be handled through the SSH key you configured during instance creation.

Once connected to the instance, run the following command to list all available block devices:

lsblk

This will display a tree view of the system’s storage devices, including the root disk and the newly attached block storage volume. Identify the additional device (e.g., /dev/sdb) that corresponds to the 2 TB volume you created in OVHcloud. This device will later be formatted and mounted to store the Ethereum blockchain data.

Next, create a partition on the newly attached volume. Replace /dev/sdb with the device name identified in the previous step if it differs. Execute:

sudo fdisk /dev/sdb

This command will open the partitioning utility for the selected block device. From there, you can create a new primary partition that spans the entire disk. Once complete, the partition will typically be available as /dev/sdb1.

Once the partition has been created (e.g., /dev/sdb1), format it with the ext4 filesystem so it can be mounted and used by the operating system. Run the following command:

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1

This will initialize the partition with an ext4 filesystem, which is a stable and widely supported choice for storing Ethereum chain data.

Now, create a dedicated directory to serve as the mount point for the formatted volume, then mount it and verify that it has been successfully attached to the filesystem. Execute the following commands:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/chaindata

sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/chaindata

df -h

• mkdir -p /mnt/chaindata creates the mount directory (using -p ensures no error if intermediate directories are missing).
• mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/chaindata mounts the formatted partition to the directory.
• df -h displays all mounted filesystems in a human-readable format, allowing you to confirm that /dev/sdb1 is correctly mounted at /mnt/chaindata with the expected capacity (approximately 2 TB).

At this point, your disk is mounted and ready for use. However, the configuration is not persistent: if the server restarts, the volume will need to be mounted manually. To ensure the volume is mounted automatically at boot, we must configure it in the /etc/fstab file.

First, retrieve the UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) of your volume by running:

sudo blkid

This command lists all block devices and their associated attributes. Identify the entry corresponding to your new partition (e.g., /dev/sdb1) and copy the value of its UUID field, which will be used in the fstab configuration.

Next, edit the /etc/fstab file to configure the automatic mount. Open the file with your preferred text editor, for example:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Then add the following line at the end of the file, replacing the UUID with the one obtained from the previous blkid command:

UUID=e146e498-bba2-4574-9b47-b54fffea77e7 /mnt/chaindata ext4 nofail 0 0

This entry ensures that the partition will be mounted at /mnt/chaindata automatically on every system boot. The nofail option allows the system to continue booting even if the device is unavailable.

Your storage volume is now fully configured and ready to be used for storing Ethereum blockchain data. With the automatic mount entry in place, the system will make the volume available at /mnt/chaindata on every reboot, ensuring a stable and persistent data directory for your node.

Create a dedicated user

Next, create a dedicated user account to manage all Ethereum node operations. This practice improves security by separating node processes from the default system user. Run the following commands:

sudo useradd -s /bin/bash -d /home/node_admin/ -m -G sudo node_admin

echo 'node_admin:MySuperPassword123' | sudo chpasswd

sudo mkdir -p /home/node_admin/.ssh

• useradd creates a new user named node_admin, with a home directory, bash shell, and membership in the sudo group.
• chpasswd sets an initial password for the new user (replace with a strong secret or configure key-based login).
• mkdir -p creates the .ssh directory for SSH configuration in the user’s home directory.

Now, configure SSH key-based authentication for the new user by adding your public SSH key to the authorized_keys file. Replace the placeholder with your actual public key:

sudo sh -c "echo 'My-public-SSH-key' > /home/node_admin/.ssh/authorized_keys"

This command creates the authorized_keys file under /home/node_admin/.ssh/ and writes your public key into it, allowing secure, passwordless login as the node_admin user.

Ethereum Preliminaries

Operating a fully functional Ethereum node requires the coordinated operation of two key software components:

1. Execution Client (EL) – responsible for processing transactions and maintaining the Ethereum state.

2. Consensus Client (CL) – responsible for reaching consensus with the rest of the network through the Ethereum proof-of-stake protocol.

These two components must run in tandem and communicate securely to maintain synchronization with the Ethereum mainnet.

The Ethereum ecosystem supports multiple client implementations, each developed independently but compliant with the Ethereum specification. The most widely used options include:

Execution Clients (EL):

• Geth
• Nethermind
• Reth
• Besu
• Erigon

Consensus Clients (CL):

• Lighthouse
• Prysm
• Teku
• Nimbus
• Lodestar

For this guide, we will use the following combination:

● Execution Client: Nethermind

● Consensus Client: Lighthouse

Installing Nethermind (Execution Client)

Step 1: Add the Nethermind APT Repository

To install Nethermind via APT, begin by adding the official repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nethermindeth/nethermind

If the above command is not found, install the required tools first:

sudo apt-get install software-properties-common

Step 2: Update the Package Index

Refresh your package list to include packages from the newly added repository:

sudo apt-get update

⚠️This may take a few minutes depending on your system and network speed.

Step 3: Install Nethermind

Now install the Nethermind binary:

sudo apt-get install nethermind -y

Installing Lighthouse (Consensus Client)

Step 1: Download the Latest Stable Release

Navigate to the Lighthouse GitHub Releases page and locate the latest stable release.

As of September 29, 2025, version 8.0.0 is marked as a Pre-release, so we will use the stable version 7.1.0.

Use the following curl command to download the Lighthouse client binary archive:

curl -LO https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse/releases/download/v7.1.0/lighthouse-v7.1.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz

Step 2: Extract the Archive

Once downloaded, extract the archive:

tar -xvf lighthouse-v7.1.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz

This will place the lighthouse binary in your current directory.

Step 3: Verify and Move the Binary

Test the binary to ensure it is working:

./lighthouse –version

Move it to a directory included in your system’s $PATH for global access:

sudo cp lighthouse /usr/bin

Create the JWT Secret File

A shared JWT secret is required for secure authenticated communication between the execution and consensus clients.

Step 1: Create a Secrets Directory

sudo mkdir -p /secrets

Step 2: Generate the JWT Token

openssl rand -hex 32 | tr -d "\n" | sudo tee /secrets/jwt.hex > /dev/null

You should now have the file /secrets/jwt.hex containing a 32-byte hexadecimal secret.

Using screen for Session Persistence

When running on a remote server (such as an OVH cloud instance), any disconnection from your SSH session will terminate running processes unless they are managed through tools like screen.

Check if screen is installed:

screen –version

If not installed:

sudo apt-get install screen

Setting Ownership for /mnt/chaindata

When running Ethereum clients (Nethermind and Lighthouse), it’s essential that the user executing the commands has the necessary access to the data directory. To avoid permission issues and maintain security, you should assign ownership of the previously mounted directory to your current user.

sudo chown $USER:$USER /mnt/chaindata

This command sets the user and group ownership of /mnt/chaindata to the currently logged-in user. It ensures that you (and your Ethereum clients, if run under your user account) have full access to read, write, and modify files in this directory.

Now we are ready to launch both the execution and consensus clients in separate screen sessions for persistent background operation.

Launching Nethermind (Execution Client)

Step 1: Create a Screen Session

screen -S nethermind

Step 2: Run Nethermind

nethermind -c mainnet \ 
--data-dir /mnt/chaindata/nethermind \ 
--JsonRpc.Enabled true \ 
--HealthChecks.Enabled true \ 
--HealthChecks.UIEnabled true \ 
--JsonRpc.EngineHost=127.0.0.1 \ 
--JsonRpc.EnginePort=8551 \ 
--JsonRpc.JwtSecretFile=/secrets/jwt.hex 

You should see logs indicating the client is running. Eventually, the message:

Waiting for Forkchoice message from Consensus Layer

will appear, indicating the execution client is waiting to pair with the consensus client.

Step 3: Detach the Session

Press: Ctrl-a then d to detach from the session and return to the main shell.

Step 4: List Active Sessions (Optional)

screen -ls

To reattach later:

screen -r nethermind

Launching Lighthouse (Consensus Client)

Step 1: Create a New Screen Session

screen -S lighthouse

Step 2: Run Lighthouse Beacon Node

lighthouse bn \ 
--network mainnet \ 
--execution-endpoint http://127.0.0.1:8551 \ 
--execution-jwt /secrets/jwt.hex \ 
--checkpoint-sync-url https://mainnet.checkpoint.sigp.io \ 
--http \ 
--datadir /mnt/chaindata/lighthouse

After some initial setup, Lighthouse should begin syncing with the network.

Step 3: Detach the Session

Use the same key combination: Ctrl-a then d.

Verifying Synchronization Between EL and CL

At this stage, both the execution client (Nethermind) and the consensus client (Lighthouse) should be running in separate screen sessions. To confirm that they are properly connected and synchronization is underway, reattach to the Nethermind session and inspect the logs.

Step 1: Reattach to the Nethermind Session

screen -r nethermind

This command brings you back into the Nethermind screen session, where you can observe real-time logs.

Step 2: Check for Communication Messages

If Lighthouse is running and connected correctly, Nethermind’s logs should no longer display:

Waiting for Forkchoice message from Consensus Layer

Instead, you should see logs indicating that the Engine API communication has been established and blocks are being processed. Look for messages like:

Received ForkChoice: ...
Syncing...

These logs confirm that Nethermind is receiving block proposals and fork choice updates from Lighthouse and that the node is syncing correctly with the Ethereum mainnet.

Conclusion

And you’re done! You have deployed a fully functional Ethereum node on OVHcloud.

While this guide focused on the technical deployment, it is important to complement the setup with proper security hardening, monitoring, and maintenance practices to ensure long-term stability. With the foundation now in place, you can extend the node’s functionality, integrate it into larger infrastructures, or use it as a base for research, development, and staking operations.

This is the first guide in our mini-series and will shortly be followed by a tutorial on how to deploy an Ethereum node on a bare metal server and monitor it in real-time. Stay tuned for more.

Today we feature a discussion between our Global Strategy Leader for the OVHcloud Partner Program, David Devine, and Yethrib Hilmi, Head of Development at our UK partner The Genius Group.

Hi there, great to catch up. Can you both introduce yourselves briefly?

Yethrib: I’m Yethrib Hilmi, Head of Development at Claimtech, part of The Genius Group. We are the UK’s largest agency for creating and onboarding signed clients, having successfully onboarded over 7 million clients for major UK companies—driving billions in revenue for the legal, financial, and insurance sectors.

Our expertise spans AML, KYC, soft search technology, biometric authentication, and e-signature management, making us the go-to digital partner for businesses that require compliant, high-volume, and frictionless client onboarding solutions.

Uptime, stability, and security are at the core of what we do—which is why we rely on OVHcloud to power our infrastructure. With OVHcloud’s scalable and secure cloud solutions, we can process millions of transactions while maintaining unmatched reliability and performance for our clients. We work alongside industry giants such as Experian, and our reputation for cutting-edge technology, compliance automation, and seamless client acquisition has earned us multiple industry-leading awards, including the Website Traffic Generation Specialists of the Year, and Client Service Excellence Award winners 2025.

David: I’m David Devine, Global Strategy Leader for the OVHcloud Partner Program. I work closely on the strategy for our program across the world, making sure that we’re supporting all of our partners in the best possible way.

We enable partners to add value to their customers, using our exceptional price/performance ratio, with predictable costs and open source technology, all built upon our sustainable and sovereign cloud products.

What’s it been like working with OVHcloud?

Yethrib: Our experience of partnering with OVHcloud has been outstanding. Firstly, their programme is incredibly welcoming and supportive. We’ve consistently found that it provides invaluable assistance in meeting our dedicated server needs. The partnership team keeps us updated on their latest offerings, ensuring we can continue to deliver cutting-edge technology and exceptional value to our clients.

David: We’re really happy to hear that, thanks Yethrib. We’ve worked hard to make sure our program provides benefits for all of our partners, but we also make sure that we support them on an individual basis. That can mean sales support, product advice, technical workshops, guidance on design or even the future product roadmap and how that sits with the partner portfolio.

What impact has OVHcloud made on your business?

Yethrib: The reliability of OVHcloud’s uptime SLAs has been a game changer to our business, directly contributing to a 500% increase in turnover across our group activities over the past year. Their strong uptime record demonstrates their commitment and dedication to providing exemplary customer service.

David: We’ve invested heavily in support staff, not to mention our ongoing resiliency program across our datacentres, so it’s great to hear the positive and direct impact this is delivering to our partners and customers. In particular, our Erith datacentre saw a number of updates and upgrades last year to ensure that it was at the top of its game.

And what’s your experience of the partner programme been like?

Yethrib: The dedicated partner programme has enabled us to establish a strong infrastructure and framework supporting scalable and efficient business operations, ensuring we can deliver both optimal client results and training programmes where necessary. Partnering with OVHcloud empowers us to confidently meet the demands of our business and clients.

David: That’s definitely our aim, and we try to make sure that we’re regularly spending time with our partners, listening to their needs and planning how we can support their next growth ambitions. Working particularly closely with Yethrib and his team, we have utilised the training program to help empower knowledge. Ultimately, our job is to understand partner needs and support their growth, so having a close relationship is a must. A key focus of our ethos is to ensure we are accessible to our partners at all times, for example enabling partners to speak directly with our technical team to help align a customer’s requirement with the correct solution design, so that it’s right first time.  We need to know what’s driving their business so we can work out how best to support them – there’s no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach at OVHcloud!

Yethrib, David, thank you, it’s been a pleasure!

But before you grab your axe and scramble for the nearest beanstalk, it’s important to survey the scene and make sure that you’re heading for a cash cow rather than being left holding a handful of dry beans.

Metaphors duly stretched, today we take a closer look at the opportunities this presents for the channel with Gilles Closset, our global AI ecosystem leader. Gilles is instrumental in helping our partner community distinguish between the hype and the practical opportunities AI offers and brings a wealth of customer insights.

Gilles, thanks for joining us – let’s kick off.

Q1. Which industries are using AI the most: who are the early adopters? Why are they using it and what business outcomes are they looking for?  

GC: Healthcare is one sector where we’re seeing huge growth, largely because of AI’s potential to help people live longer, take better care of them and reduce administrative burdens. A lot of AI in healthcare doesn’t depend on GenAI, and we see a lot of startups in this area, mostly based more on the traditional machine learning industry.

We also see significant AI uptake in Manufacturing, mostly in the optimisation of production processes. With its heritage in Kaizen and Six Sigma, manufacturing has always seen a strong appetite in this area. The sector is also starting to embrace predictive maintenance, using both digital twin and machine learning technology.

Thirdly,the Retail industry has embraced a mix of GenAI and machine learning to improve customer interactions using chatbots, sales optimisation and hyper-personalisation. AI is allowing every brand to offer the kind of personalised experience that was previously restricted to luxury brands; it has the power to absorb a lot of data points about customers and provide a far more customised experience across the areas of both sales and customer support.

Finally, we see a great amount of AI adoption in the Financial sector, particularly in the areas of fraud detection and personalised engagement. The financial sector has historically been enthusiastic about machine learning for improving KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, and AI can really accelerate this.

Q2. What are other customers really looking for when it comes to AI? What are they adopting, and what are the best opportunities for VARs and MSPs in AI today?

GC: We see a lot of potential from AI to improve efficiency and personalisation, draw together data from different customer journeys and integrate it. As I said above, customers are increasingly expecting a highly integrated approach when it comes to their relationship with brands – and AI enables everyone to do this.

We also hear a lot of questions from customers about data handling; from ethical principles to cloud audits and hands-on management, there’s a lot of opportunity for partners to support customers. It’s still early days in terms of adoption, but this is a clear opportunity for partners to get ahead, show differentiation and stand out.

Q3. Turning to the market main challenges, what themes are customers struggling with the most and need help from VARs and MSPs to support them?

GC: One major challenge we’ve seen is to go beyond a POC – we see a lot of exploratory initiatives, but then they don’t scale!

At the same time, data quality is a challenge. A lot of organisations have legacy systems that weren’t designed to work with AI, so there’s a real need for modernisation. IDC’s latest findings predict an unprecedented YoY growth of 97% in AI compute and storage hardware infrastructure to support this adoption. This area already is a vast area of investment, currently valued at $47.4b. We see a lot of projects to update and extract data from old systems, and partners who can support with this are in a position to significantly drive their customers forward in terms of AI maturity.

Finally – and this is linked to the previous point: we are seeing a big talent gap. AI is a new industry, so organisations are still developing their skills. There are two main ways to address this: you can either help a customer to address the gap directly and deliver workshops and training, or you can provide the end customer with people to do the work on a temporary basis.

All of this requires a transformation plan and can be daunting, but it does represent a major opportunity to add value. Furthermore, these projects will usually start with data literacy, making sure people understand the potential of AI, getting buy-in, and then you’re off!

Q4. What are your top tips for partners starting to explore the possibilities of AI for their customers?

GC:

1: Mind the skills gap: Upskill your own team or help to skill up the customer.

2: Know how to tackle topics around data quality and governance. Good data is the foundation for all good AI – and as the old saying goes, Garbage In, Garbage Out.

3: Use UK or European organisations where you can. We see lots of feedback from partners who are trying to differentiate from the hyperscalers in terms of price, data protection (especially around sovereignty and vulnerability to extra-territorial laws) and working with a European player will make this much easier.

Gilles, many thanks for your time, and very useful insights. From what we’ve heard, AI certainly offers prospects of gargantuan proportions and, like many new rapid-growth market cycles, once you’ve separated the wheat from the chaff (or beans from the stalks), climbing up to the giant’s AI tech lair is a significant opportunity for partners. As always, it’s important to listen to what customers are doing and understand their broader strategic and technical landscape, but in the long term, embracing the AI opportunity can uncover new business treasures you never knew existed!

New and innovative capabilities come from all parts of the technology ecosystem and from all regions of the world. Every week, almost every day!

The momentum in this space is incredible. In fact, we’ve seen a significant acceleration in the number of AI startups that have joined the OVHcloud Startup Program as well as Partners & Editors adding AI expertise & capabilities to their portfolio.

Aligned with our DNA of a Trusted & Sustainable Cloud, OVHcloud is committed to supporting AI innovation that adheres to core values.

To help customers and developers harness this innovation, we’re bringing the best of OVHcloud’s infrastructure, AI products, and State-of-the-art models to members of our Ecosystem at every layer of the AI stack: chipmakers, models builders and AI platforms, technology partners enabling companies to develop and deploy machine learning (ML) models, app-builders solving customer use-cases with generative AI, and global services and consulting firms that help enterprise customers implement all of this technology at scale.

Let’s deep dive into our partnerships, programs, and resources for each segment of the ecosystem that showcase our open approach.

Building a Trusted and Innovative AI Ecosystem

Model builders & Chipmakers

Let’s kickstart the introduction of our AI Ecosystem with the members that are directly integrated into specific OVHcloud AI products, aka Technology Partners.

Companies like Mistral AI, Meta and Stability AI are building open-source foundation models, including LLMs, that can significantly accelerate the development of generative AI and natural language processing (NLP) applications. OVHcloud serves to end-customers these models through AI Endpoints with its high-performance infrastructure and industry-leading energy efficiency.

AI endpoints require no AI expertise or dedicated infrastructure, as the serverless platform provides access to advanced AI models including Large Language Models (LLMs), natural language processing, translation, speech recognition, image recognition, and more. Developers can select from a range of models, including open-source options like Mistral AI, Llama, Whisper, and Stable Diffusion, as well as a variety of optimized models from our Model Builders partners, creating a versatile testing ground for chosen AI models.

Our catalog of AI models is continually expanding, and we are actively seeking new collaborations with partners to integrate proprietary models that address specific use cases.

OVHcloud also developed strong and long-lasting partnerships with chipmakers like NVIDIA and AMD to deliver tailored services for deep learning, inference and high-performance computing, with the best available GPUs. AI models are becoming more complex due to the rise of conversational AI. Training and inference now require massive computing power and scalability, and OVHcloud follows the industry innovations by integrating the latest GPUs, including for 2025 the AMD MI325X series, and the Nvidia H200 NVL and Blackwell generation. Using industrial innovations, such as water cooling in our servers, allow us to achieve the lowest energy consumption on the market.

AI PaaS Solutions & Tools

Organizations and developers engaged in ambitious AI projects usually employ various tools to facilitate the creation, management, and deployment of their models. These tools assist developers with essential tasks such automating and optimizing data pipelines, monitoring model performance, managing private datasets, defining and enforcing safety & security measures related to regulation or specific policies. OVHcloud collaborates with these organizations to address the crucial requirements of machine learning engineers and data scientists.

To meet growing demand from customers and partners building innovative AI services on OVHcloud, many of the leaders in AI solutions are launching new or expanded partnerships with OVHcloud today. Let’s have a look to these few examples:

• Multiverse Computing are the world leaders in Quantum AI. They apply quantum and quantum-inspired AI to solve complex problems delivering practical applications and tangible value today.
  
• Hopsworks seamlessly integrates and can be deployed on OVHcloud using Kubernetes, allowing users to run feature engineering pipelines, training pipelines, and batch inference pipelines using Spark, Flink, or Python on OVHcloud.
  
• With Valohai access scalable and secure cloud environments without having to rebuild your ML workflows. The integration between the Valohai MLOps platform and OVHcloud makes it easy to access on-demand computational resources. Scale up with ease to meet the needs of your projects, while ensuring data security and regulatory compliance
  
• Lampi AI provides a Secure AI platform with the best and latest LLMs to power predictable and fine-tuned AI agents that pick the relevant information from your data and web, reason, iterate, and tackle complex tasks.
  
• Qdrant : Through the seamless integration between Qdrant Hybrid Cloud and OVHcloud, developers and businesses are able to deploy the fully managed vector database within their existing OVHcloud setups in minutes, enabling faster, more accurate AI-driven insights.

Through our support to these critical members, we offer developers the best platform and ecosystem in which to build the next generation of helpful AI applications, and provide customers with a single destination for building, innovating with, and applying AI.

AI Apps addressing End-customers use cases specifically

OVHcloud is the destination for developers and partners to build the next generation of innovative applications with AI and ML, including exciting new generative AI capabilities.

Much innovation in the generative AI space comes from fast moving, early-stage startups. They excel in developing new applications designed to address very specific End-customers’ use cases. Some differentiate through their model(s), either proprietary or fined-tuned, and make it available through inference API or in their App. Others bring value buy developing Applications or User Interface on top of “General-Purpose AI Models” – so-called API wrappers – by knowing precisely the business workflow of their customers. This may translate into AI agents capable of performing tasks independently, without the need for constant human oversight.

Many AI startups are choosing OVHcloud not only for industry-leading Sustainable & Trusted Cloud infrastructure, but also for fully managed AI services, which makes it faster and easier to scale, at the best price and with no lockin.

Let’s review some of them:

• ILLUIN Technology provides a powerful low-code multimodal AI orchestration platform that enables you to hybridize different AI approaches and models to implement and industrialize your most complex customized use cases, including AI Agents.
  
• moinAI uses AI to automatically resolve recurring customer enquiries – across multiple channels and in various languages – with minimal effort. Chatbots, live chat and product advisors allow companies to communicate quickly and efficiently with customers on the website around the clock.
  
• catchHR uses AI to streamline recruitment, automating tasks like job posting, candidate sourcing, and skill matching to save time and boost efficiency. AI-generated job ads attract top talent, while AI-powered candidate analysis ensures a strong match between applicants and roles, considering both skills and personality fit.
  
• Rayscape has already demonstrated excellent results in 150+ clinics and hospitals. Its AI is trained on more than 43 million images from all around the globe and powers predictive insights, automated analysis, efficient workflows to prioritize cases based on urgency, and generates structured reports.
  
• Factiverse offers AI-powered solutions to enhance content credibility and streamline fact-checking processes. Their offerings include an advanced text editor that identifies and verifies factual statements in your content. It highlights claims and provides links to credible sources, assisting in correcting inaccuracies Factiverse GPT.

Services Partners

We stand at the brink of an exhilarating transformation, propelled by advancements in machine learning (ML) technologies. This shift holds the promise of revolutionizing customer experiences, introducing groundbreaking applications, and boosting our customers’ productivity to new levels. The market’s enthusiasm is clear, with an unprecedented number of customers eager to leverage generative artificial intelligence to revamp their businesses.

Successfully innovating with large language models and generative AI demands proficiency in data management, AI, human resources, and operational processes. It is crucial that these models and AI solutions are crafted to be ethical, transparent, and reliable.

Our partner ecosystem will lead the way in developing innovative business solutions tailored to customers across various industries and sizes.

Services partners from our Ecosystem have demonstrated expertise delivering Machine Learning and generative AI solutions on OVHcloud. These partners offer a range of products and services and technologies including specialized consulting services, Managed Services and Applications that are secure, efficient, and scalable across industries.

Today, several of our leading partners, CGI, Onepoint, Accenture, synaigy , W&B Asset Studio, Sopra Steria, Inetum and NEXiD are already providing key support in terms of OVHcloud generative AI advisory, implementation services and capabilities available to customers. These partners play an essential role in applying new AI capabilities to solve industry-specific challenges and helping enterprises build generative AI into their products and everyday business processes.

OVHcloud and its broader ecosystem

Our AI Ecosystem is part of our broader Ecosystem and includes a wide variety of startups and partners, ready to support customers with both current and future technological challenges. It does so by giving customers the means to innovate and develop their own competitive advantage.

Through these programs, we provide product support, marketing amplification, and co-selling opportunities to help our services and ISV partners bring these solutions to market faster, reach more customers, and grow their businesses.

We have launched over the past 10+ years the following initiatives:

OVHcloud Partner Program

OVHcloud partners play a key role in customers’ digital transformation, with the support and services they offer to help them meet the challenges involved. Over 700 companies joint this program, providing a wide range of expertise and services to our customers.

Interested Partners can go here to apply to join the program

OVHcloud Startup Program

We nurture tech entrepreneurs by deploying an array of business scaling opportunities within OVHcloud’s global ecosystem of trust.

Over 5.000 startups and scaleups from across the globe that have already benefited from our program since its launch in 2015.

To further support the AI startups and accelerate their app development, we’re launching a new initiative, called AI Accelerator which recognizes select startups whose applications and platforms are optimized to run as-a-service on OVHcloud infrastructure and who are utilizing OVHcloud’s AI capabilities in new and helpful ways. The program provides dedicated access to OVHcloud expertise, training, and co-marketing support to help partners build capacity and go to market.

Interested AI startups can go here to apply to join the program

Open Trusted Cloud  

This program is aimed at software publishers, as well as SaaS and PaaS solution providers. Its ambition is to work together on building an ecosystem of SaaS and PaaS services — hosted in the open, reversible and trusted cloud offered by OVHcloud. This will provide a common platform for competitive solutions, and hundreds have already joined.

You can browse some of the solutions available in our ecosystem here

OVHcloud Marketplace

At the heart of the ecosystem, the Marketplace was designed to benefit everyone. OVHcloud Marketplace brings together the best solutions from SaaS and PaaS publishers in the ecosystem on an ethical and transparent cloud. Carry out the digital transformation of your company or subscribe to a solution for your personal use with complete peace of mind thanks to these trusted solutions.

Technology partners

The OVHcloud vision is to create a transparent, reversible and interoperable cloud. We work with the best players on the market to deliver solutions for the most high-performance, high-security requirements.

OVHcloud is committed to democratize AI within organizations, through a wide range of solutions positioned at every price point while advocating for Digital Sovereignty & Sustainability.

Should your company consider to leverage OVHcloud, would like to know more about our vibrant AI Ecosystem or share a feedback, please feel free to contact me!

What is the CLOUD Act?

The CLOUD Act or the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act, was enacted in the United States in 2018. Its primary purpose is to provide law enforcement agencies with enhanced access to electronic data held by American technology companies. Even if the data is stored outside the United States. The CLOUD Act also enables reciprocal data-sharing agreements between the U.S. and other foreign governments. While the CLOUD Act has implications for data stored in the cloud, it primarily affects cloud providers subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

What are the Implications for our Partners’ Customers in terms of Privacy and Data Security?

1. Access to Data: Under the CLOUD Act, U.S. law enforcement agencies can compel cloud providers to disclose customer data, regardless of its physical location. As a Managed Service Provider or Reseller, this would mean that even if your client’s data is stored in a server outside the U.S., it may still be subject to access by U.S. authorities if your cloud provider is subject to the CLOUD Act. This raises concerns about potential infringement on individual privacy rights and the ability to maintain control over personal and sensitive information.

2. Data Security: When your client’s data, or yours for that matter, is stored with a cloud provider bound by the CLOUD Act, it is subject to additional risks in terms of security. The CLOUD Act requires cloud providers to provide access to data, potentially introducing vulnerabilities that malicious actors could exploit. This highlights the importance of robust security measures to protect data stored in the cloud, including encryption, access controls, and regular audits of the provider’s security practices.

3. International Data Protection: The CLOUD Act’s provisions for international data-sharing agreements raise questions about how data is protected and governed in different jurisdictions. Data stored with a cloud provider bound by the CLOUD Act may be subject to different legal standards and regulations, depending on the country involved. This can complicate compliance with data protection laws, such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which imposes stringent requirements on the handling of personal data.

How can you Mitigate this Risk for your Clients?

As a Reseller, System Integrator, Managed Service Provider or adviser, your client’s data and its security is at heart of your offering. The responsible choosing of a cloud provider is therefore imperative in order to reduce this risk. More concretely, you do it by choosing cloud providers that are transparent about their data handling practices, by assessing their jurisdiction and by understanding the legal frameworks they operate under.

At OVHcloud in Europe, we are CLOUD Act free.

Full Compliance with European Regulations, Freedoms and Fundamental Right

Organizationally, the OVHcloud Group is a European group in which European commercial entities fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of European Union member states, or states that have been subject to a European Commission adequacy decision. These entities are controlled by OVH Groupe, a company governed by French law, with no dependency links to any entity or organisation subject to the jurisdiction of states that do not provide an adequate level of data protection.

Requests from non-EU authorities (governmental, administrative, judicial or other) may be made for the communication of a European user’s data hosted in a datacenter located within the European Union. In this case, OVHcloud systematically opposes to such requests. In accordance with EU regulations; this is the  this is the case for example when they are not carried out in accordance with an international agreement — such as a treaty on mutual legal assistance in force between the requesting country and the Member State(s) of the European Union concerned.

Compliant with the Strictest Security Standards

The SecNumCloud Security Visa, obtained by OVHcloud in early 2021, plus the renewed SecNumCloud 3.2 gained in 2023 to accelerate OVHcloud strategy on its datacenters, give certified cloud service customers the assurance that they will choose solutions with a security and trust level verified by ANSSI (the French National Agency for Information Systems Security).  OVHcloud also obtained security labels in other countries (for example G-cloud in the UK and AgiD in Italy), and provides its cloud services to the administrations of several European Union state members, as well as European Commission institutions.

As the use of cloud storage becomes increasingly prevalent, it is vital to understand the implications of entrusting your customer’s data to cloud providers subject to the CLOUD Act. Balancing the benefits of cloud computing with the potential risks to privacy and data security requires informed decision-making and proactive measures. At OVHcloud, the data protection of our clients and of our partner’s clients is the core of our operation. By choosing providers wisely, implementing robust security measures, and staying vigilant about data protection, clients and partners can navigate the cloud landscape while safeguarding their information in the face of evolving legal frameworks.

Get to know more about how Data Sovereignty and Trusted Cloud is critical for business: https://blog.ovhcloud.com/data-sovereignty-trusted-cloud-critical-business/

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.

However, effectively managing and optimizing cloud resources is a complex endeavor. That’s where Managed Services Providers (MSPs) come in, offering a lifeline to organizations seeking expert guidance in cloud management and migration.

If you are looking for more than pure infrastructure support, the best option available is to engage with a cloud native Managed Service Provider, and here’s why.

What is Cloud Native ?

Cloud Native is a modern approach to building and running applications that leverage the advantages of cloud computing models. It’s about how applications are created and deployed, not where. Depending on the need, these applications can indeed be deployed on public or private cloud, on virtualized architectures or on bare metal.

Containers and Kubernetes, Application Observability, Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) and GitOps illustrates this approach.

Why do Cloud Native Managed Services Providers make a difference ?

Service availability and Business Continuity Plan

Integrating a cloud native approach, particularly through Kubernetes (K8s), seamlessly aligns with a robust Business Continuity Plan (BCP), ensuring maximum uptime and resilient service delivery. By leveraging the following cloud native specifics, MSPs can guarantee superior managed service quality, with a focus on high service availability and comprehensive business continuity planning.

K8s highly available architecture

Kubernetes is built with high availability at its core. Its distributed architecture ensures that there is always a node (or several) ready to take on the workload if one node fails. By spreading replicas of an application across different nodes, Kubernetes makes sure services remain unaffected even if individual nodes encounter issues. This multi-node layout inherently provides a fault-tolerant system that is vital for mission-critical applications. (see OVHcloud Kubernetes here)

K8s Self-Healing Mechanisms

One of the most powerful features of Kubernetes is its inherent self-healing capabilities. In scenarios where a container (representing a running application) fails, Kubernetes swiftly intervenes to restart it. Should a node face disruptions, the applications running on that affected node are seamlessly relocated and restarted elsewhere. Through this automation, Kubernetes guarantees efficient resource utilization and continuous service availability, reducing the reliance on manual oversight and correction.

Simplified Platform Management and secure operations

Embracing the cloud native paradigm brings the notion of centralized management and logging. It provides organizations with a clear and unified overview of their platforms. Also, in the cloud native approach, the move from treating servers as unique ‘pets’ to interchangeable ‘cattle’ simplifies maintenance, reducing risks in production. For MSPs, this approach ensures more reliable and manageable operations, benefiting clients with a more efficient and stable environment.

Application deployment rollout

Organizations need to deliver updates and new features seamlessly, without impacting their service nor risking their existing user experience. For developers working with cloud native MSPs that emphasize cloud native solutions, Blue-Green and Canary deployments offer powerful tools.

With Blue-Green deployments, developers swiftly toggle between app versions. They deploy the new version alongside the old and switch traffic after validation. If problems emerge, traffic is instantly reverted, maintaining a consistent user experience. Canary deployments, meanwhile, offer a methodical approach. By first releasing the new version to a user subset, developers gauge performance and reliability, ensuring stability upon full rollout and minimizing disruptions to the broader user base.

These deployment methods, when combined with Kubernetes (K8s) rollback capabilities, grant developers unmatched control. Should an update falter, K8s enables a swift and efficient return to the last stable state. The possibility of achieving a 100% hitless upgrade becomes real.

Business Continuity Plan

A robust Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is vital for any organization to ensure operations remain smooth in the face of unplanned incidents or disasters. Cloud Native approaches inherently support BCP. Features like distributed storage, automated backups, and easy replication capabilities mean that data can be recovered swiftly in case of an unexpected issue. Coupled with the previously mentioned high availability and self-healing capabilities, Kubernetes offers an inherently resilient platform that underpins a solid BCP. (discover OVHcloud Back-up strategy and Business Continuity Plan)

Accelerated and flexible application deployment without production downtime

Advantages of containers and microservices architecture

The consistency that containers maintain throughout an application’s lifecycle streamlines the transition from development to production, significantly reducing potential discrepancies and inconsistencies. Furthermore, containers inherently function in isolation, ensuring that each microservice operates independently. This implies that even if one service faces an issue, the overall system remains largely unaffected. Such resilience ensures minimal disruptions for end-users. From an MSP perspective, this enables quicker rollout of updates and patches, ensuring that their clients are always equipped with the latest features and security enhancements.

Advantages of continuous integration & deployment

The continuous nature of CI/CD allow teams to frequently roll out code updates, enabling MSPs to promptly address evolving market demands and user needs. Fundamental to the CI approach is the principle of automated testing, ensuring that each code iteration undergoes rigorous quality checks. This consistent, automated vetting dramatically reduces deployment risks. Incremental changes, being smaller in scope, are easier to manage, and in the rare occurrence of issues, quicker to diagnose and resolve. Immediate feedback on code adjustments accelerates the development phase and refines the overall codebase. By minimizing manual interventions, teams can focus more on innovation and enhancing application functionalities and limit human errors which are known as the main outage factor. For MSPs, integrating a CI/CD approach ensures more streamlined operations, faster issue resolutions, and consistent provision of top-tier service quality.

Security

Managed Service Providers are trusted with safeguarding critical business data and ensuring the uninterrupted operation of IT infrastructures. By leveraging cloud native principles, MSPs are positioned to bolster their security posture considerably.

Decoupling between applications and infrastructure

One of the foundational tenets of the cloud native paradigm is the decoupling of applications from the underlying infrastructure. This abstraction not only facilitates scalability and flexibility but also introduces a layer of security. By ensuring that applications are isolated from the infrastructure, vulnerabilities within one component are less likely to compromise the other. This results in a more robust security model where potential breaches or issues in the application layer won’t directly affect the core infrastructure, and vice versa. For MSPs, this means they can assure clients of an added layer of defense against potential threats, and it also simplifies the task of updating or patching either layer without disturbing the other.

Harnessing Inherent Security in Cloud Native Architectures

Cloud Native technologies come embedded with a range of security mechanisms. For instance, containers are isolated environments, ensuring that breaches remain contained and do not propagate system-wide. Moreover, with tools like Kubernetes, security policies can be enforced at scale, and network segmentation can be applied to control inter-service communication. Additionally, the immutability principle of cloud-native deployments means that once a container image is deployed, it cannot be tampered with, adding another layer of protection against malicious attacks. Most cloud-native platforms also integrate seamlessly with leading security solutions, allowing for real-time vulnerability scanning, threat detection, and automated responses. For MSPs, these integrated mechanisms translate into a more secure environment to operate within, enabling them to provide with a higher level of assurance about the sanctity and safety of their data and applications.

Robust Disaster Recovery

With cloud native technologies, MSPs can offer first-class disaster recovery solutions that minimize downtime and data loss while maximizing service continuity.

Automated deployment

Automated deployment is a cornerstone of the cloud native paradigm. By leveraging tools like Kubernetes, Helm, Terraform, MSPs can automate the deployment of applications and their respective environments. This automation is particularly invaluable during disaster scenarios. Instead of manually reconstructing environments, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors, automation allows for rapid re-deployment of applications and services to their last known stable configurations. The ability to programmatically define infrastructure (Infrastructure as Code) ensures consistent and repeatable deployments. For organizations, this means faster recovery times, reduced data loss, and an assurance that services can be swiftly restored, irrespective of the magnitude of the disruption.

GitOps

GitOps is an operational model that harnesses the power of Git as the single source of truth for both application code and infrastructure. This means all changes – from application features to infrastructure modifications – are versioned and tracked in a Git repository. In the context of disaster recovery, GitOps tools like ArgoCD or Flux offers a two-fold advantage. Firstly, since all configurations are stored in Git, MSPs can quickly roll back to a previous, stable state if a recent change introduces issues. Secondly, in case of a complete system outage or data loss, the entire environment can be recreated with precision using the configurations stored in Git. GitOps thus provides a reliable, version-controlled foundation for disaster recovery, ensuring organizations can rebound with confidence and speed.

First-class monitoring and efficient MSP support

Modern IT operations require not just passive infrastructure monitoring but proactive, granular insights into the applications themselves. This dual focus ensures that businesses can maximize performance and swiftly address potential issues. Here’s how cloud native approaches enable MSPs to deliver top-tier monitoring and support.

Beyond Infrastructure Monitoring: Application-Level Observability

The realm of monitoring has grown beyond just keeping tabs on servers and network devices. Today, understanding the intricacies of the applications running on these infrastructures is crucial. Application observability and tracing offer deep insights into how an application behaves, interacts, and performs.

Prominent in this space is the OpenMetrics standard, as embodied by tools such as Prometheus. By leveraging Prometheus alongside Alertmanager, MSPs can capture detailed metrology data from applications. This not only helps in diagnosing performance bottlenecks but also provides insights into how the application might be affecting the infrastructure it resides on.

But it’s not just about collecting data – it’s about understanding it. Grafana comes into play here, transforming raw data into insightful visualizations that can guide troubleshooting efforts and inform business decisions. This detailed application-level observability ensures that MSPs can proactively address issues, often before they escalate into tangible problems for the end-user.

Effective alerting and reactivity on 24/7 MSP support

Potential issues don’t wait for business hours. That’s why efficient alerting and 24/7 support are the backbone of any quality MSP offering. With tools like Grafana On-call, MSPs can ensure timely notifications when predetermined thresholds are breached, allowing for swift response times.

But beyond just tools, the mode of communication plays a pivotal role. Modern MSPs now leverage tools like Slack, not just for internal coordination, but also as a bridge to their clients. This direct line of communication ensures clients feel the proximity of their MSP, experiencing them not as a distant service provider, but rather as an externalized Ops team that is an integral part of their organization.

Conclusions

We’ve unpacked here part of the numerous advantages of relying on a cloud native MSP. It provides the foundation for maximized service availability, facilitating faster and more flexible application deployment processes. The inherent security mechanisms, combined with robust disaster recovery plans, establish a fortified environment for operations. Beyond just infrastructure, the emphasis on application-level observability ensures also that potential issues are detected and rectified promptly. Coupled with proactive 24/7 support, organizations can count on their MSP to act as a trusted partner.

Find out more on OVHcloud and Enix 👍

Enix is a French cloud native Managed Service Provider specialized in conceiving, deploying and operating complex and modern IT infrastructures. With a unique expertise in DevOps, Kubernetes and Cloud Native, Enix can build tailored and optimized platforms on OVHcloud solutions or hybrid with on-premise and Enix infrastructures. Specialized in 24/7 operations, Enix is committed to providing a responsive and local service and can be considered as your daily outsourced ops team. In 2024, Enix actively supports more than 100 clients in the operational management of their platforms.

Email : contact@enix.fr

Phone : +33 1 86 76 08 08

Website : https://enix.io/fr/

Dear Partners,

Welcome to the forefront of innovation! As the landscape of cloud technology continuously evolves, so do the challenges and opportunities we face for 2024. Today, we stand together in a new era, one that demands a coalition of dedicated partners – and that’s where you come in.

At OVHcloud, we’re committed to a simple yet powerful strategy: partnering with the best to offer unparalleled solutions. Through the OVHcloud Partner Program, we’re not just building alliances; we’re crafting a platform where your expertise meets our cutting-edge technology.

The key lies in simplicity amidst complexity. Together, through this program, we’re poised to deliver tailored solutions. Those that cater to your customers’ needs, whether local or global.

But partnerships aren’t just about compatibility; they’re about shared values. At OVHcloud, transparency, accessibility, price-predictability, and simplicity form the bedrock of our ethos. We seek partners who resonate with these principles to drive our program forward.

Our ecosystem is diverse, comprising software vendors, consultancy firms, managed service providers, system integrators, and startups. Each segment has a unique program designed to fuel growth. Together, we’re not just different. We’re uniquely positioned to cater to diverse customer needs globally at the best price performance ratio.

As we evolve, so does our Partner Program. This year, we’re thrilled to introduce Partner Paths. The path tailored to fit your business:

1. General Path: Crafted for managed service providers, value-added resellers, and system integrators.
2. Referral Path: For partners assisting clients in solving complex business challenges. Your role in decision-making deserves a specialized path. Your passion for our solutions, your curiosity to learn more, and your dedication haven’t gone unnoticed.
3. Web Agency Path: ***Coming soon***. A dedicated avenue for web agencies to create dream websites on OVHcloud infrastructure.

New partnership level: Elite

We’ve invested in four partnership levels to ensure your success journey with us remains seamless and rewarding. Whether you’re starting or deepening your partnership, we’re here to provide the tools, support, and community you need to thrive. Along with Standard, Advanced and Strategy Partnership levels, we have now added Elite. With this new level we want to recognize and reward those who are growing with us at a faster rate than ever before. That’s why we have decided to invest in new dedicated advantages. Aligned with your deep level of engagement with OVHcloud. Your engagement includes but is not limited to Partner Financial incentives, Dedicated Sales and Tech Labs, Training Zone Vouchers, Priority Access to Beta for New Products, POC Vouchers for new infrastructure tests, Customizable Marketing Collaterals, Co-marketing funds for lead gen activities, and more.

More benefits with more deals for our partners!

Not only are partners winning more deals thanks to the expertise they earn in our training sessions, but they are saving more money because of the flexible training model. In fact, we did the math: partners who get certified win 3 times more deals than those who don’t. On top of this, they have a more skilled workforce who are proud to demonstrate their expertise through our certification badges, which help Partners like you to be recognized for your excellence and create organic buzz on networks like LinkedIn.

At the end of the day, whatever level you are at, we make sure you got what you need to accelerate your growth! It goes with making you part of our ecosystem community and that you are on a path that is right for you.

Your feedback is invaluable in shaping our future endeavors. Reach out, share your thoughts, and let’s script the next chapter of our story together!

Tori Frazier

Orchestration tools like Kubernetes have significantly changed the way applications are developed and deployed. They provide developers with the opportunity to focus fully on creating software, which has enabled containers to revolutionize software development. Today, containers have become key elements for hosting and managing applications, and they continue to gain popularity in the world of technology. Their use has allowed companies to gain efficiency and flexibility in deploying their applications, thus improving their competitiveness in the market.

Kubernetes has become the go-to platform for container orchestration, with more and more organizations using it for their production environments. Kubernetes provides many benefits, but it also introduces new challenges and risks. Indeed, as with any technology, Kubernetes is not immune to disasters, data loss, downtime, or infrastructure failures. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the importance of backup and disaster recovery planning (DRP) for Kubernetes clusters too.

To start with, we’ll explain why backup and DRP are critical for Kubernetes clusters, like any other type of clusters, how to implement a backup and DRP strategy, and some best practices for maintaining a healthy Kubernetes environment. Then, we’ll explore how infrastructure as code (IAC) can facilitate DRP, and why Velero Backup is an ideal tool to protect Kubernetes cluster data.

Why Backup and DRP are Critical for Kubernetes Clusters

Kubernetes clusters are complex systems that consist of multiple components and layers, such as nodes, pods, services, and etc. These components are distributed across different hosts and can be subject to failures or errors, whether caused by hardware or software issues, human errors, or even cyber-attacks. When a component fails, it can result in data loss, downtime, or degraded performance.

To avoid these risks and maintain business continuity, it’s essential to have a backup and DRP plan for your Kubernetes clusters. Here are some reasons why:

1. Data protection: Kubernetes stores critical data, such as application configurations, persistent volumes, and stateful sets, in etcd. Backups ensure that your critical data is protected in case of a failure or outage.
2. Disaster recovery: In case of a disaster or outage, a DRP plan helps you recover your data and applications quickly and minimize downtime.
3. Compliance: Many industries and regulations ( GDPR ) require businesses to have a DRP plan to protect sensitive data and maintain business continuity.
4. Risk management: A backup and DRP plan can help you identify potential risks and vulnerabilities in your Kubernetes environment and proactively mitigate them.

How to Implement a Backup and DRP Strategy for Kubernetes Clusters

Implementing a backup and DRP strategy for Kubernetes clusters involves several steps, including:

1. Define your backup and DRP requirements: Identify your critical data and applications, recovery time objectives (RTOs), recovery point objectives (RPOs), and compliance requirements.
2. Choose a backup and DRP solution: There are many backup and DRP solutions available for Kubernetes, such as Velero, Kubernetes Disaster Recovery (KDR), Kasten and Stash. Choose a solution that meets your requirements and integrates with your OVHcloud environment (i.e. using OVHcloud S3 object storage services ensuring full interoperability and resilience), existing tools and workflows.
3. Configure and test your backup and DRP solution: Set up your backup and DRP solution and test it thoroughly to ensure it meets your RTOs and RPOs. Regularly validate and update your backup and DRP plan as your Kubernetes environment changes.
4. Document and train your team: Make sure your backup and DRP plan are clear and familiar to all, and keep your team trained on how to execute it in case of a disaster or outage. Regularly review and update your plan to reflect changes in your Kubernetes environment or compliance requirements.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to Facilitate DRP

Infrastructure as code (IAC) is a methodology that uses code to automate the provisioning, configuration, and management of infrastructure.

With IAC, you can define your Kubernetes environment as code, using tools such as Terraform, Ansible, or Helm. This code can be version controlled, tested, and audited, making it easier to maintain, replicate, and recover your Kubernetes environment in case of a disaster or outage.

IAC can facilitate DRP by providing a consistent, repeatable, and scalable way to deploy and configure your Kubernetes environment. With IAC, you can easily rebuild your Kubernetes environment from scratch, which is especially important in case of a catastrophic failure.

In the context of a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP), GitOps can be a particularly useful method for managing Kubernetes infrastructure. Thanks to its consistent, reproducible, and auditable approach, GitOps allows for effective control over changes and deployments in the Kubernetes environment. Additionally, by using continuous deployment practices, GitOps makes it easier to monitor and update the Kubernetes environment, which can be crucial for maintaining service availability in the event of an incident.

In case of a disaster or outage, GitOps allows for the quick recovery of the previous state of the infrastructure by using Git’s version control features. Indeed, all changes made to the infrastructure are versioned and documented, making it easier to restore the previous state. Moreover, the consistency of the infrastructure ensured by GitOps reduces the risk of human error and facilitates collaboration between operational and development teams. Overall, GitOps can be a key element in ensuring business continuity within a DRP.

Advantages of Velero Backup to Protect Kubernetes Cluster Data

Velero is an open-source tool that provides backup and disaster recovery capabilities for Kubernetes clusters. Velero offers several advantages for protecting Kubernetes cluster data, including:

1. Automated backups: Velero allows you to schedule automated backups of your Kubernetes resources and their associated volumes. This means that you don’t have to manually create and manage backups, saving you time and reducing the risk of human error.
2. Customizable backup policies: Velero offers flexible backup policies that enable you to customize your backups to meet your specific needs. For example, you can choose to back up only certain namespaces, labels, or annotations.
3. Incremental backups: Velero performs incremental backups, which means that only the changes made since the last backup are saved. This reduces the backup window and saves storage space.
4. Disaster recovery: Velero provides an easy way to restore your Kubernetes resources and their associated volumes in case of a disaster or outage. You can restore your resources to the same cluster or to a different one, making it easier to switch between different environments.
5. Support for multiple cloud providers: Velero supports several cloud providers, allowing multi-cloud strategy and making it easier to use the same tool for backup and disaster recovery across different environments.
6. Integration with IAC tools: Velero integrates with infrastructure as code (IAC) tools, such as Kubernetes manifests and Helm charts. This means that you can include backup and disaster recovery configurations in your IAC templates, making it easier to manage your backups alongside your infrastructure.

To ensure optimal use of Velero, it is recommended to enable Velero metrics to monitor the status of backups. Using the open-source monitoring tools Prometheus and Grafana, you can create a dedicated Kubernetes backup dashboard to display key metrics such as backup size, backup duration, number of successful and failed backups. These metrics provide useful information about the progress and success of backups, allowing for early detection of any potential issues. In addition, to improve visibility and resolution of backup issues, it is recommended to implement Loki and Promtail to retrieve logs and trigger alerts in case of warnings or errors on backups. This proactive approach helps resolve problems faster and improve the quality of backups. By following these best practices, Velero users can ensure that their backups are reliable and available when needed.

In a nutshell, Velero offers a reliable and flexible way to protect your Kubernetes cluster data, automate backups, and streamline disaster recovery.

Conclusion

Backup and DRP are critical for Kubernetes environments to ensure data protection, disaster recovery, compliance, and risk management. IAC can facilitate DRP by providing a consistent, repeatable, and scalable way to deploy and configure your Kubernetes clusters.

As highlighted above, Velero Backup is for sure a reliable and flexible solution to automate backups and streamline disaster recovery.

But there are various solutions available on the market to protect Kubernetes cluster data, and OVHcloud Managed Kubernetes offer (CNCF software compliant) is compatible with all of them by design – you can find out more in the dedicated content library available here.

If you want to get expert advice and support on this topic, we invite you to reach out to our partner LecPac-Consulting using the following contact details or to our Professional Services team.

Email info@lecpac-consulting.com
Telephone 06 13 02 81 71
Website https://lecpac-consulting.com/contact/

Challenges customers are facing around SAP

Migrating and hosting workloads in the cloud comes with several challenges, in particular managing technical complexity, controlling risks and costs. For companies using SAP, there is also a need to anticipate the upcoming deadline of 2027, which marks the end of ERP ECC6, by organizing the conversion of their systems to the new version of ERP SAP S/4HANA.

This complete overhaul of the solution impacts both the functional structure of the ERP and the technological base on which it is based. Managing the obsolescence of infrastructures makes this task even more complex, adding to the already very demanding specifications. Choosing the right partner then becomes a crucial issue when it comes to converting an ECC6 system to S/4HANA and more broadly defining a new technological trajectory for the years to come for its information system.

Major Greenfield/Brownfield use cases

SAP ECC6 customers will need to migrate to SAP S/4HANA in the next few years and there are several possible approaches to perform this migration, addressing different objectives. The choice will essentially be made between the following two scenarios:

• Technical migration (Brownfield type project): using migration tools provided by SAP to migrate SAP ECC6 objects to S/4HANA. The objective is to carry out a technical migration with a functional iso-perimeter.
• New implementation (Greenfield-type project): installation of a new SAP S/4HANA instance, possibly with a recovery of existing elements in SAP ECC6 (configuration, specific programs, etc.).

It is then mandatory to master all the tasks necessary for the success of an SAP conversion project:

• Infrastructures: measure the impact on current infrastructures, size new infrastructures, propose new infrastructures in collaboration with the main manufacturers or hosts on the market, manage the relationship with the main SAP outsourcing companies, etc.
• Operating systems / database: master the roadmaps of the different publishers (Oracle, VMWare…), have expertise on the different versions in coherence with SAP, carry out OS/DB migrations…
• Configuration: master all the functional modules of SAP ERP to understand any regressions and highlight the functional benefits of new versions
• Developments: control the entire SAP Netweaver technological base to anticipate any risk concerning specific Abap or other programs in the context of migrations, manage interfaces with third-party solutions
• Management: rely on one or more project managers to anticipate risks and secure project schedules

Move2cloud migration strategy – methodology

To best meet all customer needs, the recommended approach is an adaptation of the 5Rs model to better embrace the technological specificities of SAP workloads, thus saving time on decision-making process, having better visibility of the methodology adopted and meeting technical, business or financial requirements.

Although it is difficult to generalize the application of a migration strategy, it is advisable to structure the approach according to four main distinct phases:

• Evaluate the workloads: this evaluation is key to estimate the costs, identify the axes of improvement and modernization of the infrastructure and to define the use of the deployment tools
• Plan the operations: the planning concerns the validation of all the technical prerequisites as well as that of the planning, the resources and the constitution of the teams
• Deploy: application environments are deployed or replicated in the cloud, according on the chosen method
• Put the workloads into production: the effort during this migration phase is critical for the governance, operations management and security teams in order to limit the workload as much as possible.

Very often in the context of an SAP migration project to the cloud, the lift-and-shift (or re-hosting) methodology proves to be the most appropriate because it is simpler, with a reduced migration time and above all less expensive.

Conclusion

Conducting SAP conversion projects, with database and infrastructure presents a real complexity that can only be delivered successfully by an expert team. Support from a consulting and integration company assures you of project management commitments and allows you to secure the timings and budgets of your projects.

Since the creation of its hosting division, Applium has supported many SAP customers in the cloud, whether for a partial or complete migration or landscape hybridization or simply for advice around the definition of their technological trajectories.

Applium offers a hosting and migration solution to the OVHcloud cloud that is suitable for the most critical and demanding workloads, such as SAP. This offer aims to meet the growing need of customers for the migration aspects of their applications in a sovereign cloud. Thus, Applium is involved in the entire chain of an SAP integration project, from the study phase to the operational application and operational conditioning of the solution.

Founded in 2002, Applium is a consulting and integration company dedicated to SAP solutions, capable of dealing with all the dimensions of an implementation project and covering the entire solution lifecycle, from initial design to maintenance. Applium’s 130 SAP consultants and experts cover several functional and technical areas. The strong expertise of Applium’s SAP consultants (15 years of experience on average on the SAP solution) allows to offer strong commitments on results and to provide advice with high added value.

Applium also offers SAP Publisher Maintenance, TMA and SAP outsourcing services through its shared Center of Expertise, certified by SAP (SAP PCoE Certification), the SAP Support and Maintenance Center (CSM). For several years, Applium has also offered SAP ECC6 or S/4HANA hosting solutions with OVHcloud.

Applium has been a partner and reseller of SAP solutions since 2008, and an Advanced Partner of OVHcloud since December 2022.

Applium teams are spread over 8 sites, in France (Clichy, Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, Montpellier, Strasbourg and Rennes) and in Portugal (Lisbon).

To know more about Applium SAP hosting on OVHcloud, please click here