City of Veurne works with AXI to build a stable and secure IT environment
The city of Veurne recently invested in a completely revamped server and storage environment. After seven years, the existing infrastructure had reached the end of its life cycle and no longer offered sufficient guarantees of continuity. In collaboration with IT partner AXI, Veurne opted for a future-proof, locally hosted architecture with built-in redundancy and high availability.
The city of Veurne has around 13,000 inhabitants and 500 employees, spread across thirty locations that are all connected to each other via the municipal network. The IT team consists of four employees, who are responsible for a wide range of services, from the residential care center and social services to tourism and youth services.
“Our environment is very diverse,” says Didier Boydens, ICT manager at the City of Veurne. “We don't manage just one type of application or service, but a mix of administrative, social, and healthcare processes. That requires a stable, secure, and well-documented infrastructure.”
The challenge: outdated infrastructure, new needs
After seven years, the previous server and storage environment was due for replacement. The hardware supplier could not guarantee extended support, and the architecture no longer met today's requirements in terms of redundancy and scalability.
“We decided to host locally again,” says Didier Boydens. “Our two data centers are barely a kilometer apart and are connected via fiber optics. This allows us to build everything internally with redundancy and full control over the infrastructure.”
Continuity was also an important parameter in the decision-making process. During previous disruptions to external data lines, local services were able to continue functioning because the most critical applications were running on-premises.
The solution: high-performance and redundant on-premises environment
AXI designed and implemented a new server and storage architecture based on Dell hardware, with redundant ESX hosts on both sides of the network. The environment was set up with active-active storage, automatic failover, and additional backup facilities via Veeam. In addition, an independent copy of the data was placed outside the storage environment, a conscious choice for extra security and testing purposes.
According to Didier Boydens, the collaboration with AXI went very smoothly: “AXI thinks along with us at every stage, from the preliminary phase to delivery. They ask the right questions, know exactly where we want to go, and don't overwhelm you with unnecessarily expensive solutions. The migration went perfectly, which for us is proof of a well-designed project.”
The project was carried out without any downtime. AXI linked the old system directly to the new one and carried out the migration in phases. “All documentation was also correctly updated and transferred to the internal IT team, which we consider extremely important,” emphasizes Didier Boydens. “AXI delivers neatly and ensures that you know exactly how everything works.”
Partnership and trust
The collaboration with AXI did not come about by chance. Didier Boydens already knew the company from his time as an ICT manager in the hospital sector: “I worked at the hospital in Veurne for twenty years and had excellent experiences with AXI there. That reliability was the deciding factor. We know that AXI does what they promise.”
According to Boydens, AXI stands out thanks to its multidisciplinary approach and accessibility: “You have a designated contact person, you can call if there is a problem, and you always receive a well-founded answer. That personal contact makes all the difference. With other suppliers, the account manager changes every so often, and then you lose continuity.”
The collaboration fits within the public sector framework contract, which means the city can operate in accordance with the law while also benefiting from market-based prices.
Future-oriented thinking
Although Veurne still works primarily on-premise today, Boydens is looking ahead. The city is preparing for more SaaS solutions and is currently investigating ways to strengthen its security position in line with NIS2.
“We are fully engaged in projects involving network security, SOC solutions, and AI applications,” he says. “AXI is a party that we will definitely involve again. They know our environment and proactively contribute ideas about what works for us.”
With its upgraded infrastructure, the City of Veurne now has a stable, fast, and documented IT environment that supports the daily operations of city services and is ready for future developments.
