EduCloud as Infrastructure Provider
Date: 2026-01-15 Status: Accepted Context: Choosing where to host the Kubernetes cluster for the student developer platform
Decision
Host the platform on EduCloud, by our colleagues in Eindhoven from ICT. An internal cloud based on Apache CloudStack, rather than a public cloud provider or on-premise hardware.
Rationale
Why EduCloud?
| Factor | EduCloud | Public Cloud (AWS/Azure) | On-premise hardware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free for education | Pay-per-use, budget approval needed | Upfront investment |
| Availability | Managed by Fontys ICT | SLA-based | Self-managed |
| Network | On Fontys network, low latency | External, requires VPN/firewall rules | Local |
| Control | Full VM access, self-service scaling | Full, but cost-sensitive | Full |
| Data residency | Fontys datacenter (Netherlands) | Depends on region | On-site |
| Sustainability | No additional budget or procurement | Requires recurring funding | Hardware lifecycle |
Key insight: EduCloud removes the biggest barrier to running infrastructure for education — cost and procurement. We get VMs on demand, managed by Fontys ICT, at no cost to the project. This makes the platform sustainable without external funding.
Why CloudStack matters
CloudStack provides an API (cmk) for self-service VM management:
- Scale cluster nodes up/down without tickets;
- Snapshot and restore VMs;
- Manage networking and firewall rules.
This gives us enough control to run a production-grade Kubernetes cluster while staying within the Fontys ecosystem.
Alternatives Considered
Public cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP, OVHcloud)
- Managed Kubernetes available (EKS, AKS, GKE);
- Requires budget approval and recurring costs;
- Data leaves Fontys network;
- Rejected: Cost and procurement friction makes it unsustainable for an educational platform with no dedicated budget.
On-premise hardware (Venlo server lab)
- Full control;
- Requires hardware procurement, physical maintenance;
- Single point of failure;
- Rejected: Up for discussion, in the future, but currently not feasible due to lack of hardware and maintenance resources. EduCloud provides a more immediate and sustainable solution.
Consequences
Positive
- Zero cost — sustainable without external funding;
- Short communiction lines - support is very responsive so far;
- Data stays within Fontys and in the Netherlands;
- FICT and FTenL Informatics collaboration.
Negative
- Dependent on Fontys ICT for EduCloud availability and maintenance;
- EduCloud availability and (lack of) pricing is not guaranteed and could change in the future;
Risks
- If EduCloud is decommissioned, we need an alternative hosting solution;
Future Considerations
In the long term, especially if our whole curriculum depends on it, we may consider setting up our own infrastructure.
Aditionally, GreenTechLab can be part of the conversation too, as they have a similar need for their projects.